The Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) has received an excellent response to the first Call for Abstracts for the 11th Zimbabwe International Research Symposium (ZIRS) to be held from 16 to 17 February 2017 at Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls.

Many thanks to all who submitted abstracts on the 1st Call. An independent   peer review process will now proceed. This 2nd Call for Abstracts with the deadline of 31 July 2016 is targeting researchers mainly in the pure and applied sciences plus those outside the country. Entrepreneurs need your staff in addition to the peer review and publication benefit you receive.

Abstracts can be submitted for either oral or poster presentations. Authors must specify whether they prefer to make oral or poster presentations taking into account that space for poster presentations is limited.

11TH ZIRS OBJECTIVES

  1. To provide a platform for bridging the research-entrepreneurs knowledge gap for national wealth creation.
  2. To enable researchers and decision makers at all levels (including entrepreneurship level) in Zimbabwe and the rest of the world to exchange information, research findings and ideas for unlocking growth potential.
  3. To promote smart partnerships among researchers, entrepreneurs and other users of research results to ensure application of research results.

MAIN THEME

The main theme for the 11th ZIRS is “Research for Unlocking Entrepreneurship: Bridging the Gap”. Abstracts are expected to focus on but not limited to the following sub-themes.

SUB-THEMES

1. SOCIAL SCIENCES

  • Formulation of laws and regulatory framework on entrepreneurships
  • Measuring the contribution of entrepreneurs to Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
  • Intellectual property rights and entrepreneurship
  • Pricing formality within the entrepreneurship sector
  • Entrepreneurial marketing and globalisationmarket
  • Reducing the knowledge gap on formalisation of entrepreneurship
  • Financial literacy and education for entrepreneurs
  • Promoting employment through entrepreneurship
  • Establishing mechanisms to promote women participation in entrepreneurship
  • Role of Government and the private sector in promoting entrepreneurship
  • Enhancing quality of production in the entrepreneurship sector

2. SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

  • Entrepreneurs’ role in value addition of natural resources
  • Unlocking entrepreneurs’ potential in the manufacturing sector
  • Value addition technologies for improved farmers’ income
  • Entrepreneurs’ role in transforming agriculture
  • Supporting entrepreneurs and cooperatives in the mining sector
  • Formalising artisanal and small scale mining
  • Waste management technologies for entrepreneurs
  • Renewable sources of energy and entrepreneurship
  • The role of emerging technologies to entrepreneurship
  • High tech components production
  • Advanced technologies for entrepreneurs

3. PROMOTING AND MAINTAINING GOOD HEALTH

  • Prioritising health insurance schemes in the entrepreneurship sector
  • Workplace health and safety research for entrepreneurs
  • Generation and dissemination of health information for entrepreneurs
  • Entrepreneurs’ role in the local pharmaceutical industry
  • Increasing entrepreneurs’ access to health facilities

 4. NATIONAL SECURITY

  • Climate change
  • Corruption
  • Governance
  • Combating crime, terrorism and human trafficking
  • Tackling revenue leakages
  • Money laundering and externalisation of foreign currency
  • The role of entrepreneurship in enhancing food security
  • Cyber-crime
  • Invasive species affecting entrepreneurs

 GUIDELINES FOR WRITING ABSTRACTS

Abstracts of not more than 300 words should be submitted in 12 Times New Roman and include the following:  abstract title, author’s names, sub-theme chosen, author’s institution, and contact details. In the case of abstracts for published papers, Authors should give a statement stating that the work has been published elsewhere. Full papers presented by authors whose abstracts are accepted will be published in the 11th ZIRS Book of Papers Presented. Authors of accepted abstracts are expected to make oral or poster presentations.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT DATES AND DEADLINES   

Deadline for submission of abstracts                         09 September 2016  for International participants only

Feedback on reviewed abstracts                                  23 September 2016

Due date for submission of full papers                      10 October 2016

Feedback on reviewed full papers                                30 October 2016

Early registration begins                                                1 November 2016

Late registration begins                                                 15 January 2017

CONFERENCE FEES

  

Conference presenters
International $250
Local $200
Local Students $100
International students $150

Conference delegates
International $200
Local $150
Local Students $50
International Students $100

The Conference fees include the Book of Abstracts, CD of the Conference Proceedings, teas, lunches,

a welcome cocktail and conference bags. An additional $25 will be charged for all late registrations.

METHODS OF PAYMENT

Conference presenters and delegates can use one of the following ways to pay registration fees.

  1. Online payment which is done here
  2. Bank deposit

Banking Details

Research Council of Zimbabwe, Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe, Nkwame Nkrumah Branch

Account Number 01120016740027.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

Abstracts should be sent to symposium@rcz.ac.zw. Abstracts sent after the deadline or to the wrong email address will not be accepted.

FURTHER INFORMATION

For any queries or additional information contact our team on: Tel. +263-4-304733, 304787 Cell phone +263 712 954 330/2