Midlands State University (MSU) continues to solidify its position as a leading centre for advanced research and doctoral training following the hosting of three well-attended doctoral viva voce examinations within a single week on the 15th and 17 April 2026.
This milestone not only reflects the University’s growing postgraduate throughput but also signals the strength, relevance, and diversity of its doctoral research portfolio.
The Postgraduate Studies Office, working in close collaboration with the Faculties of Business Sciences and Social Sciences, hosted the viva voce sessions for three distinguished doctoral candidates whose studies span critical sectors of Zimbabwe’s socio-economic development.
Mr. Hosiah Gadzai, a Doctor of Business Leadership candidate in the Faculty of Business Sciences, presented a thesis titled “Leadership Styles and Employee Performance in Zimbabwe’s Public Sector Procurement Management Units: Mediating Role of Electronic Government Procurement.”
His research interrogated how leadership dynamics influence performance in public procurement systems to enhance efficiency, accountability, and service delivery within public institutions in the country.
In the Faculty of Social Sciences, Mr. Johannes Mandowa’s doctoral research presentation was titled “Developing a Context-Based Model for Improved Implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems in the Manufacturing Industry of Zimbabwe: A Case Study of Mutare City.”
His work addressed pressing occupational safety challenges within Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector and proposed a locally grounded model to improve compliance, worker protection, and industrial sustainability.
Completing the trio was Mr. Learnmore Tshamala, also a Doctor of Business Leadership candidate, who presented his thesis on “Authentic Leadership as a Predictor of Organisational Resilience in the Construction Sector in Zimbabwe.”
His research explored how leadership authenticity contributes to organisational adaptability and resilience in a sector often characterised by volatility and uncertainty, providing valuable insights for both industry and policy.
The hosting of these viva voce sessions within such a short timeframe point to how MSU is strengthening its doctoral pipeline.
It reflects a well-coordinated postgraduate ecosystem characterised by robust supervision, rigorous quality assurance processes, and efficient administrative support.
Each viva voce session brought together distinguished panels of local and international examiners, industry experts, doctoral students, and senior academics, ensuring that the evaluation process remained aligned with global best practices.
The diversity of research topics further highlights MSU’s commitment to producing knowledge that is both academically rigorous and socially responsive.
Speaking on this development, Dr. Umali Saidi, the Postgraduate Studies Office Manager, emphasised that the clustering of doctoral examinations within a single week is not incidental, but rather indicative of a maturing research culture at MSU, one that prioritises timely completion, high-impact research, and scholarly excellence.
As the University continues to expand its postgraduate footprint, such milestones reaffirm MSU’s strategic vision of becoming a hub for transformative research and advanced scholarship in Zimbabwe and beyond.