The University expects to achieve a number of tangible benefits from Regional collaboration, including the following:
• Resource sharing;
• Effective communication; and
• Quality research.
The University does not currently have the necessary ICT infrastructure nor the technical support it requires to facilitate Regional collaboration. The main challenges to Regional collaboration are: national ICT infrastructure, bandwidth prices, low lecturer: computer ratio, institutional ICT infrastructure and low student:computer ratio. These issues are currently being resolved as follows: plans to improve these ratios respectively by 1:6 by 2008 and 1:3 by 2008, as well as connecting all remote sites by fibre backbone.
The University reports that donors can facilitate Regional higher education collaboration by providing funding, whilst the government can facilitate the same process by increased funding and revising their telecommunications regulations.
2.7 N
ATIONALU
NIVERSITY OFS
CIENCE ANDT
ECHNOLOGY7The National University of Science and Technology is a public university that was established by an Act of the Zimbabwe Parliament in 1991 in Bulawayo, in the south west of Zimbabwe.
The idea of a second university in Zimbabwe was mooted in 1982, following a report examining the high failure rate at the University of Zimbabwe in the years 1980 and 1981. A Commission set up in 1989 to consider the feasibility of this reported that a second higher education institution was necessary, and that it should have a science and technology focus.
The University opened its doors in 1991, with 28 teaching staff, 270 students across three faculties, 41 administrators, and eleven support staff.8
The University’s institutional focus is as follows:
Table 59 National University of Science and Technology: Institutional focus HE function Approximate Percentage of Institutional Focus
Teaching and learning 50%
Research 40%
Community service activities 10%
Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response
7 A questionnaire was completed by the National University of Science and Technology. This section is based on the data provided in the questionnaire response as well as supplementary data sourced from secondary sources.
8 Wikipedia. (No date). "NUST (Zimbabwe)." from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NUST_(Zimbabwe)
2.7.1 Student Data
All students at the University are contact students, and most (85%) study on a full‐time basis. The majority of students (4,763) are national citizens, while 16 are international students from within the SADC Region, and two from outside of the SADC Region.
Table 60 National University of Science and Technology: Summary of enrolment numbers (Actual data, 2007)
Engineering &
Technology and Social Sciences
451 213 238 423 0 28 0 25
Health Sciences
26 9 17 26 0 0 0 0
Other (Built Environment)
263 66 197 250 0 13 0 0
TOTALS
4,781 1,555 3,226 4,073 81 612 15 95
Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response in undergraduate programmes, with the largest enrolment in the field of Business, Management and Law, followed by Science, Engineering and Technology. Women comprise 33% of students in general but only 26% of females are enrolled in Science, Engineering and Technology.
Table 61 National University of Science and Technology: Summary of Qualifications Awarded (Actual data, 2007) Science, Engineering &
Technology 427 388 0 38 1 0
Business, Management
& Law 583 329 38 196 0 20
Humanities and Social
Sciences 68 53 0 15 0 0
Other (Built
Environment) 79 69 0 10 0 0
TOTALS 1,157 839 38 259 1 20
Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response.
As with enrolment data, the majority of qualifications awarded in 2007 were undergraduate degrees, mostly in the fields of Business, Management, as well as Law, and Science, Engineering and Technology.
The National University of Science and Technology provides the following services to students to support their studies.
Table 62 National University of Science and Technology: Student Services Type of student service Service provided (yes/no)
Academic orientation services Yes
Academic support services (e.g. writing centres, study skills etc) No
Accommodation facilities Yes
Career guidance services Yes
Psychological counselling services Yes
Sports facilities Yes
Information on study opportunities in other institutions No
Language training No
Social and cultural activities (bars, clubs, theatre, music, etc) No Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response
2.7.2 Staff Data
Of the academic and research staff complement, 177 are Zimbabwean nationals, while five are from non‐SADC countries. The University employs an estimated 40 management and administrative staff, all of whom are national citizens.
Table 63 National University of Science and Technology: Academic and Research staff (Actual data, 2007)
Major field of study Total number (headcount)
Number of females Number of males
Science, Engineering &
Technology 109 23 86
Business, Management &
Law 34 8 26
Humanities and Social
Sciences 18 6 12
Health Sciences 11 5 6
Other (Built
Environment) 10 1 9
TOTALS 182 43 139
Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response.
Corresponding with student enrolment data, most academic and research staff are based in the field of Science, Engineering, and Technology. There is a gender disparity among academic and research staff at the institution, with women making up fewer than 25% of the total academic and research staff, and just over 20% of academic and research staff in the area of Science, Engineering, and Technology. There is no significant gender disparity amongst management and administrative staff, except in the area of Science, Engineering and Technology, where men outnumber women by 15 to one.
Table 64 National University of Science and Technology: Academic and Research Staff Highest Level of Qualification (Actual data, 2007)
Major field of study Number of academic and research staff with as this as their HIGHEST qualification
Under‐
graduate degree/
diploma
Post‐graduate degree/ diploma
Master’s Degree Doctoral Degree
Science, Engineering
& Technology 0 0 82 27
Business,
Management & Law 0 0 33 1
Humanities and
Social Sciences 0 0 16 2
Health Sciences 0 0 10 1
Other (Built
Environment) 0 0 8 2
TOTALS 0 0 149 33
Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response.
Most staff members have a Master’s Degree as their highest level of qualification. No information was made available on the research output of academic and research staff, as this was still being compiled at the time that the questionnaire was completed.
The National University of Science and Technology reported critical staff shortages in all areas except for institutional management.
2.7.3 Governance and Management
The University is governed by the Council, which is appointed by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, for deciding policy issues, and by the Senate, which governs academic issues. Day‐to‐day management is undertaken by the Vice‐Chancellor, assisted by two Pro Vice‐Chancellors (one for administration and finance and the other for academic and research). Faculties are run by the appointed deans and departments by chairpersons appointed by the Vice‐Chancellor, in consultation with all full‐time academic staff in the relevant departments.
The University’s governing body includes the following representation.
Table 65 National University of Science and Technology: Governing Body Representation
Governing body representation Number of members
representing this group Number of members who come from or represent the business/industry sector 6
Number of members who come from or represent the community sector 4
Number of members who come from or represent the public (i.e. government) sector 6
Number of students representatives 1
Number of staff representatives 9
Other (Appointed by the Minister from any sector/walk of life) 16
TOTAL 42
Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response.
2.7.4 Funding
Most funding for the University is sourced from Government subsidies and grants.
Table 66 National University of Science and Technology: Funding Sources (Estimate data, 2007)
Sources of funding Percentage of total funding/income
Student fees 6%
Government subsidy/grants 90%
Donations – private individuals/trusts 1%
Donations – private sector/businesses/corporations 2%
Donations – international funders/donors 1%
Total 100%
Source: National University of Science and Technology questionnaire response
The University reported that the level of funding that it receives is inadequate. Fewer than half of its requirements are catered for, while student fees are controlled. Current funding does not cover all university activities. Sources of funding/income have not changed significantly in the past ten years. No calculations are done to ascertain the average annual cost of student tuition per faculty. About 90% of students receive additional financial assistance, excluding financial support from their families.
The main challenges facing the University in terms of funding are reduced government funding, controlled student fees, and a shortage of foreign currency. The University has developed a strategic plan to tackle the issue of additional income sources.
The University reports that it has major infrastructure constraints. It is a new institution still under construction, and therefore several facilities are not yet available on campus. It also faces resource contraints, especially in the area of laboratory equipment and chemicals. A research policy is still under discussion. The institution has a strategic plan in place for collaboration with business and industry.
2.7.5 Quality Assurance
The Institution has internal quality assurance processes in place, and a specific budget is allocated to cover the costs associated with these processes. The quality assurance framework covers teaching activities, as well as student and administrative processes. The national quality assurance framework does not prescribe quality assurance procedures for institutions to follow, but the Institution is required to report on quality assurance issues to the national authorities. It also participates in peer review quality assessments, on a voluntary basis. Moreover, it conducts regular internal evaluations of academic programmes.
Mechanisms are also in place to provide ongoing staff development, 80% of which is conducted internally and 20% by external service providers. Processes are in place for evaluating the performance of individual teaching staff, which is mandatory, while only some student learning services are evaluated. The performance of research team activities is not evaluated. Independent/external moderators are involved in the setting and marking of student exams. Student feedback is actively sought on academic issues and student services.
The main challenge facing the University in the area of quality assurance is the lack of funding for quality assurance processes. The University addresses this challenge by using its own resources to supplement government debentures.
2.7.6 Regional Collaboration
The University values collaboration with other higher education institutions in the SADC Region. Enrolment of students from other SADC countries is not given high priority, however, and there has been a significant decrease in the number of students from these countries in the past five years. This is due to Zimbabwe’s economic collapse, which has caused a significant decline in students from East Africa and beyond. No language or cultural support is provided for incoming international students.
The University is currently involved in four collaborative academic/research programmes, two of which are with partner institutions in South Africa, one with institutions in Kenya and South Africa, and one in Mozambique. It is also conducting two collaborative community
development projects, which are administered by the Textiles Department and the Office of the Vice Chancellor. There are currently no collaborative projects with business/industry.
The University expects to achieve a number of tangible benefits from Regional collaboration, including the following:
• Staff student exchanges;
• Earn foreign currency;
• Research synergies; and
• Sharing of facilities.
The main challenge that the Institution faces with respect to Regional collaboration is one of internal apathy, but it is undertaking to address this by way of seminars on the benefits thereof. The University currently has the necessary ICT infrastructure that is needed to facilitate Regional collaboration, but not the necessary technical support. The University reports that donors can facilitate Regional higher education collaboration by providing long‐
term funding for such activities.