Two decades of shaping adaptive electronic engineers for sustainable intelligent technologies and digital transformation: the case of the electronic engineering department at harare institute of technology, zimbabwe

Abstract

This paper presents a longitudinal case study of the Department of Electronic Engineering at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), Zimbabwe, examining its evolution over two decades as a mandate-driven hub for competence-based, innovation-oriented engineering education. Since its establishment in 2005, the department has pioneered Zimbabwe’s Education 5.0 framework, embedding technopreneurship, prototype-driven pedagogy, and direct industrial engagement into its curriculum. The study situates HIT’s model within global discourses on engineering education reform, the Fourth and Fifth Industrial Revolutions (4IR/5IR), and the growing emphasis on entrepreneurial engineers. Evidence of impact includes programmatic expansions (Biomedical Engineering, Industrial Automation, and Telecommunications), graduate outputs, industry collaborations, and tangible innovations addressing national challenges. The findings position HIT’s approach as a replicable model for higher education institutions in developing economies aiming to align engineering education with sustainable development and digital transformation.