Solusi University
Encyclopedia
Solusi University is a coeducational private university
in Bulawayo
, Zimbabwe
. Initially established in 1894, one hundred years later, the institution received the authorization of the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe through an act of Parliament to operate as a university.As a university it first opened on October 4, 1994, the first private institution of higher education in the country. Following the granting of the charter by the Government it was renamed to Solusi University to reflect the institution's expanded roles and academic offerings. The university follows American grading and business, research and liberal arts curricular patterns. It is owned and run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church
.
on approximately 12,000 acres (49 km²) of land adjacent to the Shelmar Dairy farm and 60 miles away from the town of Plumtree
. Figtree is 35 miles away; because of the rural nature of the campus, almost the entire Solusi faculty members and student body reside on campus.
The 12000 acres (48.6 km²) campus was originally designated as a farm which was later granted to the Adventist missionaries in the late 1890s by Cecil John Rhodes
The campus maintains a variety of indigenous trees, especially around the quad
in the center of the campus. The campus is composed of 8 instructional buildings, the Student Center, two single-sex residence halls and 10 complexes.
The two dormitories on campus are Sweden Hall, the women's hall, Ralley Hall, the undergraduate men's hall, and the Married Students qutaers, primarily for men who are either married,graduate or seminary students. The residence halls strictly enforce a curfew depending on a student's age, as well as a visitation policy which does not allow students of the opposite sex in dorm rooms at any time. Students living on-campus are also required to attend a number of worship services.
As of 2006, the University has an enrolment of over 4000 students from over 16 different countries in and out of Africa. It was named after Chief Soluswe, near whose home the Mission was founded.
in 1994. It offers Bachelor of Business Administration
, Master of Science in Administration
and Master of Business Administration
degrees. The school is a member of the Zimbabwe Association of Accounting Technicians. It includes the following departments:
Department of Management & Marketing
Department of Finance
Department of Accounting
Department of Computer & Management Information Systems
The university has a total of 178 faculty members and a student-faculty ratio of 7:1.
Panganai H Mudoti: Former Financial Director for Genuine Securities. ARO Metropolitan Bank of Zimbabwe Limited.
Notable Alumni also include the following:
Professor Levi Nyagura - Vice Chancellor of University of Zimbabwe,
Mr. Justice M. Dube - Prominent Banker in South Africa,
Mr. Simba Mudzengi - Chartered Accountant in South Africa,
Mr. Abel Basutu - Finance Officer, Africa Union Commission (Former ZIANA Senior Business Correspondent)
Mr. S. Nyika - HOD Computer Science Department, Walter Sisulu University (South Africa)
Private university
Private universities are universities not operated by governments, although many receive public subsidies, especially in the form of tax breaks and public student loans and grants. Depending on their location, private universities may be subject to government regulation. Private universities are...
in Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. Initially established in 1894, one hundred years later, the institution received the authorization of the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe through an act of Parliament to operate as a university.As a university it first opened on October 4, 1994, the first private institution of higher education in the country. Following the granting of the charter by the Government it was renamed to Solusi University to reflect the institution's expanded roles and academic offerings. The university follows American grading and business, research and liberal arts curricular patterns. It is owned and run by the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
.
History
Solusi University was founded as one of the first of what grew to be hundreds of Seventh-day Adventist mission stations by a dedicated team of Christians in 1894. It was named after Chief Soluswe, the leader whose lands were violently taken by the colonial settlers led by Cecil John Rhodes.Campus
Solusi University is located approximately 30 miles (50 km) southwest of the city of BulawayoBulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
on approximately 12,000 acres (49 km²) of land adjacent to the Shelmar Dairy farm and 60 miles away from the town of Plumtree
Plumtree, Zimbabwe
Plumtree, Zimbabwe is a town in Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe, close to the border to Botswana. It is the local administrative centre. It sits at an altitude of 1280 metres on the watershed between the Limpopo river and the Nata river that drains into Okavango to the north. The annual rainfall is...
. Figtree is 35 miles away; because of the rural nature of the campus, almost the entire Solusi faculty members and student body reside on campus.
The 12000 acres (48.6 km²) campus was originally designated as a farm which was later granted to the Adventist missionaries in the late 1890s by Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes PC, DCL was an English-born South African businessman, mining magnate, and politician. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time marketed 90%...
The campus maintains a variety of indigenous trees, especially around the quad
Quadrangle (architecture)
In architecture, a quadrangle is a space or courtyard, usually rectangular in plan, the sides of which are entirely or mainly occupied by parts of a large building. The word is probably most closely associated with college or university campus architecture, but quadrangles may be found in other...
in the center of the campus. The campus is composed of 8 instructional buildings, the Student Center, two single-sex residence halls and 10 complexes.
The two dormitories on campus are Sweden Hall, the women's hall, Ralley Hall, the undergraduate men's hall, and the Married Students qutaers, primarily for men who are either married,graduate or seminary students. The residence halls strictly enforce a curfew depending on a student's age, as well as a visitation policy which does not allow students of the opposite sex in dorm rooms at any time. Students living on-campus are also required to attend a number of worship services.
As of 2006, the University has an enrolment of over 4000 students from over 16 different countries in and out of Africa. It was named after Chief Soluswe, near whose home the Mission was founded.
Academic divisions
The university is made up of five schools/colleges, offering 60 undergraduate majors and 10 graduate majors., the Faculty of Theology, the Faculty of Business, the Faculty of Science & Technology, the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of EducationFaculty of Business
The Faculty of Business first began to offer graduate education in businessBusiness
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
in 1994. It offers Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
The Bachelor of Business Administration is a bachelor's degree in Commerce and business administration. In most universities, the degree is conferred upon a student after four years of full-time study in one or more areas of business concentrations; see below...
, Master of Science in Administration
Master of Science in Administration
The Master of Science in Administration is a post-graduate degree that is a relatively new field of study that came into existences in the mid-to-late 1970s. The MSA provides broad preparation for a variety of administrative positions in a wide range of organizations...
and Master of Business Administration
Master of Business Administration
The Master of Business Administration is a :master's degree in business administration, which attracts people from a wide range of academic disciplines. The MBA designation originated in the United States, emerging from the late 19th century as the country industrialized and companies sought out...
degrees. The school is a member of the Zimbabwe Association of Accounting Technicians. It includes the following departments:
Department of Management & Marketing
Department of Finance
Department of Accounting
Department of Computer & Management Information Systems
Faculty of Science & Technology
The Faculty of Science and Technology offers 16 undergraduate degrees and one graduate program to more than 2,500 students, employing over 230 faculty. It includes the following departments:- Department of Agriculture & Agribusiness
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Environmental Sciences
- Department of Family and Consumer Science
Faculty of Theology
- Department of Graduate Programmes (Theology)
- Department of Theology & Religious Studies
Faculty of Arts & Education
- Department of Fine Arts
- Department of Humanities
- Department of Languages & Communication
The university has a total of 178 faculty members and a student-faculty ratio of 7:1.
Philosophy
The educational philosophy of Solusi University recognizes that true education has to do with the harmonious development of the whole person. To achieve this broad aim, the University provides an environment in which students are encouraged to develop and strengthen their commitment to Jesus Christ, experience personal and social growth, develop their appreciation for beauty, and develop a pattern of healthful living, as well as achieve academic excellence.Diversity
The international population includes 885 students representing 7 countries. First in the nation for largest proportion of international students, and 1st in the nation for campus diversity.Notable alumni
- Enock Kamushinda, Zimbabwe Businessman and former chairman of Metropolitan Bank of Zimbabwe Limited
- Charles Mhlauri, Zimbabwe National soccer team coach
- Pardon Mwansa, Vice President, Seventh Day Adventist Church
- Evans Muvuti, President, Zimbabwe Union Conference, Chancellor, Solusi University
- Asher Tarivona-Mutsengi, Former editor of the Zimbabwe MetroZimbabwe MetroZimbabwe Metro is an internet newspaper published in Zimbabwe. It has a strong focus on events in Zimbabwe's major cities. The newspaper was first published independently in 2007....
Newspaper - Kumbirai Nhongo, Former business editor of Zimbabwe Television
- Kendra Tafadzwa Makoni, Senior Lecturer of Information Technology at http://.gips.ac.bw/page_faculty_accreditations.php Gaborone Institute of Professional Studies (GIPS) , Gaborone, Botswana
See also
Panganai H Mudoti: Former Financial Director for Genuine Securities. ARO Metropolitan Bank of Zimbabwe Limited.
Notable Alumni also include the following:
Professor Levi Nyagura - Vice Chancellor of University of Zimbabwe,
Mr. Justice M. Dube - Prominent Banker in South Africa,
Mr. Simba Mudzengi - Chartered Accountant in South Africa,
Mr. Abel Basutu - Finance Officer, Africa Union Commission (Former ZIANA Senior Business Correspondent)
Mr. S. Nyika - HOD Computer Science Department, Walter Sisulu University (South Africa)