Story by Yolanda Moyo
GWANDA State University Chancellor President Emerson Mnangagwa has capped 34 students from the Faculty of Engineering and Environment and the Faculty of Natural Resources Management and Agriculture at the institution’s second graduation ceremony in Filabusi this Friday.
Graduates spoke on the need for collaborative efforts in the incubation of research projects in community development.
“Going out there, l am holding my research that l am confident will make a huge impact in the agricultural sector by fighting diseases,” said a graduate.
“We want to be part of people making change in our communities and there is a need for us as graduates to collaborate with communities and companies in coming up with solutions to solve problems,” said another graduate.
Driven and guided by the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 Model, the university is committed to investing in infrastructure upgrade to promote sustainable development in communities.
Gwanda State University Vice Chancellor, Professor Zandile Moyo said, “The graduates will be assisted to further develop their projects into prototypes that are expected to result in products and services. The university has been able to make significant strides in the institution’s five-year NDS1 compliance plan. Notable milestone achievements were recorded in infrastructure development, innovation and industrialization as well as teaching and learning. Completion of the agro innovation complex that was placed under the 100-day cycle projects will enable the university to offer new degree programs that underpin the mandate of the university that underpin that is hinged on mining, engineering and environmental restoration. When operationalized the engineering laboratory and innovation complex will spur mineral beneficiation and exploration initiatives. The envisaged centre will result in improved skills imparting and development of prototypes that solve problems in the mining community.”
Gwanda State University, which started as a college affiliated to the National University of Science and Technology, became a stand-alone university through an Act of parliament in 2016.
The university has a total of 510 students, and it specialises in animal and veterinary sciences, irrigation, mining, environmental engineering and ecosystem restoration.
Gwanda State University envisages to have a total of seven faculties as it earmarks to spur industrialisation in the mining and economic sectors of Matabeleland South Region.
