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Walter Nyamukondiwa Kariba Bureau

Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) will represent the country and Africa at the world finals of the IMEX/MPI/MCI Future Leaders Forum Global University Challenge in Frankfurt, Germany, in May after beating 55 other universities from the continent in a competition held in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Monday.

CUT student Brian Mushakwe emerged the overall winner at the IMEX/MPI/MCI Future Leaders Forum Global University Challenge event, which is part of the bill at the ongoing Meetings Africa 2020.

The African competitions were held at the Sandton Convention Centre.

CUT sent a four-member team from its School of Hospitality and Tourism.

Zimbabwe, through the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), is exhibiting at Meetings Africa, bringing together national and regional tourism authorities, conference and exhibition centres, hotels and accommodation, event management specialists and destination management companies, among others.

Running under the theme “Events for Good”, the challenge gauged innovative thinking that would foster tourism growth among students across the world, starting from their respective continents.

It is sponsored by Meetings Africa and South African Airways and spearheaded by IMEX, an international organisation, which promotes Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions commonly known as MICE Tourism.

Mushakwe impressed with his presentation on the majestic Victoria Falls as the best destination in the world to host MICE Tourism.

CUT’s acting dean of Hospitality and Tourism, Dr Nelson Zengeni, said the future of tourism lay in innovative thinking and attributed the triumph of the university to Government’s Education 5.0 policy.

“We are extremely excited to claim the number one position in this prestigious competition,” he said.

“We are already beginning to witness the fruits of Education 5.0 as students exhibit their innovative capacity.

“The future of tourism lies with innovative thinking and as CUT, we will continue to play our part in contributing to the national agenda of achieving Vision 2030 through innovative tourism.

“We featured Vic Falls in these competitions, competing against other world-renowned destinations. By winning this competition, it shows that if we work together, Zimbabwe indeed can be the best destination in Africa.”

Students were given a challenging brief which they were expected to interpret and come up with a proposal at country level.

The selected proposal will then be presented at Meetings Africa.