Potraz launches ICT Research Journal to promote digital inclusivity

THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) has launched its ICT Research Journal to promote digital inclusivity.

The research journal focuses on fostering applied research in Zimbabwe by addressing new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security and data protection while establishing effective policies, practices and regulations.

Speaking at the launch of the journal, Potraz director-general Gift Machengete said the bulletin was a vital tool for innovation and collaboration for the future of technology.

“The inaugural volume addresses pressing issues and opportunities in today’s ICT sector. ICT research is time-relevant, reflecting challenges and innovations defining our industries, societies and governments in this post-industrial revolution era,” Machengete said in a speech read on his behalf by Potraz finance director Biggie Chiripanhura.

“As we progress toward a digital future, we bear the responsibility to lead the way in shaping that future. This journal provides a platform where cutting-edge research meets practical application, fostering knowledge exchange and igniting the next wave of technological breakthroughs.

“The research presented in this journal addresses current needs and envisions a brighter future. As we embrace the digital revolution, we must acknowledge accompanying responsibilities.”

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He noted that the journal would be a guide through the complexities of digital transformation.

“Emerging technologies like AI, distributed data, blockchain and cybersecurity hold transformative potential that must be harnessed ethically and inclusively. This journal serves as a beacon of knowledge, guiding us through the complexities of the digital age,” Machengete said.

“Whether you are a policymaker crafting a framework for new technologies, a researcher exploring AI's potential, or an industrialist adopting digital innovations, this journal provides insights necessary to drive those processes.”

Potraz acting deputy director-general Cecilia Nyamutswa said the journal represented a major achievement in the ongoing efforts to promote research excellence and stimulate production leadership within Zimbabwe’s rapidly evolving ICT sector.

“We are deeply committed to advancing digital development in information and communications technology. Data protection is important with our mindsets as the Postal and Telecommunications Act and the Cyber and Data Protection Act,” she said.

“This journal represents a major achievement in our ongoing efforts to promote research excellence and stimulate production leadership within Zimbabwe’s dynamic and rapidly evolving ICT sector.”

Nyamutswa said the motive behind the journal was to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of the digital age, ensuring that it remained the key driver of sustainable and economic development in Zimbabwe.

“We acknowledge the profound impact ICT continues to exert on the socio-economic landscape, both within our borders and around the world. From enhancing connectivity and digital literacy to fostering innovation and promoting inclusivity, ICT is within the background of modern development in this digital age and the driver of a digital economy,” she said.

“We aim to contribute meaningfully to the advancement of this hybrid sector, ensuring that it remains the driver of sustainable development for all. The Potraz ICT Research Journal is designed to serve as a vital platform for academics, industry, professionals and policymakers to exchange knowledge and explore emerging trends in ICT.”

University of Zimbabwe senior lecturer and contributor to the journal Maxwell Sandada said the objective of the paper was to provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss the findings of the research.

These findings, he said, would stimulate debate and promote the knowledge sharing on topical issues related to AI, cyber security and data protection.

“We also seek to promote synergies and collaborations between researchers and stakeholders. We also seek to achieve all our outputs here, which is to have recommendations on the policy, on the practice and also on the regulation,” he said.

“From those proper recommendations, we expect to have, suggested modules, systems, new practices, new methodologies, approaches, frameworks and processes, that are suggested by the research papers. And then the other output is to make sure that we have what we call evidence-based recommendations on regulations.”