Council is the governing body that provides policy direction. Council members are appointed by the Minister responsible for higher education on a 3-year term on the basis of expertise and experience in higher education and research and ability to give guidance and advice on matters of higher education in the country in order to ensure that the functions of Council are discharged according to the highest professional standards.
The Council is made up of twenty-one men and women with vast experience in higher education. There are three Vice Chancellors in the Council who are meant to represent all universities. It should be noted that these Vice Chancellors are not in Council to defend the positions of their own universities and those of their colleagues but to serve the interests of ZIMCHE, all universities and all stakeholders.
The Council executes its functions through specialist Committees. The Secretariat carries out the day to day work of the council. Currently there are five committees which are :
- Executive Committee
- High Education Quality Assurance Committee
- High Education Funding & Finance Committee
- Academic & Students Affairs Committee
- Human Resource Committee