SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: Dr. Mushibwe on Trailblazing Leadership in Digital Higher Education
Dr. Christine Phiri Mushibwe, Vice-Chancellor of UNICAF University Zambia, will present on “Future-Proofing Zambia’s Youth: The Role of Online Universities in Expanding Higher Education Opportunities.” A trailblazer in education and one of Zambia’s few female Vice-Chancellors, she brings a powerful mix of academic excellence, leadership, and advocacy to the Indaba. Her voice matters not only because she leads a globally connected university but also because she represents the transformational power of women in higher education leadership.
By sponsoring the Indaba, UNICAF University Zambia is not only showcasing its commitment to quality blended and online education but is also investing in the future of higher education in Zambia. Dr. Mushibwe’s presence at the Indaba ensures that digital, inclusive, and borderless learning will be part of the national conversation.
Register for the Higher Education Indaba here: www.hea.org.zm/inbaba
The inaugural Higher Education Indaba will be held from 8th to 10th October, 2025, at the Avani Victoria Falls Resort in Livingstone, under the theme “Unlocking Zambia’s Potential Through New Investments in Quality Higher Education.”
Hosted by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Indaba will convene over 400 leaders from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), industry, cooperating partners, civil society, and other strategic stakeholders.
About Dr. Mushibwe.
(Biography courtesy of Unicaf)
Dr. Christine Phiri Mushibwe has an excellent record in academic and institutional leadership. She has served in various HEIs in leadership portfolios. As an ardent Educationist, experienced HR professional and Consultant she has demonstrable acumen in leadership. She earned the prestigious award of ‘Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business and Government’ by CEO Global, (in the education category), as regional winner and Country winner in 2017, and 2018/19 respectively. The awards were in recognition of her impact in the number of institutions where she has served in her own capacity and in her leadership roles. She was also awarded the GARA’s Award of Excellence for Global leaders (2021) for her passionate contribution to social welfare towards the betterment of society and the country. The Zambia Business Awards recognized her with “The Women’s Vice Chancellor of the Year”, “Business Woman of the Year in Academic Services Industry” and “A life time Achievement Award” in 2025. She is currently a Visiting Research Fellow at University of Huddersfield, visiting lecturer at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan and the Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design.
Starting her career as a Home Economics teacher with qualifications attained in both Zambia and South Africa, Christine began teaching at secondary school level. She went on to serve in various capacities, including National Chairperson of the subject association, before being promoted to the position of Deputy Head Teacher.
Christine attained her Ph.D. at University Huddersfield, together with her Bachelor’s degree and Masters in Human Resource Development. Employed as a Lead Tutor at the same university, she went on to teach at various universities in China. She further worked as an associate Lecturer at Leeds Trinity University and at Connexions in Bradford as a Programme Development Officer and Lead Mentor attached to ACCAP. She has worked in a number of Universities in Zambia in her leadership capacity such as UNILUS, ZAOU, and UOA and is currently serving as Vice Chancellor at Unicaf University Zambia. Christine is one of the very few female Vice Chancellors in the country. She is a co-founder of an NGO called Training Teachers for Community Schools in Zambia (TTCSZ) [https//www.teachers4zambia.org] and Lusaka Open Business College. Christine is currently the Chair of the Advisory Body at Campaign for Female Education (Camfed), Board Member of SARUA, ACDE, a Patroness of BeRelevant Africa, a Board Member of COLD and GARA respectively. She is a Fellow Member and a Brand Ambassador at GARA.
Christine is the author of the highly acclaimed books titled “The Effect of Cultural Traditions on the Education of Women” (2010), Followers: A Key Variable in Organizational Success (2020), The Basics of Research: Making Research Easy for Students (2022), Dirty Secrets: An Expose of Zambia’s Unspoken Cultural Skeletons (2024) and many others. She has published a number of journals on different subjects and contributed chapters to Books. She has and continues to supervise and examine a number of PhD students from various universities. She is a reviewer of books and journals and journal editor. She is an established Corporate Trainer on various subjects. Christine is an outstanding public speaker as well as Keynote Speaker at various local and International Conferences. She is a Mentor of many and a relationship builder.
Relevant Media Handles
Website: https://www.unicafuniversity.ac.zm/
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Twitter (X): https://x.com/unicafuni
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UnicafUniversity
Register for the Higher Education Indaba here: www.hea.org.zm/inbaba
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