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Remember Deketeke and Mutsawashe Mashandure

Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) yesterday hosted a portfolio engineering challenge programme to explore the role of specialist financial firms and the evolving landscape of finance and business education and create skills that go “beyond a certificate”.

The event was hosted by the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences in the Financial Engineering department.

Such competitions are seen as exposing young students to rigorous pressure. The competition sought to challenge business and finance students to apply their expertise in addressing real-world society issues and build strong and exceptional business proposals before a panel of judges. The process incorporated the Education 5.0 principles into the studies.

One of the most essential elements that participating in competitions brings out in a student involves continuous learning and improvement at each step during a contest.

HIT Dean, Mr Dingilizwe Nkomo said the idea of the competitions was to produce students who went beyond cramming, passing and forgetting.

“The emergence of artificial intelligence has made students start using the tool to compose assignments, and projects, among other things which undermine their thinking capacity,” he said.

“We tried to provide the students with something more useful that puts them in touch with real-life situations where they are required to uniquely think on their feet.

Furthermore, the programme was aimed at turning theory into practice through 5.0 -heritage-based education, driving innovation towards economic development by 2030.

“The programme’s main thrust is adding flesh to the 5.0 Heritage-based education, creating our very own investors that will lead the country to attain Vision 2030,” he said.

Ms Maita Kundishora, who scooped first prize and won US$500 at the competition, said the initiative would bring change to the Zimbabwe stock exchange markets.

“By creating a balanced portfolio, I learned how to mitigate risk and ensure stability, even in times of sectoral underperformance,” she said.

“This practical experience has provided me with invaluable industry insights and real-world expertise, which will be essential as I transition into a professional role. I am confident that my skills and knowledge will enable me to make a meaningful impact in the field of portfolio engineering.”

Mr Musawenkosi Dzeka said this initiative had the potential to significantly contribute to Zimbabwe’s goal of reaching upper-middle-income status by 2030.

“By fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, we can create sustainable solutions that address pressing developmental challenges,” he said.

“Moreover, we can develop unique solutions that are tailored to our local context rather than relying solely on imported technologies.

“I believe that this initiative will have a ripple effect, inspiring a new generation of engineers, innovators, and entrepreneurs to develop solutions that drive economic growth, improve lives, and propel Zimbabwe towards a brighter future.”