SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: Professor Bbenkele Champions Sustainable Investment in Higher Education
Professor Edwin Kachesa Bbenkele, Vice-Chancellor of ZCAS University, will chair the panel on “Financing the Development of Modern Infrastructure in Higher Education.” A seasoned academic, researcher, and business leader, Professor Bbenkele is uniquely placed to guide this critical conversation on how Zambia can unlock transformative investment for its universities.
His leadership experience across higher education and the private sector brings a rare blend of scholarship and enterprise to the Indaba. Under his chairship, this panel promises to move beyond theory into actionable strategies, showing how partnerships, policy reforms, and innovative financing can turn higher education into a powerful engine of Zambia’s growth.
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 Professor Edwin Bbenkele.
(Biography courtesy of ZCAS University)
Professor Emeritus Edwin Kachesa Bbenkele is a seasoned academic and business development specialist with extensive experience in higher education, research, and private sector leadership. He holds a BA in Business Administration and Economics from the University of Zambia, an MBA in Marketing Management from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and a PhD in Consumer Behaviour from the University of Stirling, Scotland. He has served several senior positions, including Acting Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Consultancy & Innovation) at ZCAS University, Dean of the School of Business, and formerly Head of the Department of Entrepreneurship at the University of Johannesburg. His earlier leadership roles include CEO of the Zambia Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI) and Executive Director of the SADC Business Council, where he contributed to regional trade and enterprise development. Professor Bbenkele has published widely on consumer behaviour, entrepreneurship, and SMME development, and continues to supervise doctoral and postgraduate students. He is affiliated with professional bodies including the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK) and the South African Institute of Management Sciences.
Relevant Media Handles
Website: https://zcasu.edu.zm/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZCASU#
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-zcas-university/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrVx_JZ38Inl8-4T_RpWBgw
Register for the Higher Education Indaba here: www.hea.org.zm/inbaba
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