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Professor Gideon Zhou

Associate Professor

prof gideon

Professor Gideon Zhou
Qualifications: PhD (UZ, 2001), MPA (UZ, 1995), BSc Hons Politics & Administration (UZ, 1991) Certificate in Education (1985, UZ) 
Cell: +263 0773242658 
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Autobiography

  • Associate Professor since 2015;
  • Extensive university teaching and research experience in the areas of public policy, public sector reforms, institutional governance, public finance governance and budgeting;
  • Extensive dissertation supervision experience at the PhD, masters and undergraduate degree levels;
  • Has published over forty academic works profiling five books, nine book chapters, and twenty-six peer reviewed and refereed international journals;
  • Served as one of the University of Zimbabwe Faculty experts (Champions) tasked with the responsibility of promoting the implementation of the University of Zimbabwe Strategic Plan 2019-2025- a process that saw far-reaching changes in university curricula;
  • Sits on various department, faculty and university Committees and Boards that include University Research Board, Faculty Strategic Planning Committee, Faculty Higher Degrees Committee, Post Graduate Committee;
  • Has served as External Examiner for various local and regional universities that include the University of Pretoria, University of Johannesburg, University of the Western Cape, University of Botswana, Tshwane University of Science and Technology, Midlands State University;
  • His most recent works include Evolving Issues in Public Administration and Governance in Zimbabwe (UZP, 2017), Four Decades of Public Sector Management Reforms in Zimbabwe (UZP, 2018). 

 Research Interests

  • Public Policy-with specific interests in designing models for strengthening capacity for policy formulation, implementation, analysis and governance in state institutions;
  • Public Sector Reforms and Governance-with specific interests on developing frameworks for strengthening accountability, transparency, innovation and sustainability in institutional service delivery;
  • Fiscal Resources Governance and Accountability-with specific interests on the political economy of public budgeting, revenue collection, expenditure control, and debt management;
  • Parliamentary Oversight over Public Debt and Natural Resources Management
  • Impacts of global disasters and pandemics on the state, public management and policy development.      

 Publications & Research Profile

Community Service-University Community

2001-2021

  • Currently serving as a member of the University of Zimbabwe Research Board where I have served in a three-member Team tasked with drafting of the University of Zimbabwe Research Policy;
  • Served as one of the University of Zimbabwe Faculty experts tasked with championing the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2019-2025 based on Education 5.0. The exercise resulted in far-reaching changes in university curriculum, teaching and narration of departments and faculties;
  • Actively involved in the development of the Faculty Minimum Body of Knowledge and Skills (MBKS) and the Social and Behavioural Sciences Strategic Plan 2019-25;
  • A member of Faculty Strategic Planning Committee (FSPC)-tasked with mapping smooth implementation of University business at the Faculty level;
  • Developed a Faculty of Social Sciences Framework Paper-Conceptualizing Innovation and Industrialization from a Social Science Perspective. The paper sought to clarify the role of social sciences teaching, research and community service in the promotion of Innovation and Industrialisation;
  • Developed a Strategic Implementation Overview for the Faculty Strategic Planning Committee which was presented and discussed at a Faculty Strategic Implementation Workshop organised by the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences on 17 December 2020;
  • Programme Coordinator for post-graduate degree programmes in public administration in the Department of Governance and Public Management in 2020 tasked with ensuring that departmental academic activities (teaching and dissertation research) are aligned with the 2019-2025 Strategic Plan informed by Education 5.0;
  • Chairperson of the Post Graduate Committee- a key Departmental committee  tasked with reviewing the academic integrity and viability of proposals submitted for post-graduate and higher degrees studies; 
  • Have been actively involved in providing mentorship to new members of the academic staff on issues relating to research, publication and effective handling of lectures and tutorials;
  • Have been actively involved in coordinating departmental curriculum review processes since 2006 that saw the introduction of two undergraduate degree programs-BSc Honours degree in Administration, and BSc Honours in Political Science; and adoption of new competitive courses;
  • Initiated and coordinated a Department Book Project that was aimed at celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the University of Zimbabwe. This exercise resulted in the publication of a book Evolving Issues in Public Administration and Governance in Zimbabwe in 2018.

Wider Community

2001-2021

  • Serving as External Examiner for several local and regional universities-

University of Botswana, School of Graduate Studies, 2020-2022

Midlands State University (2018-2020),

Tshwane University of Science and Technology, South Africa (2018-2019)

University of Johannesburg, South Africa (2018, 2019)

University of Pretoria, School of Economics and Public Management (2017, 2018)

University of the Western Cape; South Africa (2014/2015)

  • Resource Person at Training Workshop for Parliamentarians organised by Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development (IMCODD) on 23 November 2020;
  • Book Reviewer in 2020 for the International Development Institute (IDI), a local institute for innovative research, training and advocacy in development and governance;
  • Article Reviewer for International Journals such as Inderscience Publishers (2020, 2021)  https//indersciencessubmissions.com/index;
  • Nominated Editorial Board member in 2015, Journal of Public Administration, South Africa, a quarterly scholarly publication of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management;
  •  Extraordinary Professor (2016-to date), Department of Public Management and Administration, Vaal Triangle Campus, North West University, South Africa. This facility has facilitated collaborative supervision of PhD students between lecturers in the UZ Department of Politics and Administrative Studies and Vaal Triangle Campus of North-West University of South Africa;
  •  Guest Lecturer

July 1-30, 2018, Department of Politics and Public Management, Midlands State University;

July 1 -30, 2016, Department of Public Management and Administration, Vaal Triangle Campus, North West University, South Africa.

July 1-30, 2015, Department of Management Sciences, Faculty of Public Administration and Management, Mzumbe University, Daar Salaam, Tanzania. 

July 1-30, 2011, Department of Politics and Administrative Studies, University of Botswana.

  • Participated in 2016-2017 as Principal Researcher and Coordinator of the Zimbabwe Chapter in an Africa-wide collaborative Book Project as New Public Management in Africa-Emerging Issues and Lessons as part of an Africa-wide collaborative Book Project-New Public Management in Africa-Emerging Issues and Lessons (Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018). The Book Project drew academic participants from universities in South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe;
  • Nominated to the Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Public Administration in 2015-a quarterly scholarly publication issued on behalf of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM);
  • Participated in 2015-2017 as Principal Researcher and Coordinator of the Zimbabwe Book Project in an Africa-wide Book Project (Public Budgeting in African Nations: Fiscal Analysis in Development Management (Routledge, Taylor and Francis, 2016). This Book Project involved academic researchers from South Africa, Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe);
  • Policy Research Consultant in 2013-2014, Research Council of Zimbabwe. This consultancy resulted in the publication of an Executive Report and Book- Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Policy Analysis, Management and Governance in Zimbabwe; Resource Person at a Public Sector Management in Africa Workshop that was held by Africa University at the Ranche College, Harare from 6-10 January 2013. The workshop sought to expose participants to the trajectory, challenges and effects of reforms on public sector management in Africa;
  • Discussant at a regional conference State Fragility in Eastern and Southern Africa which was hosted by OSSREA at Soramba Hotel, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 16 to 17 April 2012;
  • Research Policy Consultant, Transparency International Zimbabwe (2012). This consultancy resulted in the publication of a chapter two “An Assessment of the Policy, Legal and Institutional Framework” in Transparency International Zimbabwe, Annual State of Corruption Report 2012: A look at the mining sector in Zimbabwe-Gold, Diamonds and Platinum;
  • Resource Person at a Regional Workshop Three Decades of Public Sector Reforms in Sub-Saharan Africa, hosted by OSSREA in Harare, Zimbabwe from the 4th to 6th of July at Cresta Hotel, Harare;
  • Researcher and Post-Doctorate Fellow (October 2007-May 2008), African Institute of Agrarian Studies (AIAS), a research and advocacy organisation based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Research activities entailed interviews with 36 NGOs in the land and agrarian sector. It resulted in the publication of an article  “NGO Programming and Policy Advocacy in the Land Sector in Zimbabwe” published by International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Policy, 2 (1), 1-14;
  • Facilitator in a training programme for senior civil servants offered by the Zimbabwe Institute for Public Administration and Management (ZIPAM) in collaboration with NUST from 2002-2006. These training programmes were aimed at building capacity for policy and budget formulation, implementation and analysis;
  • Research Consultant and Compiler on the Zimbabwe 29 March 2008 Harmonized Elections and 27 June Presidential Run-Off, Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN). This consultancy culminated in the production of a five-chapter Book Report on the Zimbabwe 29 March 2008 Harmonized Elections and 27 June Presidential Run-Off (ZESN, 2008). Report is available online;
  • Research Consultant, Zimbabwe Peace Project, a local peace-building advocacy organisation based in Harare, 2008-2010. The research entailed monitoring participation of stakeholders in the constitution-making process;
  • Public Policy Consultant in 2006 for the New York University (NYU). The Project involved interviews with parliamentarians in a bid to establish reforms that can be adopted by the Parliament of Zimbabwe to strengthen parliamentary oversight on matters relating to budget formulation and policy implementation. This project served as a precursor to the introduction of parliamentary portfolio committees in Zimbabwe;

Innovation and Industrialisation

Since the launch of the UZ Strategic Plan 2019-25, I had the opportunity to participate in clarifying the notion and strategies for promoting the Innovation and Industrialisation dimensions of the UZ Strategic Plan 2019-25 by:

  • Serving as a member of the University of Zimbabwe Research Board, an apex executive body tasked with the responsibility of developing a road map for promoting university-wide innovative research that will foster transition from Education 3-0 to 5.0;
  • Serving as a three-member UZ Research Board Team tasked with the responsibility of drafting the University of Zimbabwe Research Policy in line with the innovation and industrialisation thrust of Education 5.0. Participating in the formulation and presentation of the First Policy Draft to the UZ Research Board in 2020.
  • Serving as one of the University of Zimbabwe Faculty experts (Champions) tasked with the responsibility of promoting and rolling out the implementation of the Strategic Plan 2019-2025 based on Education 5.0. This entailed reviewing university curriculum, teaching and research in line with innovation and industrialisation;
  • Serving as a member of Faculty Strategic Planning Committee (FSPC) tasked with mapping smooth implementation of University business at the Faculty level;-
  • Coordinated the development of Minimum Body of Knowledge and Skills (MBKS) for BSc in Government and Public Management, and MSc in Public Policy and Governance (MPPG);
  • Coordinated the development of the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences strategic Plan 2019-25.
  • Participating in the development of a Faculty of Social Sciences Framework Paper: Conceptualizing Innovation and Industrialization from a Social Science Perspective which clarified the concept of Innovation and Industrialisation and how teaching, research and community service in the social sciences can be structured to promote Innovation and Industrialisation.
  • Coordinating the development of Faculty and department modules anchored on specific Minimum Body of Knowledge and Skills (MBKS) in line with ZIMCHE accreditation frameworks.
  • Coordinating activities aimed at introducing innovative and solution-focused approaches in Faculty and departmental research and teaching. There is now emphasis on problem framing and generation of evidence-based innovative solutions. This emphasis is reflected in the way dissertation research topics are framed at the PhD, masters and undergraduate levels.
  • Conducting training to communities, NGOS, local authorities, government ministries and departments, parliamentarians on policy analysis, monitoring and evaluation; strengthening  parliamentary oversight, public budget and debt management,  designing frameworks for sensing and monitoring sources of accountability and revenue stresses in state institutions.
  • Working with local communities (in urban and rural settings) to share knowledge and skills on how to identify, define and design models for solving problems confronting them.
  • Grafting concepts and practices of innovation and industrialisation in all department teaching and learning modules;
  • Initiating research projects and production of articles, chapters, books that directly relate to innovation and industrialisation;
  • Producing policy briefs and working papers;
  • Encouraging the formulation of dissertation/thesis topics that are solution-focused and directly contribute to the University of Zimbabwe Research Hub and industry at large.

Talk to us

+2634303211