Midlands State University’s Faculty of Science and Technology convened a high-impact hybrid research seminar at the Gweru Main Campus on 24 March 2026, designed to rigorously assess and refine MPhil and PhD candidates’ proposals as a prerequisite for full registration and thesis submission.
Designed for MPhil and PhD candidates, the seminar formed a decisive checkpoint, compelling scholars to sharpen their proposals as they advance towards full registration and thesis submission.
Drawing academic supervisors from across the country’s universities and beyond, the event created a dynamic, intergenerational space where ideas were tested, stretched and reimagined.
Welcoming participants, Chairperson for Chemical Sciences, Dr F. Chigondo set the tone, emphasising the seminar’s role as a defining moment in shaping impactful research.
The seminar evolved into a crucible of intellectual refinement, stripping away untenable assumptions and reshaping research questions into sharper, more purposeful lines of inquiry.
Representing the Executive Dean, Chairperson for the Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Dr T. Z. Jombo, underscored the centrality of research within the University’s mandate.
“Research is one of the key pillars of Midlands State University, and it is through platforms such as these that we cultivate innovation capable of transforming communities and industries.”
That commitment is already yielding tangible results, exemplified by the University’s Modified Coal Tar project under the Faculty of Science and Technology, which is set to reduce the country’s bitumen import costs for road surfacing by up to 40 percent.
Such breakthroughs framed the seminar not as an isolated academic exercise, but as part of a continuum linking laboratory inquiry to national infrastructure development.
From physics to chemistry, the breadth of topics presented reflected a vibrant research ecosystem aligned with Zimbabwe’s modernisation agenda.
Closing the session, Dr Parirenyatwa, Technician under the Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology Department commended participants for their engagement and intellectual resilience, urging them to carry forward the momentum generated within the seminar space.
The event underscored Midlands State University’s unwavering commitment to producing research that not only meets academic standards but also drives national development.