This serves to inform the NUST staff and students that levies for the academic year 2020/2021, semester one have been reviewed upwards with effect from 18 November 2020.

See Linked appendix 

Ms T Ncube

Acting Bursar

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THE NUST community is in shock and poorer after losing yet another academic giant and long-serving dedicated member of the University, Dr Abraham Babs Nyoni.

 “The ever-lovable Dr AB Nyoni, was a longstanding member of the Faculty of Engineering. He and Dr Herbert M Kulube jointly founded the programme in the Department of Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering at the turn of the last century,” recalled the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mqhele E. Dlodlo.

Dr Nyoni, who joined NUST on the 18^th of August 1995, as a lecturer in the then Department of Textile Technology, now Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering, dedicated 25 years of his life serving the University.

“At the time of his sterling leadership during the birth of the Department, I first worked closely with him in my role as Chairman of the Department of Electronic Engineering and then as the Dean of the Faculty up to 2003. It was a challenging time finding well-wishers and sponsors to donate towards equipping the fledgling Department.

“However, the resilience of the team was astounding. The support from the then Vice-Chancellor, the late Professor Phineas M. Makhurane, was tremendous,” said Prof Dlodlo.

Dr Nyoni’s long-time colleagues who worked with him for more than 20 years, Prof Londiwe Nkiwane and Prof Siwela described his death as terrifying and shaking.

“It made me realise that death is closer than we think for anyone. I have known Dr Nyoni since 1994 when I went to study at the University of Leeds where he was finishing his Masters,” said Prof Nkiwane, the former Chairperson of the Department of Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering.

“The academic community has lost yet another giant; he was a specialist in his field. He was a guest editor and reviewer on the Zimbabwe Journal of Science and Technology of which I am the editor. He reviewed a number of manuscripts on textile technology,” said Prof Siwela the editor of the NUST journal that attracts manuscripts from all over Africa.

Prof Nkiwane said Dr Nyoni will always be remembered as one of the founders of the then Department of Textile Technology now Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering.

“He developed a lot of courses in Fibrous Materials. Due to his expertise and experience, he was seconded to Gwanda State University (GSU) where he was instrumental in the setting up of the university,” she added.

The Chairman of the Department of Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering, Dr Peeps Gonde, described Dr Nyoni’s passing as too sudden and shocking.

“We are too shocked as we lost a Departmental mentor, friend and father. I have no words to sufficiently convey my devastation,” said Dr Gonde, who is also the Senior University Proctor.

Dr Gonde said the late Dr Nyoni had a unique personality.

“He loved people, built authentic and honest relationships, which were almost permanent. He will be remembered for his good work, diligence, ethics, honesty and punctuality,” added Dr Gonde.

Prof Nkiwane concurred, noting that he was a hard-working professional who was always punctual and disliked late comers.

“He often told his students that they are early for tomorrow if they come late,” said Prof Nkiwane.

So dedicated to his work that when he was seconded to Gwanda State University, despite his busy schedule, he continued teaching in the Department and helped with the supervision of students in their final projects.

“He was so dedicated to his work that he would even commit his personal resources in the advancement of the Department when necessary, a rare and commendable attribute,” noted Dr Gonde.

The Registrar, Mr Biggy Ngwenya described Dr Nyoni “as a shining example of dedication to his work and his willingness to take on new assignments was unmatched.”

From the 1^st of February 2013 until the 31^st of January 2019, Dr Nyoni was seconded to Gwanda State University as the Acting Dean of Studies where he founded the Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, and the Faculty of Life Sciences.

“His contribution to the birth of Gwanda State University, both on its Council and in management as Acting Dean is there for all to see. His loss will therefore be felt far beyond the confines of his NUST family,” noted Prof Dlodlo.

His loss will also be felt by the sporting community, as he was a football legend.

Dr Nyoni was born in a family of footballers with his uncle, Ronnie Maseko once a player-coach for Bulawayo Wanderers. The club’s kit was kept at his family home and this inspired him to play for the team.

He joined Bulawayo Wanderers as a 16-year-old and rose through the ranks to play for the first team where he was later appointed vice-captain and earned the nickname “Manyosi”.

Dr Nyoni played alongside Boy Masaka, John Moyo, Alby Cox, Victor Dliwayo, Olaya Gurura, Vivian Nkomazana, Moses “Madala Boy” Moyo, Goliath Masuku, Rafias Majibha, Sikhalo Mpala, Mapuleni Mukwayi, John Moyo and Fibion Caleb.

“They had started reviving Bulawayo Wanderers Legends social soccer team. He was very active and full of hope,” said his brother, Mr Roy Mlilo.

Dr Nyoni was a rare breed of footballers who never lost focus of his studies.

He pursued further studies in Nigeria where he attained his first degree in textile technology from Kaduna.

He obtained an MSc in Textile Science and Engineering from the University of Leeds.

Dr Nyoni attained his PhD from the same university where his research focused on moisture management in yarns and fabrics for technical applications.

He was a Chartered Member of the Textile Institute.

Dr Nyoni, who had over 27 years’ experience in both corporate and academic work on value addition from cotton to clothing, was in February this year appointed board Chairperson of Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco), which had been without a board since 2016.

He was also a board member of the Association of Cotton Value Adders of Zimbabwe (ACVAZ).

His personal objective was to contribute to the economic empowerment of Africa in building sustainable capacity in academic institutions, commerce and industry through teaching, research, innovation and industrialisation.

He was set to celebrate his 65^th birthday on the 25^th of December 2020 but was called to rest on the 21^st of November 2020.

He is survived by five children, one boy Abraham Junior and four daughters, Pulane, Nomathemba, Zanele, Ntombizodwa and one grandchild.

The University wishes to advise that Online lectures for all First Year and Returning Students for the 1^st Semester of the 2020/2021 Academic Year will start on Wednesday, 25 November 2020. Registration will remain open until December 11, 2020. Please familiarise yourself with the online learning manual and the associated video, which have been shared with both students and staff. It is also available on this website.  Staff members are advised to make use of the internet/wifi facilities on campus to facilitate online learning. 

BY THE REGISTRAR

THE National University of Science and Technology (NUST) is set to release results of a 10-year study on Bulawayo’s underground water whose recommendations, if implemented, will ease the city’s water crisis.

Bulawayo is experiencing the worst water crisis in the city’s history due to plummeting water levels at city’s dams.

The council decommissioned three of the city’s six dams and some suburbs have gone for more than eight months without water.

The University’s department of Applied Science and a team from Geophysics Research Group conducted the research with support from a Swedish university.

Findings of the research are expected to be released by the end of next month.

Some of the issues to be contained in the report are the quantity of underground water in the city as well as the level of underground contamination.

Its recommendations would be availed to the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works and Bulawayo City Council (BCC).

The Geophysics Research Group expects the outcome of the research will help Bulawayo address the water crisis in future.

This emerged on Wednesday when NUST handed a drilled and equipped borehole and 100 litres of disinfectant to one of the city’s Covid-19 centres, Ekusileni Medical Centre in Bulawayo.

At the same function, the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance donated disinfectants, blankets among other goods to support the hospital which is due to open at the end of this month.

The leader of the Geophysics Research Group, Prof Dumisani John Hlatywayo, said the research will provide data on ways to improve access to water.

“We have been carrying out magnetic surveys, we have been finding water levels at existing boreholes in Bulawayo and we have gone into investigating water contamination and finding out where these contaminants are coming from. So far, we believe that we have enough data and we have analysed enough of that data and are able to present a a plausible report which will be useful to BCC. We believe the town planners will be able to use that information,” said Prof Hlatywayo.

“So far, what we are interested in is where in Bulawayo do we get water, if it is flowing, in which direction is it flowing. Where should people be interested in drilling water because when there is no water, people want to get it from underground. But it’s not everywhere that people will get water.”

He said NUST has started to offer water exploration services in realisation that most borehole drilling companies deliberately leave that component to avoid incurring costs.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Cde Judith Ncube commended NUST for showing innovation towards addressing some of the country’s problems.

She said research should lead the way as opposed to guess work which can be costly for the nation.

Minister Ncube commended stakeholders in Bulawayo for working towards improving the quality of life complementing various organisations that have committed towards fighting Covid-19.

The event was attended by NUST Council chairman, Engineer Alvord Mabena, Vice-Chancellor Mqhele Dlodlo, NUST senior management, Ekusileni Hospital Acting Chief Executive Officer, Dr Absalom Dube and several Government officials. – Chronicle.

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On behalf of the Council and Senate of the National University of Science and Technology, I welcome you to your new academic family for the rest of your life. That is because once a member, you cannot shake NUST off. You start out as a student here, and graduate into the rank of an alumna or alumnus. At this latter stage, your university would have become your alma mater, and we trust you would have internalized our values and treasures. You would have become our ambassadors, wherever you go, in your professional journey. Let me go on to unpack this dense welcome statement.

Becoming a member of NUST

We have accepted you as a student of NUST, so that you can be part of an ancient African tradition of deep thinking and scholarly engagement. It dates back to when the very first universities came about, and that was right here on the African soil. Many of the early ones have ceased to exist, but I will cite one that has never ceased to operate as a community of scholars. It is the University of Al-Karaouine (Morocco, 859). Fatima al-Fihri founded the Al-Quaraouiyine University in 859 CE in Fes, Morocco “as a community mosque with an associated school”. That was the cultural environment in that part of Afrika, the land of Ham, the son of Noah, the son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalalel, son of Canaan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam and Eve. This is all stated in the Hebrew tradition of keeping track of the male line of their genealogy. I am sure at Al-Karaouine, they follow the Arabic style of tracking the genealogy. What is the style of keeping track of your genealogy in your own ethnic cultural model? Are you aware of who you are, why you see the world the way you do, why you must know how to bring about products and artefacts of human thought and imagination? Why do you exist? What mark are you likely to leave behind when you finally exit the world as we know it or as it will be at the time of your exit?

Still on Al-Karaouine, in 1963 the state incorporated it into the contemporary state university system. If you want to specialize in Arabic grammar, Islamic and legal sciences in the world’s oldest university, go to Al-Karaouine, right here in Afrika. My point in all this is that meaningful university education and experience must teach you to appreciate and enhance your own heritage. That is why in 2018, the Government of Zimbabwe defined a new heritage based doctrine of education called Education 5.0. Education 5.0 has five philosophical directions:

1. Research
2. Teaching and Learning
3. Scholarly Community Engagement
4. Innovation, and
5. Industrialisation

Colonial education had dissociated innovation and industrialisation from true education, producing white collar workers. White collar workers either served to educate some more of their kind or worked only in the service industries, serving their colonial masters, instead of creating wealth for themselves and their nation at large. Colonial settlers could study finance, banking, engineering, technology, commerce, agriculture, management and so forth, in addition to language, literature, mathematics, science, and law. Without the true wealth creating skills, all we became good at was talking cleverly in English, performing clever but aimless calculations, and doing well in the offices that defined what we could do or not do. Then came Education 5.0.

In Education 5.0, your knowledge of the humanities must enhance your understanding of who you are as an African prince or princess (because Africans are the dethroned royalty, by the way), what your ancestors gave to the world by defining civilisation and creating organised societies for the first time in what has come to be called the Tower of Babel. Yes, the King of the World at that time was King Nimrod, our ancestor. Never ever forget that, as much as the history of African royalty has been deliberately distorted by those that wanted to obliterate it. God protected it by giving our ancestors fantastic oral tradition skills of preserving history, a heritage that we almost lost during colonisation – a time when we were told that our methods of teaching knowledge, skills and aptitudes were primitive. Education 5.0 reverses that damage and restores your heritage. Your heritage empowers you to change your world and re-establish your distinguished place in it as the civilisers of the world – a role that has been hijacked long enough for you to start singing praises of the very people whose ancestors learnt what civilisation was from your ancestors.

You might be tempted to do that because colonial education lingered around long enough for those that knew better to die off without passing their knowledge skills and aptitudes to those that first tasted the coloniser’s education system. This latter system was aimed at creating workers for the mines and factories meant to provide inputs into the colonisers’ economies back home. Up to this very day, just check out Africa’s trade patterns – they are focused on exports to Europe and North America.

The point I am making here is that in Zimbabwe and at NUST, in particular, we have introduced a heritage-based educational system. By the time you graduate, you will have had a chance to demonstrate that the primary attribute you have as an Afrikan with a “k” is imagination. It enhances your creativity, and the consequent capacity to invent or innovate. You and all the classes in the 2020-2021 academic year are the first beneficiaries of the new set of curricula. These curricula stress that the content of each degree programme must be common to all those in that profession worldwide. Then 20% of the content of each programme must have the distinctive values that each university stands for.

At NUST, our Motto is

Think in Other Terms

In other words, when nothing else avails itself to help you come up with a solution to you challenges, change the way you view the situation, re-define your thinking mode, brainstorm on possible solution models, evaluate each one, decide on the way forward and boldly implement your solution. Above all, validate that your new-found solution actually addresses the original problem, while minimising undesired consequences.

Value Statements

1. In the delivery of value to our clients, we pursue academic excellence with integrity, honesty and ethical behaviour.
2. We are committed to responsible research and innovation that drives commercialisation and industrialisation.
3. We thrive on mutual respect, teamwork and effective partnerships.
4. We are driven by a passion to fulfil your career dream.

Why are we sold on these values? The answer to that will emerge as you journey through your respective curricula at NUST. Suffice it for me to state our mission and our vision, which give impetus to our service to you.

Mission

To lead in human capital development for industrial and socio-economic transformation, with a bias towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) based solutions.

Vision

To be a world class University in science, technology, innovation, entrepreneurship and business development, spearheading industrialisation locally and beyond.

Concluding Remarks

With those words on what to expect at NUST over the next few years, I would like to exhort you to be proud of your common heritage as Zimbabweans. Zimbabweans are known for their love of education, for their adherence to the very highest standards in whatever they do, their diligence and their passionate pursuit of excellence. We have now introduced the difference that is an emphasis on linking our own heritage to our education, ensuring that our education results in wealth creation for ourselves, not somebody else out there. It will be an indication that we have succeeded, when each one of you will have started some serious business before you graduate – even in your first year. We have an entire Division of Innovation and Business Development to support such initiatives.

Dear Students,

A graduation is a very important event in the life of a university student because it is not just an end but the start of a new chapter in the graduand’s life whether it be continuation of studies or entry into the work environment. As the NUST community works tirelessly to ensure your day, FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER 2020, is a success, please take note that all BSc graduands in the 1^st Division are invited to attend graduation on campus. All graduands who will be physically attending the graduation ceremony are allowed to bring ONE GUEST. 

Who is invited for physical graduation?

The following graduands will be physically attending the graduation ceremony on campus:

• All PhD/DPhil graduands
• All MPhil graduands
• All MSc graduands with distinctions
• Best Graduating MSc graduands per Faculty
• Best Graduating Undergraduate graduands per Faculty
• All undergraduate graduands in the 1^st Division (with distinctions)
• Best Graduating graduands from Affiliate Institutions
• Each graduand is allowed to invite ONLY ONE guest.

Please note that only invited graduands and their guest are expected to physically attend the graduation ceremony on campus. The rest of our graduands will participate virtually. 

Invitation Cards

Graduands will receive their invitation cards plus one for their guest. They will receive the cards during the rehearsals on THURSDAY, 29 OCTOBER 2020. 

Virtual Graduation Ceremony

To all graduands and the entire NUST Community, kindly note that the ceremony will be live-streamed on the NUST Facebook, YouTube and broadcast on ZBC TV.  You can also follow us on Twitter (@nustzim). The ceremony will start at 09.00 hours on Friday the 30^th of October 2020. 

Important Dates and Timelines

Graduation Day:  30 October 2020 at 09.00 hours

Rehearsals: 29 October 2020 at 10.00 hours

NB: All graduands and their guests must be seated by 08.30 hours.

Where to purchase academic regalia

You can purchase your academic regalia from any of the following approved suppliers: ZOE Manufacturers (0777994492), Mutare Garments (0773212668), Academic Regalia Investment Pvt Limited (0772806698), Headgear Investments (0712706398), Zilch Investments (0712387192), Satra Fashions (0772407209) and Lutorch Trading (0772380493). 

Covid-19 Guidelines

Please note that in line with Covid-19 prevention measures, all graduands, guests and staff are expected to wear face masks, sanitise their hands and practise social distancing. NUST branded face masks can be obtained from The Innovation Hub and the NUST Library.  

Rehearsal

Rehearsals for the invited graduands will be on Thursday the 29^th of October 2020 at 10.00 hours at the Ceremonial Hall. All invited graduands MUST attend the rehearsals. Invited graduands will receive their invitation cards during the rehearsals. 

By Communication and Marketing Department

NOTICE TO ALL 2020 GRADUANDS

The University wishes to advise all Graduands that the 2020 Graduation Ceremony will be held on the 30^th of October 2020 starting at 9:00 hours.

Virtual Graduation Ceremony

In the light of the COVID-19 pandemic and in line with WHO guidelines and government regulations, the 2020 Graduation will mainly be virtual, with selected Graduands being capped physically at the Ceremonial Hall.

The following Graduands will formally be invited for physical capping:

• All DPhil/PhD Graduands
• All MPhil Graduands
• Selected MSc Graduands with Distinctions from various Faculties.

All invited Graduands must be in full graduation regalia: a gown, cap and hood, and also wear a face mask. The rest of the Graduands will join online and participate in the graduation from the comfort of their homes. The ceremony will be live-streamed on ZTV and NUST Face book.

Academic Dress

Approved Graduation regalia is obtainable from the following suppliers:

ZOE Manufacturers (0777994492), Mutare Garments (0773212668), Academic Regalia Investment Pvt Limited (0772806698), Headgear Investments (0712706398), Zilch Investments (0712387192), Satra Fashions (0772407209) Lutorch Trading (0772380493)

Graduation Fee

The graduation fee is USD20 or Zimbabwe Dollar (ZWL) equivalent at the reigning exchange rate. All Graduands must pay the graduation fee regardless of whether they graduate physically or virtually. The deadline for the payment of the Graduation Fee is 23 October 2020. Graduands are reminded to clear all outstanding fees first before they can be admitted to the graduation ceremony.

For more information, please CHECK THIS Website or contact the University’s Admissions and Student Records Office on telephone numbers 0772831154/0292-282842 Ext. 2362 or 2392. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A PAINFUL time it is always, to lose one of your own. When the body loses a leg, the hand, or the finger, the gap is instantly felt, because the body cannot function as it used to, and how difficult it is to adapt without that part. 

Such is the feeling that the NUST family has, as we experience the loss of Mr Dineck Kurira, a Senior Technical Assistant in the Department of Chemical Engineering.  

Having grown his career within NUST grounds, Mr Kurira’s 24 years of employment prove his value and role he played in nurturing students in the Faculty of Engineering. He joined the University as a temporary full-time cleaner in the Department of Electronic Engineering in 1994, before being appointed a full-time messenger in 1996. 

Mr Kurira was then appointed as Technical Assistant for the Chemical Engineering Department in 2004, a post he used to prove his knowledge and expertise as he was then promoted to Senior Technical Assistant in the same Department, a position he held until the time of his death.  

“I knew Dineck as an Assistant Technician when I was a student in 2004 and he was very helpful and kind,” said Ms Nonhlanhla Mnguni, the Chairperson of the Chemical Engineering Department. 

“I then got to work with him in 2010 and he was a very easy person to work with.”

She further highlighted that the department has lost a highly valuable and respected member of their team. 

“He was more than just a workmate, he was a friend and a brother to most colleagues in the department,” one member of the department said in his tribute to Mr Kurira. “During social events in the department, he is the one who was in the forefront to the extent that he unified the non-academic and the academic staff within our section.”

Other members described him as a vital team member, who was committed to the success of the department by offering a fully-fledged technical service to the student. 

Mr Kurira will be buried in Rusape on Wednesday, 7 October 2020.