Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Correspondent
THE National University of Science and Technology (Nust) has realigned its academic calendar bringing forward its August intake to March.
In an interview yesterday, Nust’s acting Communication and Marketing director, Mrs Lindiwe Nyoni, said the university changed its academic year as part of its restructuring exercise.
She said the shift in the academic year does not mean that Nust is introducing double semester as it is resource constrained to do so at the moment.
She said prospective students should start applying as soon as they have requisite qualifications for the March intake. “Nust is happy to announce to the students awaiting their Advanced Level results that we will be having a March intake beginning this year 2019. This is mainly a decision by the university to restructure the academic year to align it to a normal financial year among other issues,” said Mrs Nyoni.
“Lectures will also commence earlier than it has been over the years. Previously students had to wait to begin their lectures in August and for some this was unfavourable. This is also a move in response to the concerns raised in the past by some prospective students.”
Mrs Nyoni said only the Faculty of Medicine would resume its lectures in August 2019.
She said Nust was also in the process of finalising accommodation and learning space for prospective students.
“Nust has identified places which will accommodate our students for the March intake. We are finalising with several institutions on building to rent in case we need extra lecturing space. The academic year is designed in such a way that our current students will complete their academic year probably at the end of April,” said Mrs Nyoni.
She said the shift in academic year entails that the university will not be enrolling First Year students in August except for Faculty of Medicine students.
Mrs Nyoni said the university has lined up programmes to sensitise the public about changes in the academic year.
“The Nust Marketing team will be going out to the community to raise awareness on this development so that students are fully aware of this and are able to make informed decisions. The team will be assisting in the application process and thus offering a one-stop convenience for all the applicants,” said Mrs Nyoni. – @nqotshili
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