Running alongside the 2025 Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) Week and Annual General Meeting, ZAMREN hosted its first-ever Students’ Hackathon, bringing together bright young minds from six universities to design and present homegrown solutions that address real societal challenges.
The hackathon, organised as part of ZAMREN’s efforts to nurture innovation among students, saw teams competing across three thematic areas:
- Application Development – Judiciary Management Systems
- Cybersecurity
- AgriTech Solutions
Universities Represented
The finalists represented a diverse mix of public and private institutions, namely:
- Chalimbana University (CHAU)
- Mulungushi University
- Zambia University College of Technology
- DMI-St. Eugene University
- The University of Zambia (UNZA)
- University of Lusaka
Their participation underscored the talent and creativity within Zambia’s higher education system, where students are increasingly looking at technology as a tool for transformation.
After intense presentations and pitching sessions, the following institutions emerged as winners in their respective thematic areas:
- Cybersecurity: University of Lusaka
- AgriTech Solutions: DMI-St. Eugene University
- Application Development – Judiciary Management Systems: Zambia University College of Technology
The judges commended the students for their creativity, teamwork, and ability to design solutions with real-world relevance.
Speaking after the announcement of the winners, ZAMREN Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Stein Mkandawire, praised the students for their commitment and innovative spirit:
“The Hackathon has shown us that the next generation of innovators is ready to step up and create solutions that not only respond to today’s challenges but also shape the future of Zambia’s digital transformation.”
The Students’ Hackathon reinforced ZAMREN’s commitment to creating platforms where young innovators can experiment, learn, and thrive. By aligning their solutions with pressing national and global needs, the students proved that Zambia’s higher education sector is a rich source of ideas that can fuel sustainable growth and development.
