Let me welcome you all to the 20th Senate meeting and our first one for the year 2018.
The last half of the year 2017 was extremely difficult due to the unstable economic environment that resulted in the spiraling of operational costs mainly as a result of the 3tier pricing system that emerged on the market.
The Institute had to closely monitor all expenditures in order to sail through the turbulent period.
The new political dispensation has openly declared that Universities' business must lead in National Development. This was reiterated by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde E.D. Mnangagwa during his meeting with Vice Chancellors on 9 January 2018 at the HICC and reinforced by the Minister of Higher Education and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development, Prof. A. Murwira when he visited HIT in January 2018.
The Deans of Schools, Directors of Centres and other head of Departments have drawn up their Tactical Plans which will guide them as the year progresses. These Tactical Plans were preceded by a critical review of their performance in 2017 and will provide road maps on how the various Institute entities intend to strategically and programmatically execute their duties as they implement their work plans.
All academic departments are expected to take guidance from the Dean's Tactical Plans and prepare their own detailed 2018 Work Plans which should dovetail into the School's Tactical Plans.
The Institute Management will this year revisit the Harare Institute Strategic Plan, Designing the Future 'Vision 2020.'
The exercise will enable HIT to review the rationale, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and financial viability of the various University units in order to make strategic decisions on the way forward.
The Institute will commence lectures in the BSc Honours in Radiography, Post Graduate Diploma in Medical Ultrasound and Post Graduate Diploma in Dosimetry beginning August this year.
We intent to launch six (6) M.Tech programmes during the course of the year 2018 and this is largely dependent on the speed with which the Accreditation Body (ZIMCHE) will process the submitted applications.
We are looking forward to introducing more innovative and futuristic engineering and technology programmes in line with our mandate and we remain cognizant of the guiding principle not to compromise on quality as pronounced by His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe Cde E.D Mnangagwa in his speech delivered at the HICC when he met Vice Chancellors of Universities on 9 January 2018. This was further reinforced by the Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education Science and Technology Development, Prof Murirwa when he visited HIT early this year.
Efforts to publish the inaugural HIT Journal are at an advanced stage and those departments that are still to apply for ISSN numbers are urged to work with the Librarian on this issue.
The University appointed a Director to run the Technology Transfer and Licensing Centre. The Director is responsible for technology transfer in terms of training onhe commercialistion of inventions and discoveries flowing from research through technology licensing, commercial investments and any other avenues including but not limited to joint venture partnerships, venture capital etc. He will also be responsible for venture mentoring services and establishment of a technopreneurship forum.
Government is running with a 100 day deliverables programme to which the Institute submitted a total of seven (7) projects. The Institute has its own programme which is on-going and currently has thirty-one (31) projects across all academic departments which are both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary in nature.
The Government embarked on an initiative to establish Innovation Hubs at six selected Universities. The establishment of a Technopark at Harare Institute of Technology is one of the main objects within the HIT Act. Therefore, the University has already embarked on a process to establish a Science Park which it termed the Hi-Tech Development Valley.
The Government has since accepted to fund the construction of the Business Incubator, which is part of the Phase Ι of the development of the HIT's Hi-Tech Development Valley.
The Institute is calling for an increase in professional linkages with international professional bodies such as ACM and IEEE across all disciplines for curriculum benchmarking.
Departments will soon be expected to submit reports and evidence of membership to these bodies as they are fundamental in curriculum development and reviews.
It is important that the student-lecturer evaluation exercise be done twice every semester, with one evaluation taking place preferably in the third week of teaching and the other one before students go on SWOT leave and preferably just after Semester Break.
The importance of research in academia need not to be over-emphasised. The Institute's policy is that every lecturer must publish at least two papers per year and Deans and Chairpersons must make sure this is complied with.
The Institute shall continue to support research through the Research Board and the Technology and Innovation Committee.
All academic departments are urged to organize international workshops and seminars in their areas of specialization inorder to reinforce their research thrust and manifest their presence on the global stage, as well generating the much needed financial resources which can be used in the international travels of a similar nature.
Chairpersons are once again reminded of the seriousness of examination papers' security. The integrity of the entire University is hinged upon the integrity of its assessment procedures and processes, hence all lecturers need to be constantly reminded of these procedures and processes. Detailed information on Examinations rules and regulations are obtainable from the Examinations Office.
I wish to urge everyone to continue working with dedication and commitment to duty. I believe that with your support the Institute will continue to occupy its mandated space as the leading Institution in Science, Engineering and Technology.
I thank you!
Eng. Q.C Kanhukamwe.