President Hichilema Awarded Honorary Doctorate in Mining by Copperbelt University

President Hakainde Hichilema has received an Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in the science of mining from the Copperbelt University, in recognition of his role in revitalising Zambia's mining sector and restoring the country's standing as a destination for serious mineral investment.

The degree was conferred at a special convocation ceremony held at the university, which has long served as the country's leading institution for mining, engineering, and technology education. Senior government officials, university management, students, and representatives from the mining sector were present to witness the occasion.

Presenting the citation, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Paul Chisale said the award reflected President Hichilema's transformative leadership in rebuilding investor confidence and repositioning mining as a principal engine of economic growth. The recognition from an institution with such deep roots in the copper industry carries particular weight at a moment when Zambia is actively working to scale production towards its three million tonne target by 2031.

The CBU honour is the latest in a series of academic recognitions conferred on the President. In June 2024, Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his commitment to expanding access to education in Zambia, while in August of the same year his alma mater, the University of Zambia, awarded him an honorary Doctor of Business Administration.

The Copperbelt University award brings particular resonance given the region's identity as the industrial heartland of Zambia. With major investors returning to the sector and new projects advancing across the Copperbelt and North-Western provinces, the university's decision to honour the President reflects a shared conviction that the foundations for a sustained mining revival are now firmly in place.