The President and HIT Chancellor Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa presided over the 15th graduation ceremony of the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT), where a total of 709 graduates were capped at the institution’s Belvedere campus.
This year saw an increase of 70 graduates compared to the previous year. Among the cohort, 649 students received their undergraduate degrees, with female graduates representing 46.7 percent of this group. In addition, of the 57 graduates who received Master’s degrees, 38.6 percent were female. Three graduates were awarded post-graduate diplomas from the School of Allied Health Sciences.
Breaking down the numbers by school, there were 202 graduates from the School of Engineering and Technology, 89 from the School of Industrial Sciences and Technology, 67 from the School of Allied Health Sciences, 145 from the School of Information Science and Technology, and 146 from the School of Business and Management Sciences. Out of the 57 Master of Technology degrees awarded, 32 were from the School of Information Science and Technology and 25 from the School of Business and Management Sciences.
Notably, this year saw female graduates achieve the highest number of first-class degrees. President Mnangagwa recognised six exceptional graduates with the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Chancellor’s Award, presenting the overall best male and female graduates with US$1,000 each. Additionally, four top first-class students received US$500 each. Aamilah Dawood and Luke Tembani were among those honoured with US$1,000, while Bliss Muchemwa, Takudzwa Chingosho, Tanatswa Chireya, and Chido Chiyangwa received US$500 each.
Kelvin Mparuri Moyo earned accolades as the Alutech Best Student in Mobile Payments Security and the ISACA Harare Chapter Best Student in the same field.
In his address, HIT Vice Chancellor Professor Quinton Kanhukamwe affirmed HIT’s commitment to supporting national development. “Our dedication to innovation and fostering home-grown solutions, as outlined in the heritage-based Education 5.0 framework, underscores Zimbabwe’s trust in your capable leadership,” he stated.
Professor Kanhukamwe emphasised the institution’s role in aligning with the government’s Vision 2030, stating, “Your leadership in innovation and promotion of homegrown solutions as enshrined in the heritage-based Education 5.0 and the philosophy which you have inculcated in the higher education sector affirms Zimbabwe’s confidence in your capable and able leadership. As HIT, we want to assure you of our unwavering commitment to the attainment of your vision for a great Zimbabwe, the renaissance of the Munhumutapa empire,” he said.
Prof Kanhukamwe said HIT would not relent in complementing the Government’s efforts towards attaining Vision 2030. “The industrialisation and modernisation agenda is non-negotiable and is aligned with the mandate you have given us as leaders. The development of our nation in the Fourth Industrial Revolution hinges on our investments and teaching efforts in science, technology and engineering,” he said.
He concluded by reiterating that all HIT programmes are STEM-compliant, spanning across disciplines such as engineering, business, health, and information communication technologies, demonstrating the institute’s commitment to contemporary educational standards.
