University of Zimbabwe

Infobox University
name=University of Zimbabwe
motto=Knowledge Diligence and Integrity


latin_name=
established=1952
type=Public
chancellor=Robert Mugabe
vice_chancellor=Levi Nyagura
faculty=42 professors, 228 lecturers, 333 instructors
undergrad=11,200
postgrad=500
city=Mount Pleasant, Harare
country=Zimbabwe
campus=Urban
affiliations=
website= [http://www.uz.ac.zw/ www.uz.ac.zw] |

The University of Zimbabwe (UZ), is the first and largest university in Zimbabwe. It was founded through a special relationship with the University of London and it opened its doors to its first students in 1952. Faculties are located at the 180 hectare principal campus in the northern Harare suburb of Mount Pleasant. The College of Health Sciences is located at Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare and was established under the auspices of the University of Birmingham in 1963. English is the language of instruction.

History

* 1945 – First proposal for a university college in Rhodesia.
* 1946 – The Legislative Assembly of Southern Rhodesia calls for the establishment of a university college to serve the needs of Rhodesia and neighbouring territories.
* 1947 – The Governor of Southern Rhodesia establishes the Rhodesia University Foundation Fund.
* 1948 – The City of Salisbury (now Harare) provides land for the construction of the campus.
* 1952 – The Legislative Assembly of Southern Rhodesia enacts a bill for the incorporation and constitution of the university. An Inaugural Board is established by the Act. First classes begin on the old Baker Street site.
* 1953 July – Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon lays the foundation stone on the Mount Pleasant site.
* 1955 February – The University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is established by Royal Charter
* 1956 – The College is admitted to the privilege of Special Relation with the University of London. The Academic Board is formed.
* 1957 – All activities transferred to Mount Pleasant. Teaching for full-time students begins in the Faculties of Arts and Science and for graduates taking the one-year Certificate in Education programme.
* 1963 – The Medical School is opened and is affiliated to the University of Birmingham. After the dissolution of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the University College continues as an independent institution of higher education and research, open to all races.
* 1970 – A phased termination of the associations with the Universities of London and Birmingham begins.
* 1971 – The University College achieves university status and becomes the University of Rhodesia.
* 1980 – After Independence, the University of Rhodesia becomes the University of Zimbabwe.
* 1982 – The Royal Charter is replaced by an Act of Parliament.
* 2001 – Student population increases from 68 in 1957 to 2,240 in 1980 to 9,300 in 1990 and to 10,139 in 2001.

Current developments

* With the advent of HIV/AIDS and the massive impact on Zimbabweans a collaboration with UCSF University of California, San Francisco was established.
* In 2005, UZ won the SIFE World Cup held in Ontario, Canada.

Organization

There are 9 faculties and 1 college in which the university is divided into:

* Faculty of Agriculture
* Faculty of Arts
* Faculty of Commerce
* Faculty of Education
* Faculty of Engineering
* Faculty of Law
* College of Health Sciences Medicine
* Faculty of Science
* Faculty of Social Studies
* Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

Residences

* Swinton Hall: Female
* Carr-Saunders Hall: Female
* Manfred Hodson Hall: Male, named after Leslie Manfred Noel Hodson
* New Hall: Mixed, reserved mainly for foreigners
* Mount Royal: Male
* Medical Residence: Mixed
* New Complex 1: Male
* New Complex 2: Female
* New Complex 3: Female
* New Complex 4: Female
* New Complex 5: Male

Sports

* Football (soccer)
* Basketball
* Tennis
* Athletics
* Rugby union
* Hockey
* Cricket

Vice Chancellors

* Professor Levi Nyagura 2003-present
* Professor Graham Hill (? -2003)
* Professor Gordon Chavhunduka (? - ?)
* Professor Walter Kamba (? - ?)

Notable alumni

* Tendai Biti - Lawyer and a leader of the Movement for Democratic Change
* David Chifunyise - composer and singer of the introduction to the popular Zimbabwean show "Studio 263" shown on ZBC
* Chirikure Chirikure - Shona poet, songwriter, writer. His first volume, Rukuvhute received Honorable Mention in the Noma Awards for Publishing in Africa, in 1990.
* Robert Choto - polymath, holder of 9 non-honorary degrees, described string test for Giardia lamblia
* Fay Chung - former Minister of Education, politician
* Tsitsi Dangarembga - Author of Nervous Conditions and the story of Neria, the highest grossing Zimbabwean film of all time
* Chenjerai Hove - poet, novelist, essayist.
* Rudo Makunike - FRCPath, consultant paediatric pathologist, also faculty
* Dambudzo Marechera - novelist, poet, expelled from UZ, and later New College, Oxford; his first book The House of Hunger won the fiction prize, The Guardian 1979
* Arthur Mutambara - Rhodes Scholar, Professor of Robotics (formerly NASA), Politician
* George Mutandwa Chiweshe - Retired Brigadier General,
* Albert Nyathi - poet, highly praised by Nelson Mandela and has worked with Chelsea F.C.
*Daniel Fortune Molokela Human Rights Lawyer and former UZ SRC President
*Narcisius T. Dzvanga - MMED, consultant physician,clinical director UBH
*Keletso Nyathi - 2004 graduate from medical school, philanthropist, studying towards FCS(sa) Orthopaedics under G.A.N Vera

Notable faculty

* Christopher Chetsanga - Harvard, discovered two enzymes involved in DNA repair
* Canaan Banana - Zimbabwe's first president
* Laurence Levy - First neurosurgeon in Africa, developed the Harare shunt for hydrocephalus
* Jonathan Moyo - Lecturer Department of Political and Administrative Studies 1988–1993, political figure
* Musaemura Zimunya - contemporary writer
* Solomon Mutswairo - novelist, poet, wrote the text for the Zimbabwean national anthem, Writer-in-Residence
* Welshman Ncube - Professor of Law and leading member of the Movement for Democratic Change, was found not guilty in plot to assassinate the President of Zimbabwe involving Ari Ben-Menashe.
* Korkut Boratav - Turkish professor of economics.
* Ngoni Kandeya - Political activist

External links

* [http://www.chs.ac.zw/ College of Health Sciences]