MAPUTO, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Mozambique will reposition its higher education system to better support industrialization, technological innovation and economic transformation, President Daniel Chapo said on Monday.
Speaking at the opening of the National Higher Education Conference in Maputo, Chapo said the country's future prosperity depends on its ability to produce knowledge, develop innovation and train professionals capable of transforming Mozambique's vast natural resources into economic growth.
The president said universities should move beyond their traditional role of teaching to become active contributors to national development, supporting industrialization, modern agriculture, digitalization and value addition across key sectors of the economy.
Chapo acknowledged that Mozambique's higher education system continues to face major challenges, including weak links between universities and industry, low graduate employability, insufficient applied research, regional inequalities and funding constraints.
"Today, we need a strategic break with the current model. We need to move from universities that transmit knowledge to universities that produce solutions," he said.
He called for universities to expand research and training in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, data science, advanced computing and other frontier technologies.
The president also linked higher education reform to youth employment, saying universities should equip graduates with the skills to create businesses and generate employment rather than contribute to rising unemployment.
The two-day conference is expected to produce recommendations for Mozambique's Higher Education Strategic Plan for 2026-2035.
