Assessing Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Skills Necessary in Sustaining Education 5.0 in Zimbabwe Higher Education Sector: A case of Chinhoyi University of Technology

Abstract

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) is an era that has brought new approaches to education which requires the integration of cyber physical technologies into the teaching and learning. Higher and Tertiary Learning institutions are the nerve centers for knowledge diffusion. These institutions form the heartbeat of an economy as they are the catalysts for sustainable skills development, technological innovation leading gradual knowledge economic growth and prosperity. They constitute the port of call in innovative industrial transformation, as such they are the lead institutions in embracing teaching and learning in a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) era. The implications of 4IR technologies in education are less understood. This study examines the critical technology-related skills necessary for enhancing university services using the Education 5.0 Doctrine which pursues Teaching, Research, Community, Innovation and Industrialisation. A total of 166 responses were both qualitatively and quantitatively collected from academic staff participants. The findings highlight the importance of wholesome 4IR training, big data analysis, simulating ideation to reality, multimedia usage for visualizing future possibilities, appropriate software utilization, virtual platforms and simulations for practical’s, data analytics skills, critical thinking, data science, online teaching and research, innovations, predictive analysis, robotics and simulation software, readily accessible ICT manuals, computer skills, interactive boards, digital technologies, artificial intelligence, interactive online teaching, virtual reality and augmented reality, training on simulation software, ICT skills, 4IR technologies for data collection and analytics, LMS navigation, staff information availability on portals, data analysis technologies, cloud computing, mechatronics and software integration, nanotechnology sampling equipment, academic entrepreneurship and ICT, computer-aided designing skills, safe data keeping, and emerging technologies. The study emphasizes the need for refresher courses and training on simulation software. It is through integrating these critical technology-related skills in the 4IR era that universities in Zimbabwe can be able to effectively implement the Education 5.0 doctrine and enhance their service offerings.