Zimpapers Logo

Sifundiso Ndlovu Chronicle Reporter
THE National University of Science and Technology (Nust) is facing an acute accommodation shortage as it can only put up 168 students out of about 9,000, according to the university’s annually report released yesterday.
The institution of higher learning has a target of accommodating 55 percent of its students by 2015.
This has forced the university to source accommodation outside the campus for 600 students while the rest stay with relatives and friends or at their homes.

“Our goal of providing adequate and quality infrastructure and physical resources by 2015 remained a challenge as the so much needed campus services centre, indoor and outdoor sports facilities are either incomplete or not yet in place,” the report reads.

Nust Vice chancellor Professor Lindela Ndlovu said the university would continue to do research for the benefit of the community.
“We conduct research not only for academic scores but to address problems facing our community. I am sure that you are all aware that the media is awash with our research activities and the awards we have been winning and will continue to win,” he said.

The university has won a number of awards for research with the latest being won by Buhle Francis.
Francis won the best research paper accolade for her research during the 8th Annual Aisa Young Graduates and Scholars (AYGS) conference held at the University of Johannesburg in February.

Besides its achievements on research, the university’s Centre for Continued Education recorded a trading surplus of about $59,000.
This development came at a time the centre was experiencing a drop in enrolment figures.

“The centre accomplished its role in fulfilling the university’s mission to contribute to knowledge and skills based solutions to challenges facing commerce and industry,” the report said.

Nust was established in 1991 becoming the second centre of higher learning in the country after the University of Zimbabwe.