The Copperbelt University

What The Copperbelt University does

The Copperbelt University (CBU) is a public university established by Act of Parliament No. 19 of 1987 and headquartered at Jambo Drive Riverside, Kitwe, in Zambia's Copperbelt Province. It is the second highest ranked university in Zambia and operates 12 schools covering engineering, business, mines and mineral sciences, ICT, natural resources, medicine, built environment, humanities, mathematics, graduate studies, distance education, and peace and conflict studies, with the Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine in Ndola (established 2011) as Zambia's second public medical school. CBU delivers programs across four physical campuses (Kitwe, Lusaka, Ndola, Mpika) plus the Ecampus distance learning platform, with study modes spanning Day, Evening, Parallel, and Distance.

The university's technology stack includes the OPUS student information system (online applications, admissions, and student services), the KOHA-based library OPAC with over 65,000 volumes, an institutional repository (DSpace), and the Ecampus LMS. Research and innovation infrastructure comprises CBU-ORTARChI (Oliver R. Tambo Research Chair on Miombo ecosystem and mining restoration), CBU-ACESM (World Bank-funded Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining serving 9 African countries), the Mukuba UniPod innovation hub (Zambia's first dedicated innovation space, partnered with UNDP and Liquid Telecom), and the newly established Kafue River Basin Centre of Excellence (KRBCoE) and Mine Water Atlas of the Zambian Copperbelt (MWAZACO) project.

CBU's business model is a hybrid public-university revenue structure: parliamentary allocation and government student loans via HESLB (K1.2 billion loan allocation plus K300.5 million for hostel completion), tuition fees for undergraduate and postgraduate programs across multiple study modes, research grants and donor funding (World Bank, EU MOTION, IKI Germany FACE-NDC, NORHED, SASSCAL), corporate partnerships (e.g., FQM Kansanshi equipment donations), and commercial services via the Directorate of ICT (security, software development). The CBU Challenge endowment initiative and alumni network (80+ donors) add a growing private-philanthropy channel. Customers are primarily undergraduate and graduate students, with secondary stakeholders including the Government of Zambia, mining industry partners, and regional students from 9 African countries under ACE II.

Name

The Copperbelt University

Legal name

The Copperbelt University

Website

https://cbu.ac.zm

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Copperbelt University is Zambia's second-highest-ranked public university, headquartered in Kitwe with 12 schools across engineering, mining, medicine, business, and ICT, serving undergraduate and graduate students through four campuses and Ecampus distance learning.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering (EDAHAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Project, Quality & Operations (PMP PDUs, Six Sigma, Quality CE) (EDAAALAM)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Postgraduate research
• Distance learning
• Professional certifications

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitwe

HQ country

Zambia

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: The university generates revenue through tuition fees charged to undergraduate and postgraduate students across various programs including Day, Evening, Parallel, and Distance modes of study. Fees are paid through ZANACO bank branches using Bill Muster system.
2. Government Funding and Bursaries: Government of Zambia provides student loans through the Higher Education Loans and Scholarships Board (HESLB). The university receives K1.2 billion allocation for student loans and K300.5 million for hostel completion.
3. Research Grants and Donor Funding: The university receives funding from international organizations including World Bank (€173,000 for ELNAC project), European Union (MOTION project), and FACE-NDC project from IKI Germany. Additional support from NORHED and various development partners.
4. Corporate Partnerships and Donations: Corporate partners provide equipment donations (FQM Kansanshi donated survey equipment), infrastructure development, and support through the CBU Challenge endowment fund.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Copperbelt University is a public higher education institution delivering undergraduate, postgraduate, and certificate programs across 12 schools (Engineering, Business, Mines, Medicine, ICT, Natural Resources, Built Environment, Humanities, Mathematics and Sciences, Peace Studies, Distance Education, and Graduate Studies). It offers programs in Day, Evening, Parallel, and Distance modes through campuses in Kitwe, Ndola, Lusaka, and Mpika, supported by research centres including CBU-ACESM, CBU-ORTARChI, and Mukuba UNIPOD innovation hub.

Product overview

The Copperbelt University offers a comprehensive suite of academic programs and institutional services across 12 schools. The university's technology infrastructure includes OPUS (student information system), ATLAS portal, eCampus distance learning platform, library services with OPAC and institutional repository, and specialized ICT services including security and software development. Research and innovation centers include CBU-ACESM (Africa Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Mining), CBU-ORTARChI research chair, and Mukuba UNIPOD innovation hub. The School of Information and Communication Technology provides programs in computing, networking, software development, cybersecurity, and digital innovation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs
• Postgraduate Programs (MSc and PhD)
• Michael Chilufya Sata School of Medicine Programs
• Distance Education and Open Learning Programs
• Cisco CCNA Training Programme
• CBU Library Services
• CBU-ACESM (Africa Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Mining)

Quantifiable outcome

• Second highest ranked university in Zambia
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Mendelu University (Czech Republic)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic aims to strengthen global engagement through joint workshops and international relations development. Focus on improving academic collaboration and exchange programs.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023FAO leads the FACE-NDC (Facility for Action for Climate Empowerment to Achieve Nationally Determined Contributions) project consortium. CBU is one of five partners implementing climate action in forestry, agriculture, and energy sectors from 2023-2030 with €173,000+ funding from IKI Germany.
• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in FACE-NDC consortium focused on enabling Zambian society to achieve Nationally Determined Contributions through climate-friendly behaviors and green economy transition.
• UNITARcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner in FACE-NDC consortium contributing to climate empowerment and capacity building for sustainable development in Zambia.
• University of Zambia (UNZA)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partner university in FACE-NDC consortium providing academic collaboration and research coordination in Zambia's higher education sector.
• SASSCALmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management funded the €173,000 ELNAC (Enhancing Livelihoods and Natural Resource Management under Accelerated Climate Change) project at CBU focusing on sustainable natural resource management.
• FQM Kansanshi Mining PLCmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022First Quantum Minerals Kansanshi Mining donated survey equipment to CBU School of Mines supporting practical training and education in surveying and geomatics.
• Oliver R. Tambo FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablishment of CBU-ORTARChI (Oliver R. Tambo Research Chair Initiative of Environment and Development) focusing on integrated assessment of mining development and Miombo transformation in the Zambian Central African Copper Belt. The chair develops environmental management models and restoration approaches.
• UNDPmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Development Programme partners with Mukuba UniPod innovation hub to support youth innovation and entrepreneurship in Zambia through technology incubation and skills development programs.
• Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIUCEA is an institution of the East African Community supporting collaboration between universities across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, and South Sudan. CBU-ACESM benefits from regional networking and capacity building initiatives.
• Lions Club of NdolaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerService organization partnered with CBU to build the Pushpaben, Chimanial and Anilkumar Patel Multipurpose Facility Hall in Ndola.
• RUFORUMmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture bringing its 22nd Annual General Meeting to Zambia in November-December 2026, hosted in collaboration with CBU.
• Kafue River Basin Centre of Excellence (KRBCoE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBU established KRBCoE to strengthen research and interventions aimed at protecting the Kafue River Basin, one of Zambia's most important water systems.
• Ministry of National PlanningmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnerships with Ministry of National Planning on landscape projects in Eastern and Luapula Provinces led by Prof. Felix Kalaba for natural resources management.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• University of Botswana: Botswana's primary public university offering broad undergraduate and postgraduate programs including engineering and sciences. Comparable as a Southern African regional peer with similar public university funding model, though serving a different national market.

Broad incumbents

• Makerere University: Uganda's oldest and most prestigious public university with broad academic programs and regional research leadership. Comparable as a leading East African public university and regional academic anchor that CBU's ACE II and IUCEA partnerships position CBU alongside.
• University of Nairobi: Kenya's flagship public university with comprehensive programs and a leading position in East African higher education. Comparable as a regional public university peer across engineering, medicine, business, and sciences with similar scale and government funding dynamics.
• University of the Witwatersrand (Wits): Leading South African research university with strong Schools of Mining Engineering, Engineering, and Health Sciences. Comparable to CBU in mining engineering expertise, research intensity, and corporate partnerships with the extractive industry, though operating at significantly larger scale.
• University of Johannesburg: Large South African comprehensive university formed from mergers including the former Rand Afrikaans University, with strong engineering and applied sciences. Comparable to CBU in technical/applied heritage, multi-campus structure, and mining-sector industry engagement.
• University of Cape Town (UCT): Africa's highest-ranked research university based in South Africa, offering comprehensive programs across all major disciplines. Comparable as a benchmark for research output, international partnerships, and academic prestige that CBU's Africa Centre of Excellence and ORTARChI research initiatives aspire to emulate.

Direct peers

• Mulungushi University: Another public university in Zambia offering undergraduate and postgraduate programs across similar disciplines. Directly competes with CBU for Zambian students, government funding allocations, and faculty within the same domestic higher education market.
• University of Mines and Technology (UMaT): Ghana's premier mining and minerals technology university with deep specialization in mining engineering, mineral processing, and petroleum engineering. Highly comparable to CBU's School of Mines and CBU-ACESM Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Mining mandate.
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST): Ghana's leading technical university with strong engineering, applied science, and mining-adjacent programs. Closely comparable to CBU given its technical/polytechnic heritage, applied sciences focus, and West African leadership role in technology and engineering education.
• University of Zambia (UNZA): The flagship and first-ranked public university in Zambia, headquartered in Lusaka. Directly comparable as the primary domestic public higher education peer across overlapping programs (medicine, engineering, business, natural sciences) and competing for the same government funding, faculty, and prospective students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/cbuschoolofmediceine
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thecopperbeltuniversity1161/videos
• Facebookweb.facebook.com/CBUDCCA/?_rdc=1&_rdr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Copperbelt University