“We Must Not Turn Universities into Knowledge Graveyards” – Professor Chinsembu states, as HEA Calls for Thought Leadership in Higher Education
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has called for a fundamental shift in the role of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), warning that universities must not become repositories of unused knowledge, but centres of innovation, application and national impact.
This call was made by HEA Director-General, Professor Kazhila C. Chinsembu, during a virtual meeting held on Wednesday, 25th March, 2026, with Principal Officers from over 65 HEIs across the country, including Vice-Chancellors, Registrars, Bursars, Librarians and Deans of Students, as defined under the Higher Education Act, 2013.
Journalists trained by HEA during the Summer School Media Training Workshop were also in attendance, reflecting the Authority’s expanding engagement with the media on higher education issues.
Professor Chinsembu delivered a striking caution on the direction of the sector, urging institutions to reclaim their place at the forefront of national progress.
“As the Higher Education Authority, our mandate is to ensure that universities and colleges do not become knowledge graveyards, places where scholarship and erudition accumulate without being applied, shared or translated into societal value and impact,” he said.
He noted that while knowledge generation remains a core function of higher education, its true value lies in its ability to influence society, drive innovation and contribute meaningfully to national development.
“Sadly, many of our universities are absent from where we need them most, the frontlines of discovery and thought leadership,” he added.
The Director-General challenged institutions to move beyond passive knowledge accumulation and reposition themselves as active drivers of change, where research, teaching and innovation are translated into real solutions for the country.
In this regard, he emphasised that higher education must serve a higher purpose, one that extends beyond classrooms and into communities, industries and national development priorities.
At the heart of the message was a clear shift in expectation that universities must not only teach, they must lead because knowledge that is not applied does not transform and higher education that does not transform risks losing its purpose.
Download the full speech here: https://hea.org.zm/download/statement-by-professor-kazhila-chinsembu-director-general-of-the-higher-education-authority-lusaka-25-march-2026/
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A picture after the meeting: (L-R) Mr. Denny Nsokolo, Manager – Standards, Research & Institutional Audits; Mr. Martin Sintufya, Manager – Finance; Professor Chinsembu; Mr. Tebuho Muliokela, Esq., Legal Counsel and Board Secretary; Ms. Gloria C. Mwiko, Manager – Human Resource and Administration; and, Mr. Francis Kawesha, Senior Information Technology Officer.
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