Prof. Simukanga was awarded the Commendation Certificate at a Ceremony and Reception held in his honour at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr. Kazuyuki Takeuchi.

The Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation is awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries in different sectors. For 2023, Prof. Simukanga received this award together with 186 individuals and 63 groups from all over the world. 

Prof. Simukanga served as UNZA Vice-Chancellor from 2007 – 2015. He was honoured at an event which took place on Tuesday, 17^th October 2023.

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This was made known by the Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr. Kazuyuki Takeuchi, at a Ceremony and Reception held at his residence during an event honouring Prof. Simukanga with the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for 2023.

The Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation is awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries in different sectors. For 2023, Prof. Simukanga received this award with together with 186 individuals and 63 groups from all over the world.  

In his remarks, Mr. Takeuchi said that in role as Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simukanga developed strong and close academic relations with Hokkaido University of Japan.

“He made an earnest effort to foster the cooperation and elevate it to a comprehensive and strategic inter-university Academic Exchange Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding on Student Exchange, which were concluded between UNZA and Hokkaido University in March 2011,” Mr. Takeuchi said.

The Ambassador further added that based upon the inter-university agreements, Prof. Simukanga broadened the sphere of academic cooperation.

“One of his key contributions was the establishment of the first ever liaison office of a Japanese university in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012, and the provision of continuous and dedicated support to the activities of the office,” he said, adding, “the office, now known as Hokkaido University Africa Office in Lusaka, has been playing a pivotal role in facilitating academic exchanges and two-way exchange of students between UNZA and Hokkaido University since then.

He further stated that the Office has expanded its scope of activities by running “Study-in-Japan Global Network Project”.

“In this regard the office represents not only Hokkaido University but also various universities in Japan, and providing information and assistance for students who wish to study in Japan,” Mr. Takeuchi said, concluding, “the Office now reaches out to motivated students both from Zambia and the other countries in the Sub-Saharan region, and assumes a role as a regional hub for exchange of students between Japan and the region.”

Mr. Takeuchi concluded his remarks by stating that the importance of Prof. Simukanga’s contributions to Zambia-Japan relations could not be overstated.

“Indeed, with my humble experience of 40 years as a career diplomat, I am pleased to tell you that the cooperation between UNZA and Hokkaido University is one of the most successful and flourishing inter-university partnerships,” the Ambassador said, adding, “no one denies that, in fostering friendship and cooperation between the two countries, there is nothing more important than exchange of motivated youths, allowing them to live and study in the other country and absorb the local culture and thinking first-hand.”

He added that learning a foreign language is a gateway to mutual understanding between peoples of different cultures.

“Prof. Simukanga supported the opening of Japanese language extension courses at UNZA, as well as the development of opening of Japanese language courses in the Bachelor’s curriculum of UNZA,” the Ambassador said. “The courses provide valuable opportunities to the students of UNZA and other people to learn Japanese.”

Prof. Simukanga served as UNZA Vice-Chancellor from 2007 – 2015. He was honoured at an event which took place on Tuesday, 17^th October 2023.

Speaking at Ceremony and Reception held in his honour at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia during an event honouring Prof. Simukanga with the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for 2023, the Director-General noted and remarked on the important contribution that the late Prof. Mweene made in ensuring the success of the contributions to the promotion of friendship between the Republic of Zambia and Japan.

“I would not talk about this contribution without talking about the then Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine, Prof. Aaron Mweene, May His Soul Rest in Peace,” Prof. Simukanga said, adding, “(Prof. Mweene) was very active and keen to follow up agreed activities with the counterparts at Hokkaido University in Japan.  He made my contribution easier as he would have done a thorough job in the background.”

Prof. Simukanga added that the Commendation honoured to him also goes to the late Prof. Mweene and other colleagues at UNZA who were part of this process.

In concluding his remarks, Prof. Simukanga extended his sincere thanks to the Foreign Minister of Japan, through His Excellency, the Ambassador of Japan to Zambia, Mr. Kazuyuki Takeuchi, for recognising the “little contribution” that he made to advancing cooperation between the Republic of Zambia and Japan.

“I am really grateful for this recognition,” he said, adding, “I would like to thank the Honourable Minister of Education, Mr. Douglas Munsaka Syakalima MP., through the representative he has sent on his behalf, Mr. William Nyundu, for finding time to be present at this commendation event despite his busy schedule.  Thank you for coming, Sir. My thanks go to all of you for being here and for making this event possible.”

Japan honoured the Director-General with the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation for 2023 for his role in expanding and deepening mutual understanding and friendly relations between the Republic of Zambia and Japan during his tenure as Vice-Chancellor of the UNZA.

The Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation is awarded to individuals and groups with outstanding achievements in international fields, to acknowledge their contributions to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries in different sectors. For 2023, Prof. Simukanga received this award together with 186 individuals and 63 groups from all over the world. 

Prof. Simukanga served as UNZA Vice-Chancellor from 2007 – 2015. He was honoured at a Ceremony and Reception which took place on Tuesday, 17^th October 2023.

The delegation was led by Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan, Mr. Matsuura Kenji, who was accompanied by Ms. Sangwani Stemgene Sichinga, the PR and Cultural Analyst. They met HEA Director-General, Prof. Stephen Simukanga, in his office.

During their conversation, Mr. Kenji extoled, on behalf of the Japanese people, Prof. Simukanga’s contribution to higher education and fostering better ties between Zambia and Japan through his role as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Zambia.

Prof. Simukanga was Vice-Chancellor of the oldest university in Zambia for 8 years, from July 2007 to June 2015.

After his tenure as Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simukanga joined HEA in January 2016 as its first Director-General.

The Second Secretary at the Embassy of Japan in Zambia visited HEA on 14^th July, 2023.

Former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, said, “Leadership is never given on a silver platter, one has to earn it.”

Prof. Simukanga, your election as SAQAN President is clear and resounding echo of how you have steadfastly led the Higher Education Authority in “Ensuring Quality Higher Education” in order to enhance human capital that will lead to accelerated national development.

Prof. Simukanga was elected as president of the new SAQAN Executive Committee at its biennial general assembly on 26^th April, 2022, and will serve a four-year term, which was effective on the date of election, and may be eligible for re-election for one more term only.

SAQAN was founded in 2015 as a voluntary and non-profit organisation made up of membership from quality assurance agencies, higher education institutions and professional bodies in the SADC region.

Send in your congratulatory messages to Prof. Simukanga to corporateservices@hea.org.zm or WhatsApp (+260) 975 002 649 and we shall publish it on our Facebook page. *

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The Director General said this when he gave an introduction of what HEA does to the Minister of Education, Honourable Mr. Douglas Munsaka Syakalima, MP., during a meeting organised by the newly formed Ministry of Education at which the Minister met the heads of departments, statutory bodies and institutions under his charge.

“Honourable Minister, the classification is intended to align Higher Education Institutions to the capacity they have to offer learning programmes,” Prof. Simukanga said, continuing, “for example, if the capacity of a Higher Education Institution is just to offer Bachelor’s (Degrees), we classify it as a (Zambia Qualifications Framework) ZQF7 institution, meaning that it cannot offer Masters (Degrees).”

Prof. Simukanga further informed the Minister that HEA will soon inform the public of the HEIs that can offer which qualifications so that the public are made aware in order to prevent PhDs flowing from HEIs that do not have the capacity to graduate PhDs.

The classification system, which is provided for in Statutory Instrument No. 25 of 2016, allows HEA to group HEIs into classes based on their capabilities in research and innovation, teaching and learning. 

The goal of the classification system is to provide a basis for guiding learners and the public on the level of education that can be offered by an HEI based on its human resources, physical resources and research capacity and not to rank the HEIs. In this regard, this classification system should not be used as a ranking tool.

This classification system is also a quality assurance tool that instils confidence in the public on the ability of an HEI to offer any type of education falling within the classification in which the institution has been registered.

The meeting, which was held last week at the National Science Centre in Kabulonga, Lusaka, included the departments of University Education, Human Resources and Administration, Standards and Curriculum, Planning and Information, Open and Distance Education, School Health and Nutrition, Financial Management and Accounting, and Internal Audit.

Further, statutory bodies included the Higher Education Authority (HEA), Zambia Qualifications Authority (ZAQA) and Higher Education Loans & Scholarships Board (HELSB), whilst institutions included the hosts, the National Science Centre.

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Prof. Simukanga was honoured at ZAMREN’s AGM held on 11^th June, 2021, at Pamodzi International Hotel in Lusaka for his contribution to the founding of ZAMREN as one of three (3) founding Vice-Chancellors between 2010 – 2016. The award recognised the efforts that Prof. Simukanga put into establishing ZAMREN during his tenure as the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Zambia (UNZA).

The other two (2) Vice-Chancellors honoured were Prof. Mutale Musonda, who was the Vice-Chancellor of Copperbelt University, and Prof. Vernon Chinene, who was Vice-Chancellor of Mulungushi University.

The Director General was presented with his award by the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Kayula Siame, who was assisted by ZAMREN Board Chairperson and Mulungushi University Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hellecy Ng’ambi.

In giving a vote of thanks after accepting his award, Prof. Simukanga noted how humbling an experience it was for someone to be appreciated the way ZAMREN had appreciated him whilst he was still alive. He, in the same breathe, thanked the Permanent Secretary and ZAMREN for the great honour they had bestowed on him.

Prof. Simukanga further noted that ZAMREN had produced in himself a Chairperson of the Board of the UbuntuNet Alliance, the regional Research and Education Networking organisation for Eastern and Southern Africa which forms the regional backbone network that interconnects National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) like ZAMREN. Prof. Simukanga is serving his second term on the Board, on which Prof. Ng’ambi also serves as a Board member.

ZAMREN is an NREN that started its operation in 2012 and has grown to become one of the leading Internet Service Provider and ICT solutions for Higher Education and Public Research Institutions in Zambia. An NREN is a specialised ICT provider that exists in a country to provide internet and advanced ICT services to the country’s research and educational institutions.

Join the conversation @HEAZambia on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube using the hashtag #HEAZambia #HigherEducationZambia, and visit our website for ALL the information on higher education in Zambia.

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