College of Humanities Setting up Training Programme in Zimbabwe

BY: .

UKZN’s College of Humanities is setting up a doctoral and leadership training programme in Zimbabwe for students from several Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries. 

Under this programme, Schools in the College of Humanities will offer doctoral studies through the cohort mode of supervision. As part of this initiative, a College delegation visited Zimbabwe recently to follow up on an earlier visit and to finalise the launch of the cohorts. 

The delegation, led by UKZN's Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Head of College, Professor Cheryl Potgieter, comprised the Dean and Head of the School of Education, Professor Gregory Kamwendo; the Academic Leader for Research and Higher Degrees in the School of Education, Dr Pholoho Morojele, and the Dean and Head of the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics, Professor Johannes Smit. 

The UKZN delegation travelled to the Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) in Masvingo to meet members of the PhD cohort there and take them  through the 2014 schedule of cohort sessions. Apart from registered PhD students, a large number of new prospective applicants also attended.

The majority of the participants have either registered or are in the process of registering at the School of Education. 

‘We are likely to get more people from Arts and Social Sciences coming on board,’ said GZU Dean of Education, Dr Andrew Chindanya. 

After meeting, the Masvingo cohort members and the UKZN delegation had discussions with the Dean of Education of GZU, Dr Andrew Chindanya and his Deputy, Dr Rose Mugweni. The discussions were on mapping out areas of collaboration and co-operation between GZU and UKZN.  

Chindanya presented  the first draft of a Memorandum of Understanding  between GZU and UKZN which is currently being processed by UKZN. 

Commenting on the partnership, Mugweni said: ‘I thank the UKZN colleagues for the fruitful partnership we are creating. This partnership has been reported on in the GZU Senate and at a graduation ceremony.’ 

The UKZN delegation had a second cohort meeting in Harare where members were predominantly those registered or intending to register in the School of Education. The largest component of the entire Zimbabwe cohort comprises students who have registered or are about to register in the School of Education. 

A further meeting with prospective cohort members took place and all the participants are now ready to register in the School of Religion, Philosophy and Classics. The Harare cohort is made up of university and government employees. 

The visit to Zimbabwe was a great success with representatives of the College of Humanities doctoral and leadership training programme  well received at all meetings 

Commenting on the cohort model of PhD supervision, Mr Jabulani Moyo, who is the Co-Ordinator for students in the Masvingo cohort, said: ‘The cohort system is the most convenient for a host of Zimbabwe people who are eager to obtain doctoral degrees.’

The high demand for PhDs in Zimbabwe has been fuelled by the official stipulation that a PhD will soon be the minimum qualification for academics in Higher Education.

-           UKZNdabaOnline