Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences (MSUAS) proved that higher education can drive real community growth, taking home top national honours at the Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo.

The university scooped Best Rural Tourism Exhibition and 2nd Runner-Up for Best Training Institution Exhibition after its interactive display, “Everything Starts and Ends in the Kitchen: The Zimbabwean Rural Homestead Experience,” captured the attention of local and international visitors.

First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa served as the Guest of Honour for the awards ceremony, with her official address delivered on her behalf by the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Hon. Barbara Rwodzi.

Aligning with the university’s drive under Zimbabwe’s Education 5.0 framework to convert academic knowledge into practical industry solutions, the First Lady’s speech urged stakeholders to look past basic visitor headcounts and focus on sustainable community impact:

“Zimbabwe must move beyond chasing visitor numbers and build a tourism industry that protects the country’s natural and cultural heritage while delivering lasting economic benefits to communities… The success of the sector should not be judged by visitor arrivals alone”, she said.

By demonstrating how rural culture, indigenous architecture, and traditional living can be turned into sustainable tourism enterprises, MSUAS showed how higher education can directly uplift communities across Zimbabwe.