The National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has conferred President Emmerson Mnangagwa with an Honourary Doctorate in Science and Education (Honoris Causa) Friday at the university’s 25th graduation ceremony.
In conferring the degree, NUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Mqhele Dlodlo, said the institution was honouring Mnangagwa’s contribution to enhancing higher and tertiary education and taking it higher to focus on science based solutions, moving it to Education 5.0 from previous system of 3.0
“Mnangagwa’s thrust in higher education is significant important, widening and deepens access to higher education through establishing memorandum of agreements and scholarships for the nation,” said the vice-chancellor.
He added that the president propounded the education 5. 0 model of university education in Zimbabwe whereby industrialisation and business development, which is commercialisation were added to the education 3. 0 model which consisted of teaching research and community service only.
The honorary degree in Philosophy of Education adds on to Mnangagwa’s PhD in Security Studies and Defense from National Defense University; LLB from London; LLD from Midlands State University; LLD from University of Zimbabwe; LLB and LPI from University of Zambia, Doctor of Engineering Sciences and Technology from Chinhoyi University of Technology; PhD Peace in Peace and Development from Bindura University of Science Education; LLD from University of Zambia and DPIR from Great Zimbabwe University.
By virtue of receiving the honorary degree, Mnangagwa became the first graduate to be capped.
In total, 2652 students graduated at NUST, of which 1 968 received their Bachelor’s degrees, 678 – Masters and four became doctoral graduates.
NUST also awarded 22 diploma certificates, 34 post-graduate certificates while degrees that were graduating for first time included the Bachelor of Science Honours in Midwifery, Bachelor of Science Honours in Animal Science with Gwanda State University and Bachelor of Technology Honours in Construction Engineering in collaboration with Mutare Polytechnic College.
In accepting his honorary degree, Mnangagwa said it serves to remind all leaders in the academic fraternity of the need to accelerate the transformation of the country’s education sector.
“Institutions of higher learning in particular must strive for a qualitative change to our education in line with new development trajectory of our country and the ever changing socio-economic dynamics. As I receive this, I challenge all our universities and colleges to make sure that the graduates they churn out are equipped to provide solutions, services and products that will propel our modernisation and industrialisation agenda towards Vision 2030,” he said.
The president noted that functional education must meet the needs of communities and their aims of improving their quality of life.
“I challenge graduates to press on, to do the extra-ordinary by inventing, designing and manufacturing products and artefacts from locally incubated ideas and researches. Allow me to remind you that during my inauguration as the second chancellor of this university, I indicated that the origins of this university stem from the desire to make higher and tertiary education more accessible towards human capital development and the socio-economic transformation though science technology and engineering and mathematics based solutions. It is from this background that NUST must move forward,” said the Chancellor.
Mnangagwa said NUST had the weighty obligation to churn out graduates who are the bedrock and foundation of country’s science and technology, engineering and innovative revolution.
“It is not a coincidence that NUST is located in the second capital city and the industrial hub of our country. I urge all stakeholders to leverage on its presence here to make sure that it has national reach and impact ,” he said.
