Decent work and economic growth : imperatives and responsibilities for higher education to drive positive and practical change

Institutions of higher learning are revered as a force to drive change in society. Arguably, by both their ability and capacity to question the status quo through intense research and knowledge production and by transforming societies through empowering students. Noble as it sounds, the question that the institutions of higher learning of the 21st century should ponder lies in their ability and willingness to drive economic growth and advance the attainment of Goal 8 of the SDGs.This is more so critical on the backdrop of COVID-19 ravaged economies. The calamities resulting in the current spate of the pandemic further threatens the attainments and prioritisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is more so pronounced in the Sub Saharan Africa and in countries like Zambia in particular. This reality demands for pragmatic solutions driven by focused leadership. Based on this realisation Mulungushi University positioned itself, both philosophically and practically as an institution of higher learnin hat develop targeted future looking scenarios for driving sustainable creation of livelihoods, through a myriad of work creation and entrepreneurship initiatives. This chapter, therefore outlines a near decade long period of how the University, transformed its systems and put in motioned a strategy that positively enhanced decent work and participated in economic growth, at the least of the Central Province of Zambia situated in Kabwe, thus actively ensuring the attaining of the SDGs