Online Reporter
Welcome to our live coverage of the University of Zimbabwe’s 44th graduation ceremony, where President Mnangagwa, the Chancellor of all State Universities, is set to cap over 6 918 graduates today.
This momentous occasion takes place on the university’s picturesque campus in Harare and celebrates the achievements of a diverse group of students.
Among the graduates, 3 674 are female, highlighting a significant advancement in gender representation at the undergraduate level, where 3,199 female graduates will be recognised alongside 2 750 male counterparts.
The postgraduate section features 475 male and 463 female graduates, while the Doctor of Philosophy category includes 17 males and 12 females. Notably, there are 2 male graduates in the Master of Philosophy program, with no female representation.
Graduates will be conferred degrees across various disciplines, including law, engineering, education, and medicine, marking a significant milestone in their academic journeys.
Join us as we celebrate the hard work and dedication of these scholars, who are poised to make impactful contributions to society.
Our reporter Debra Matabvu and chief photographer Believe Nyakudjara will be giving you live updates and highlights from this prestigious event.
The Chancellor of all State Universities, President Mnangagwa, has arrived at the University of Zimbabwe for the institution’s 44th graduation ceremony.
Graduation ceremony duly constituted
The academic procession has now moved into the UZ main grounds where the graduation ceremony is taking place.
The Chancellor of all State Universities, President Mnangagwa declares the congregation of the 44th graduation ceremony duly constituted as a graduation ceremony.
This kickstarts the official programme.
UZ Vice Chancellor highlights the university’s achievements
University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor, Professor Paul Mapfumo, takes to the podium.
He announces that the number of graduands today is the highest in the history of the University.
He also highlights some of the achievements of the University during the 2024/25 academic year.
These include:
16 startups registered, of which 13 are student-led.
2,000 metric tonnes of maize produced.
1,500 metric tonnes of animal feed produced.
350 farmers engaged for training and empowerment.
40 Intellectual Properties (IPs) registered, with 11 IPs commercialized.
98 commercialized products since 2024.
Third number plates, car tracking management system, and Pfumvunza management system piloted in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands.
Smart water management system piloted in partnership with local authorities.
Professor Mapfumo implores the graduands to continue upgrading themselves.
President Mnangagwa caps graduands
President Mnangagwa is now conferring certificates, diplomas, and degrees to graduands.
He will cap those with first-class honours, distinctions, and academic awards.
Among those graduating today are Zimpapers reporter Mukudzei Chingwere, Star FM reporter Selina Nyamangara, and Judicial Services Commission Secretary Mr. Walter Chikwanha.
President Mnangagwa to launch High-Performance Computing Phase 2
President Mnangagwa is also expected to launch the High-Performance Computing Phase 2 (HPC Phase 2).
This transformative milestone positions Zimbabwe at the forefront of Africa’s scientific and technological revolution.
A high-performance computing centre, or supercomputer, is generally defined as a computer or array of computers that acts as one collective machine capable of processing enormous amounts of data.
The HPC makes it possible to perform complex simulations, big data analytics, and artificial intelligence model training that were previously only feasible in technologically advanced nations.
Zimbabwe launched its first high-performance computing centre in 2015, becoming the third African country to have such IT infrastructure.
The HPC 1 has a processing capacity of 36 trillion calculations per second and a network data storage capacity of 60 000 terabytes.
Supercomputers are used for complex tasks such as processing massive sets of data to find information, running simulations, and solving large and intricate problems.
HPC Phase 2 will play a vital role in climate modeling and environmental forecasting for agriculture and disaster preparedness, AI-powered solutions for healthcare diagnostics and disease surveillance, advanced genomics for biotechnology and precision medicine, engineering simulations in mining, energy, and infrastructure planning, as well as machine learning and natural language processing to support indigenous language technology and educational tools.
Online Reporter