UZ to introduce new engineering degree

Nokutenda Chiyangwa Herald Reporter
University of Zimbabwe (UZ)’s Faculty of Engineering is expected to introduce an Honours Degree in Automotive Engineering as an addition to the seven engineering degrees that it offers.

In a speech read on his behalf in Harare yesterday by an official from his office at the launch of the degree programme, UZ Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura said the introduction of the degree was in line with the university’s vision to provide world class education.

The programme, he said, was expected to reduce the amount of money spent on car-related imports.
“In line with the vision of the UZ to offer top-notch degree programmes that are relevant to the situation in present day Zimbabwe and beyond, the Faculty of Engineering has proposed to establish a new bachelor’s degree programme in automotive engineering,” he said.

“The cars that are locally assembled are expensive and out of reach to the majority of the Zimbabweans compared to the second-hand imports, mainly because all the materials used are imported.

“The country is, however, blessed with many natural resources that can be used to manufacture vehicles, while the basic infrastructure for vehicle design and assembly is also in place in Zimbabwe. Having local automotive engineers will encourage innovation and design based on available local materials for designing and assembling cars.

“Zimbabwe’s automotive sector comprises of four motor vehicle assemblers – Willowvale Motor Industries, Quest Motors, Deven Engineering and AVM Africa Limited – and such a promising base in the automotive industry creates a big opportunity for the automotive engineers in Zimbabwe.”

The dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr Hudson Makurira, said the initiative would fill the gap that was present in the country’s skills training programme, as automotive engineering was a skill that was now on demand.

“Automotive engineering is a skill that is becoming a demand in the industry because when you are importing vehicles, you are importing skill as well,” he said.

“We are introducing this programme because we have seen the gap and now we want to be the first to fill it.”

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