What began as a chance encounter between colleagues at a technology transfer event jointly organised by the African Academy of Sciences and the University of Michigan has evolved into a powerful, cross-border collaboration reshaping innovation and technology transfer at the University of Zambia (UNZA).

The growing partnership between Unisa and UNZA, led by Unisa’s Directorate of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation (DITTC), is now entering a decisive new phase focused squarely on implementation, institutional capability and long-term impact.

From a single visit to a shared vision

The collaboration dates to 2023, when colleagues from Zambia first visited the DITTC as part of a capacity development programme supported by the Japanese Patent Office. The initial objective was clear: to lay the groundwork for effective technology transfer offices (TTOs) within Zambian institutions.

What started as structured training quickly grew into something deeper, a relationship anchored in shared ambition around innovation, commercialisation and societal impact.

Seeing innovation in action

Later in 2023, a UNZA delegation attended the Unisa Innovation Festival. There, they experienced firsthand how innovation is embedded across institutional programmes for both staff and students, an approach that has become a hallmark of the DITTC’s work.

This was more than a study visit. It was a moment of inspiration. Seeds were planted.

From observation to execution

By 2024, those seeds were taking root. UNZA formally invited the DITTC, together with Unisa’s Directorate of Research Support, to Zambia to deliver hands-on training in commercialisation-related areas to staff across institutions.

The results were tangible and rapid. UNZA formally established its Technology Transfer Office, appointed dedicated personnel and launched innovation programmes inspired by the Unisa model. The partnership had decisively shifted from exposure to execution.

The next chapter: deepening institutional capability

In recognition of the progress made and the trust built, the Vice-Chancellor of UNZA has formally invited the DITTC to deliver two targeted capacity-building interventions in February 2026. These interventions are designed to strengthen both innovation development and TTO operations.

1. Lean canvas and customer discovery

Dates: 16 - 21 February 2026
Target group: Researchers and student innovators

This programme will equip participants with practical tools for innovation development, customer discovery and market validation, ensuring that ideas are not only novel but viable. The intervention mirrors the highly successful ApTech bootcamps run annually by the DITTC within the Unisa community.

2. Establishing and running a technology transfer office

Dates: 23 - 28 February 2026
Target group: Newly appointed TTO staff and administrators

Focused on operational excellence, this intervention will strengthen UNZA’s TTO capacity across policies, processes, operational models and programme design, laying a solid foundation for sustainable commercialisation.

Moving forward, together

This invitation represents far more than a request for training. It signals the maturity of a partnership that has evolved from informal learning exchanges into a collaborative effort to build enduring institutional capability.

What began with exposure to the Unisa innovation ecosystem has grown into a shared mission: to strengthen innovation and commercialisation capacity across borders, institutions and generations.

* Submitted by the Directorate of Innovation, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation