BUSE Aims to Produce 200 000 Cellphones Every Year

President Emmerson Mnangagwa capped 2349 graduates at Bindura University of Science Education’s (BUSE) 22nd graduation edition in Mashonaland Central province on Friday, October 13, 2023.

The graduates comprised two doctorates, one Master of Philosophy (MPhil), 337 Masters, 1720 undergraduates, and 262 diplomates.

In his address to the President before the graduation, Professor Eddie Mwenje, Vice Chancellor Bindura University, said that the graduating team was made up of fine men and women ready to work for the development of their country.

“These fine men and women have been provided with the necessary skills and knowledge in their respective disciplines as well as skills for discovery,” he said. “They shall not sit back and complain when they encounter challenges, rather, they will draw from what they were taught and learnt.”

The graduates included 17 undergraduates with first-class passes, five master distinctions, and the pioneering Electronic Engineering and Agriculture Engineering students.

The outgoing Electronic Engineering students had already begun assembling cell phones at the university, some of which were on display at their innovation hub during the graduation event.

Professor Mwenje said that the university had embarked on a cellphone project aimed at changing the way education, specifically general and science education, is delivered from primary up to higher and tertiary education.

“This will be achieved through the provision of digital interactive and video graphics learning material pre-loaded in the cellphones or personal computers,” he said.

The university has to that end entered into agreements with Hong Kong Ipro Technologies and Hong Kong Loctite Cellphones Production Company.

“Our hope is that this partnership will result in the assembling of cellphones and tablets at our university innovation hub in the near future,” he said.

It is anticipated that at full throttle, the project should assemble about 200,000 cell phones a year.

Meanwhile, as the university works towards helping the country achieve its Vision 2030, it has also begun work to reduce poverty and human trafficking.

Professor Mwenje said that the university was responding tactfully to the scourge of human trafficking.

“Bindura University has responded in a significant fashion to the scourge of human trafficking and the resultant quagmires that the victims have had to endure and the adverse national challenge that follows,” he said.

Working in collaboration with Nottingham University of the United Kingdom, BUSE has established a centre for combating human trafficking.

The centre in Bindura is working with human trafficking survivors in a range of areas including counselling, advocacy, and small business training. They are also working in the university’s different innovation projects.