The National University of Science and Technology (NUST) will be hosting a Research and Innovation Expo as part of the University drive to promote innovations that can be up-scaled into commercial profitable businesses.

The inaugural Expo, is organised by the Innovation Hub in conjunction with the Research and Internationalisation Office.

“NUST will be hosting the first Research and Innovation Expo on the 10^th of June 2021 from 0900 hours to 1600 hours at the main campus. Participants are invited to pitch their ideas during the Expo Day. They can physically bring their innovations, models, prototypes, or use posters and videos,” said Mr Thabani Mpofu, the Director for Communication and Marketing.

He added that the Expo targets all innovators including students, academics, researchers, entrepreneurs, small to medium enterprises, youths and ordinary citizens with any science work that can be showcased.

Mr Mpofu said the Expo is part of the University’s efforts of implementing Education 5.0 whose pillars are teaching, research, community engagement, innovation and industrialisation.

“As a University, we believe we cannot do this alone hence the idea to open up the Innovation Hub to all innovators.

“Talented innovators will work together with our experts from diverse fields including scientists, engineers, architects, accountants, marketers among others to develop their innovations into viable self-sustainable businesses. The University will provide resources for selected projects that can be commercialised,” said Mr Mpofu adding that the Innovation Hub is a centre for incubating innovations that can be commercialised to set up industries.

The NUST Innovation Hub was launched by President E.D Mnangagwa more than a year ago as part of the country’s Education 5.0 initiative to nurture an enabling environment where a community of entrepreneurs including students and high school pupils can grow and contribute to the development of Zimbabwe.

He said any innovation that can contribute to national socio-economic development as spelt out in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) is welcome.

The University will assess each innovation on a case-by-case basis and offer the required assistance.

The country’s institutions of higher learning have a critical role to play in the NDS1 as stated in the Education 5.0 policy.

“While our mandate is human capital development for industrialisation and socio-economic transformation with a bias towards STEM based solutions, Education 5.0 demands that universities become Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation champions.

“As NUST, we have adopted an inclusive approach to innovations and industrialisation hence the call for all innovators to participate in the upcoming expo,” added Mr Mpofu.

He assured participants that all the Covid-19 protocols will be observed as the health and safety of the nation is top priority.

Most people know him as the acting Director of the National University of Science and Technology’s (NUST) Applied Genetics Testing Centre (AGTC) involved in DNA testing.

Mr Zephaniah Dhlamini was among the frontline workers in Bulawayo leading the city’s Covid-19 tests in April last year when the country started grappling with the deadly pandemic.

Unbeknown to many Mr Dhlamini (49) is not just a laboratory scientist, who is always wearing “white lab coats.” He is an avid farmer getting dirty on the land and is making money from the soil.

He is part of a three-man farming venture operating under the name Esidakeni Farm in Umguza on the outskirts of Bulawayo and employs 45 full time workers.

During the harvesting period, they contract part time workers to assist and the numbers can exceed 100 people.

Mr Dhlamini is co-director of the farm together with Mr Charles Moyo and Mr Siphosami Malunga. They are involved in commercial horticulture farming inclusive of tomatoes, onions, beetroot, cabbages and butternut.

Mr Dhlamini took media on a tour of the farm to showcase how employing science is enhancing agriculture.

He said his knowledge of genetics has given them a competitive edge over other farmers producing crops when everyone least expects them to do so.

“Our strategy in doing these projects is to produce most of our products off season when most of the farmers are not producing so as to have an advantage at the market in terms of prices. When the supply is low, we tend to get good prices as you have probably seen we had over two hectares of cabbages which we planted during the rainy season where most people don’t plant. We had a lot of rain during this past season, you get a lot of diseases in cabbages such as black rot, diamondback moth which can destroy your entire crop,” said Mr Dhlamini.

“So, what we do is to look for genetics that have varieties which are resistant to the diseases and adverse conditions that you may be facing in that particular season. So, you have to invest in pest control, disease control just to improve your management and improve the crop yield during that season.”

He said through employing science they are able to grow butternut to close the gap that usually exists between June to November when the country would be having a short supply of the product.

“Also, from August to October there is a shortage of tomatoes, we come in because we have an area in the farm which is elevated and it is frost free, we have tested it over the years. This year we are growing six hectares of tomatoes during winter and these mature starting August up to November,” he said.

Mr Dhlamini said starting yesterday they were planting 150 000 tomato plants, which is unprecedented in winter but they were positive to get a good yield.

He said while he is known for DNA testing, he has always been an agronomist with his first degree being crop sciences from the University of Zimbabwe (UZ).

Mr Dlamini said at UZ, he learnt that agriculture was a lucrative business as they would go on field visits to some white commercial farms for practical lessons.

“Most people know me as a DNA testing guy but I’m a trained agriculturalist, I’m an agronomist. My first degree is in agronomy but I specialised in genetics. I then specialised in molecular genetics which is DNA genetics. That’s what makes me fit in the lab with the molecular genetics aspect. But genetics is what I’m doing here,” said Mr Dlamini.

He said being a lecturer does not pay as much as being in the agriculture sector.

“We moved onto this farm in 2018, before I was doing it on a small scale in areas where there is no water mainly in plots in Bulawayo. Here we are in the aquifer region so there is plenty of water, it assists.

“You cannot make much money working at the lab and teaching at a university. This is why we (lecturers) are always crying and complaining but this (farming) tends to supplement one’s income and abilities to do certain things,” he said.

Mr Dlamini said farming could transform the country’s economic fortunes if it is done right.

He said serious funding is needed in farming and to kick-start the farming they had to put out their properties as collateral to get finances.

“The kind of cropping you see here; you are looking at US$100 000 investment in terms of chemicals and seed and all these things. It’s expensive and no one has US$100 000 in their back pocket. So, you have to approach banks for loans.

“But as you all know you cannot get funding from the bank using land because banks no longer accept it (land) as collateral. In our case we have title deeds to this farm but we can’t use them to farm,” he said.

“To get loans, you have to use other properties, urban properties, and this is the risk that we took. You put your main dwelling on the line but you can only do so when you believe in what you are doing. You can’t go and take US$100 000 and then you are given the money and not use it.”

He said so many people were failing on commercial farming as they use salaries to finance agricultural ventures. – Online.

DISTINGUISHED academic, professional engineer and strategic leader, Dr William Msekiwa Goriwondo, has been appointed NUST Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Business Development (IBD) with effect from May 2021.

Announcing the appointment, the NUST Council Chairman, Eng Alvord Mabena, said it marks the end of a recruitment exercise for senior managers and completes the Principal Officers team.

Before this appointment, Dr Goriwondo was the Executive Dean for the Faculty of Engineering. He fills the post left vacant by Dr Gatsha Mazithulela who was early last year appointed Deputy Director-General in the President’s Office.

Eng Mabena said Dr Goriwondo was appointed for the capabilities that he has shown and the deliveries that he has done.

“This is the time for you to deliver on all our expectations. You are not coming here as an individual but as a team member so that together you tackle the business of NUST. Alone, you cannot achieve anything unless you work in harmony with others,” said the NUST Council Chairman.

He highlighted that the office of PVC for IBD is loaded and Dr Goriwondo is expected to live up to the expectations.

“You will be expected to transform the University and we are looking forward to seeing the innovations you will deliver. We need to generate revenue and you must lead that process.

“We are convinced that innovation and industrialisation are possible here at NUST. Each year that comes we want to see how many start-ups and how many patents have been registered. You must be clear on the strategic intent. We cannot continue to do things like yesterday; we must make sure that we are current with developments out there,” said Eng Mabena.

He challenged senior managers to support Dr Goriwondo and adopt a mature approach to business as well as a good team spirit.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mqhele E. Dlodlo said he was elated and relieved with the appointment of Dr Goriwondo as the University now has a full complement of Principal Officers.

Last year, two other new Principal Officers, the Registrar, Mr Biggy Ngwenya and the Bursar, Mr Stanford Ndlovu, were appointed.

Their appointments followed the retirement of Mr Fidelis Mhlanga and Dr Fortune Nkomo, as registrar and bursar respectively.

The Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research and Academic Affairs, Prof Yogi Naik and the Librarian, Ms Kathy Matsika, are the other members of Principal Officers.

Prof Dlodlo challenged Dr Goriwondo to offer support and strategic guidance to the employees.

“If the people doing the work are unhappy, then you will not achieve anything. We are here to deliver a service to the University and we must agree to follow the same common saying that ‘the customer is always right’. The public understand the NUST mandate and we must deliver on that,” said Prof Dlodlo.

He noted that the pace of economic development is picking up and the industry and private sector are noticing.

“Universities have been instructed to accelerate the pace of economic development. We rely on PVC for IBD to lead us in accelerating the pace. We must initiate the process of transforming ideas into products and services that bring money into the University. You are occupying a key portfolio for meeting the requirements of Education 5.0. We need to be a shining example of what Education 5.0 can do,” said the Vice-Chancellor.

Education 5.0 stands on five pillars of teaching, research, community service, innovation and industrialisation.

According to the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Education 5.0 is a bold statement to the effect that Zimbabwe’s modernisation and industrialisation champions must be state universities.

In accepting the appointment, Dr Goriwondo said he was very humbled and challenged to be given the responsibility of leading NUST in its innovation and industrialisation drive.

“I promise to fulfil my responsibilities to the best of my capabilities. We want to see NUST achieving another level. This requires all of us to work smarter. I will rely on the team presented here and those that are not present to transform NUST. As a team, we will work together. I promise to play my part and request that you too play your parts.

“The era of 4^th Industrial Revolution requires a lot of technologies that the University can leverage on to transform itself. I take this responsibility knowing fully well the expectations of my position,” said Dr Goriwondo.

He is a registered Professional Engineer with a Master of Science degree in Manufacturing Systems and Operations Management (UZ) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Administration (NUST).

He is an accomplished researcher with over 25 peer-reviewed publications.

Dr Goriwondo brings 24 years of experience in technical, engineering, operational and strategic leadership in industry and academia.

His career journey started at BP and Shell Marketing Services as a Graduate Engineer in 1997 and rose through the ranks to positions of Plant Engineer, Continuous Improvement Manager, and Health, Safety and Environmental Manager.

In 2002 he was appointed Engineering Services Manager for BP & Shell Marketing Services and Castrol Zimbabwe.

Two years later, he joined Turnall Fibre Cement as Production Manager before leaving the industry in 2006 to join NUST as a lecturer in the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.

Before this appointment, he was the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering.

He is a Member of the Institute of Directors Zimbabwe (IoDZ), Fellow and Board member of the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE). He is also a member of the Zisco Steel Advisory Committee on technical issues.

Dr Goriwondo has won prestigious national and international awards such as the K.G Stevens Awards and the Global Engineering Education Award for his work on Project Management and Engineering Education respectively.

Applicants should have relevant subject passes at ‘A’ Level, all applicants must have 5 ‘O’ Level passes including English Language and Mathematics at grade C or better except for degree programmes offered in the Faculty of Communication and Information Science and in the Department of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences. However, in the Faculty of Communication and Information Science and in the Department of Nursing and Midwifery Sciences, having also passed Mathematics will be a distinct advantage.

Read more …

All students are hereby advised that the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development promulgated the establishment of Higher and Tertiary Education loan scheme, starting in August 2019. The loan scheme is administered by CBZ (Pvt) Ltd.

Communication from the Ministry indicates that needy students should access the loan first and foremost. The communication from the Ministry further states that the selection process will be strict and transparent to ensure that deserving students are supported. The loan must be paid back either during the years of training or immediately after completion of studies.

The process of applying for the loan entails collecting application forms from the University and completing them accurately, giving full disclosure of one’s details. The applications will be vetted by a University Committee and the successful applications will then be submitted to CBZ Bank (Pvt) Ltd. CBZ Bank (Pvt)  will additionally carry out further due diligence on the status of each applicant.

For those students whose applications are successful, the loan will be paid directly to the University to cover tuition, ancillary fees and accommodation charges.

Students should note that they do not necessarily have to wait until the completion of studies to start repayment but instead repayments can commence earlier, for example at the end of each Semester.

THANK YOU. 

B Ngwenya

Registrar

GOVERNMENT STUDENT LOAN FACILITY

THE National University of Science and Technology launched its Covid-19 vaccination programme for staff members and students today with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mqhele E. Dlodlo, being the first to get the jab.

The University is targeting over 1 000 staff members and students who will be coming at the campus in phases for the programme.

Before the exercise started, staff members mostly senior managers took time to ask the University`s chief nursing officer, Sister Edith Ngwenya questions about the vaccine and its side effects.

There has been a lot of myths and misconceptions about the vaccine mostly driven by social media, which has affected the uptake of the vaccines even among frontline workers.

NUST Vice-Chancellor, Prof Dlodlo said taking the vaccines will help the institution carry out its mandate without much challenges.

He said the vaccination programme for universities will greatly help the institutions of higher learning following learning disruptions experienced since the outbreak of Covid-19.

“It really was not anything different from all jabs I am used to. It is a very tiny needle and there are some jabs that require a thicker needle. When it gets in it’s like a mosquito bite. It is important for our staff to get the jab because of the mandate of educating the nation that we have,” said Prof Dlodlo.

The VC said while it is normal for some people to be afraid of being vaccinated, the virus is airborne which means anyone can catch it, hence the need to be vaccinated.

“People need to read the contents of the bottle if they are sceptical and find out what is inside. What is inside are your usual body fluids, the different minerals that are in your food. The food you eat already has those things. The only difference is the little bit of the dead virus that has been put there so that your anti-bodies can identify it as a dangerous thing and start building up your immunity against it so that when it comes the body will be able to fight it,” he said.

NUST Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Business Development, Dr Peter Nkala said it is important for all university employees to go through the process.

“This process is critical so that we protect each other. I hope those who have fears will find courage when they see those who have been vaccinated that there is nothing happening. You can see that even on social media those fake stories of adverse effects are disappearing and this will result in more people taking the jabs,” he said.

NUST librarian, Ms Kathy Matsika welcomed the vaccination of university staff.

“I have been anxiously waiting and this is a welcome development as we deal with a lot of students and people in the library. It is good to be prepared to assist but when you are not vaccinated you are not sure when dealing with them. With the vaccine you have confidence to help,” she said

NUST Director of Communication and Marketing, Mr Thabani Mpofu said the programme will happen between Monday and Friday from 8 to 4:30pm until all the members are vaccinated.

“We are encouraging all our employees to be vaccinated. We are also working on a programme to vaccinate our students who come on campus on phases. They are free to come to the clinic to get the jab. We have about one thousand staff members on compass but others are at home and we are calling on them to come to the university to get the vaccine,” he said. – Chronicle.

A Computer Science student, Nobhekimpilo Mbovora, has published two motivational books on How to become a feminist and 15 secrets of becoming a straight-A student.

The 21-year-old student, who is a strong believer of radical feminism, once grabbed the limelight on campus with her dressing.

She said her dressing had everything to do with radical feminism, something people will appreciate after reading her book titled How to become a feminist.

“My dressing seeks to convey an empowered woman. I’m not one to follow the social norms and practices that favour men at the expense of women. All the answers that people seek are found in my book How to become a feminist.

“This book seeks to educate women on their rights,” she said.

The Computer Science student said she has found a niche in inspiring her counterparts.

Through her second book, 15 secrets of becoming a straight-A student, Mbovora said she used her life experiences to motivate school-going students.

“My experiences stimulated me to write this latest book. I got 11 points in Grade Seven leading me to enrol in a commercial class at Mandwandwe High School. I was disappointed because I wanted to do sciences. Again, in Form 3, I was screened into a commercial class.

“I then approached the science teachers when I was in Form Four and asked to do sciences, but they refused saying it was too late. The fire inside me never subdued so five months before final exams, I asked for science notes from the science class,” she narrated.

Mbovora taught herself physics, biology and chemistry five months before the examinations.

“Five months of self-teaching saw me attaining nine As including the science subjects, in Ordinary Level. I didn’t get any private tutor or help from anyone as I only used 15 secrets that I disclose in my book,” she said.

At Advanced Level, Mbovora said she enrolled for sciences at Mpopoma High School, but again, faced obstacles when she wanted to write her exams in June.

“I asked for permission from my teachers to write in June, but they refused saying I was not ready to write. Again, I went outside the grain and registered in June and I got 13 points, an A in Mathematics, and B in Physics and Chemistry.”

Mbovora, who was met with a lot of discouragement during her high school days, said she wants to motivate others to believe in themselves.

“I believe that my book can help students because through my experiences, I’ve come to realise that intelligence is not something innate, neither is it hereditary, but it is greatly influenced by the environment and self-determination. These are some of the things I share with students in the book,” she said.

“The book contains 15 guidelines on how one can become successful as a student. Most people believe that intelligence is fixed just like being a girl or a boy, which is not true. No one is born intelligent and no one is dull. Through hard work, anyone can produce good grades.”

Other than motivating others through her book, Mbovora said she goes to schools around Bulawayo motivating pupils and sharing guidelines on how they can pass exams.

The budding writer who is using her social media platforms to market her books said she would continue penning books. — Chronicle/News @NUST.

National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has been crowned winners of the national CFA Institute Research Challenge and now advances to compete with countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa Region.

CFA Institute Research Challenge is an annual global competition that provides university students with hands-on mentoring and intensive training in financial analysis and professional ethics.

The winning university team from each local competition advances to the sub-regional and finally to the global competitions.

To advance to the sub-regional competitions, NUST Finance team shrug off competition from other participants who included University of Zimbabwe, Midlands State University and Chinhoyi University of Technology.

Representing NUST were students from the Finance Department, Rufaro Hozheri, Belinda Chivandire, Nonsikelelo Mangena, Tinotenda Njowa and Desire Muchipisi.

Mr Alden Muhoni of Ernst & Young mentored the team while Mr Nobert Mungwini, a lecturer at the University advised the team.

The students went through a four-month mentorship programme on equities research, report writing and presentation. The Subject Company was OK Zimbabwe.

NUST has won this year’s competition, which was held virtually to bring their total wins to three since the contest started three years ago.

For the students it was a great moment with some seeing that as a big step towards the professional life.

“The whole process was not only challenging but enriching as well,” said one of the students, Rufaro Hozheri.  

He said the competition also taught him team work and commitment.

Belinda Chivandire, another student from the winning team was very excited that she made it into the NUST team.

“It was good to be in the competition; we developed a lot in terms of academic skills. I got the reassurance that I am in the right field and as a young woman I can also make it along-side my male colleagues,” she said.

The competition was a chance for the students to put the finance theory they learn into practice.

The local host coordinator, Mr Ranga Makwata, said hosting the competition online for the first time was a new experience.

“Moving the challenge online was something we had to do, we could not postpone the competition because we wanted to keep up the momentum and in any case no one knows what will be the future of learning so we had to embrace it,” said Makwata.

He stressed that despite the challenges that came with the new system, the level of competency and understanding of what is needed within the students showed marked improvement.

He was also hopeful that the winning team will do well at the next level of the competition.

A lecturer at NUST, Mr Norbert Mungwini admitted that the exposure which the students got was also a way of evaluating the University’s Corporate Finance department in particular to see if the students could apply the valuation methods they are taught.

“We are excited as a team, Department, Faculty and NUST family, it gives us more energy to improve each and every time,” said Mr Mungwini

This year’s CFA Institute Research Challenge, hosted by Investment Professionals Association of Zimbabwe (IPAZ) was supported by Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SECZ) whose head of investor education Farai Mpofu was the guest of honour.

Other sponsors were Morgan & Co, Intellego Investment Consultants, Bulls and Bears and Platinum Group while ZFN was the media partner.

The winning team’s trophy and medals were presented by Mr Ranga Makwata and Mr Takudzwa Mpunzi to the Chairperson of the Department of Finance, Dr Edson Mbedzi and the winning team.

The next calendar cycle for 2021–2022 will kick off in July 2021 globally. – Online.