adminSenior Reporter
PROFESSOR Munashe Furusa was last Saturday inaugurated as the fourth Vice-Chancellor of Africa University at a colourful ceremony held at the university campus in Old Mutare. Speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, challenged the new Vice-Chancellor to usher a new era at the institution and set world class academic standards.
She said his assumption of the new post coincides with Government’s thrust to produce more graduates in Mathematics, Science and Engineering.
“The inauguration of Prof Furusa comes at an opportune time when our primary focus is to deliver Zim-Asset. Zim-Asset dovetails with the Post 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which offer us the opportunity for major improvements on the Millennium Development Goals. Poverty reduction cannot be achieved without addressing the issue of food security and systematic barriers which promotes inter-linkages between science, society and policy.
“Government expects all State and non-state universities to focus on producing more graduates in the disciplines of mathematics, science and engineering. These disciplines are a national priority as enunciated by President Mugabe during the opening of the 8th Parliament of Zimbabwe. Currently, Zimbabwe faces a challenge of skills gaps and mismatch within industry.
“In addressing this we intend to conduct a national skills audit survey which will reveal the numbers of scientists, mathematicians and engineers needed for driving our socio-economic transformation.”
She urged Prof Furusa to do more research at the university and provide answers to several social and economic situations facing the country.
“I want to urge Prof Furusa and the entire Africa University family to research more into community-based problems and find innovative solutions towards them. The quality of education produced within the doors of Africa University has the capacity to transform the fortunes of Zimbabwe and change this world for a better place.”
She also challenged the university to implement the recommendations of the Nziramasanga Report of 1996 which, among other things, recommended the need for institutions of higher and tertiary education to review their curriculum in line with technological advancements and global trends.
Guest speaker Professor Tawana Kupe, who is the deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal at Witwatersrand University is South Africa, spoke highly of Prof Furusa’s new appointment, saying he had the stamina to steer the university to high levels. The renowned academic, who once tutored Prof Furusa at the University of Zimbabwe, challenged the Vice-Chancellor to carry out his duties diligently and use the vast knowledge he has in running the affairs at the institution of higher learning.
Online Reporter