Professor Chinsembu Visits Zambia’s Only Technical University College, Calls for Growth in AI and Data Science
The Director-General of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Professor Kazhila C. Chinsembu, on Friday, 24th April, 2026, visited the Zambia University College of Technology (ZUCT) in Ndola for the first time as part of his continued stakeholder engagement with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
The visit formed part of the Director-General’s ongoing engagement with HEIs to better understand their operations, opportunities, challenges and strategic contribution to Zambia’s higher education subsector.
ZUCT is a particularly important institution in Zambia’s higher education landscape. It is the only public technical university college in the country and one of only two (2) technical HEIs in Zambia, the other being Holy Cross Technical College.
During the engagement, Professor Chinsembu said HEA was ready to support the institution as it expands its training capacity, particularly in strategic fields such as artificial intelligence, data science and information technology.
He observed that HEIs such as ZUCT are well positioned to train young people for the digital economy, where skills can translate directly into employment, entrepreneurship and innovation.
“We are here to support you, and we hope that you can advance your training so that you reach more students and expand more programmes,” Professor Chinsembu said.
He further encouraged the institution to explore programmes that respond to emerging technologies, noting that young people can now use digital tools, including phones and computers, to create income and employment for themselves.
ZUCT Executive Director, Dr. Betty S. Bweupe, welcomed the visit, noting that it was a significant moment for the institution as the Director-General had not previously visited the University College.
She said that ZUCT had slightly over 2,800 students, with 1,084 students on Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board (HELSB) support. She further noted that the technical university college had continued making progress despite infrastructure and governance challenges.
Among the issues discussed was student accommodation, of which Dr. Bweupe indicated that the HEI currently had about 356 bed spaces, with most students accommodated outside campus through inspected boarding houses and related arrangements.
Professor Chinsembu encouraged the technical university college to explore Public-Private Partnership (PPP) opportunities for hostel development, especially as ZUCT still had approximately six (6) hectares of unused land.
The visit also allowed the Director-General to appreciate the ZUCT’s strategic role in technical education, digital skills training and the future of Zambia’s technology-driven development.
ZUCT is located on Kalewa Road, Northrise, Ndola, and is recognised by HEA under Recognition No.: HEA/GRZ/UC-0001.
Visit ZUCT here:
- Facebook – @zictcollege
- LinkedIn – @zambia-ict-college
- YouTube – @zambiauniversitycollegeoft5596
- Website – https://www.zut.ac.zm/
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Dr. Bweupe receives and welcomes Professor Chinsembu in the ZUCT carpark.
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