WOMEN’S UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA
Addressing gender disparity and fostering equity in University
Education
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT AND ENTREPRENEURIAL
DEVELOPMENT STUDIES
BSc HONOURS DEGREE IN ACCOUNTING SCIENCE
EVENING CLASS
INTAKE 12
LEVEL 2.2
STUDENT’S NAME
SHARON YEMURAI GONDO
STUDENT NUMBER
W181071
COURSE NAME:
BM222
LECTURER:
MR MATARUKA
DATE:
`
06 OCTOBER 2021
ASSIGNMENT 1
Examine the WUA's strategic intent using the theoretical principles of the different
components of the vision, mission, core shared values (i.e., beliefs & principles). In
your examination base your argument on scholarly grounded literature sources.
Visit www.wua.ac.zw for more details on this strategic intent assignment. 1.
Further, select another similar state institution. From the institution’s website
identify and analyse their strategic intent/ Mindset. 2. Perform a comparative
1|Page
analysis of the above two (2) institutions from the theoretical basis of the elements
below: a. Vision statement and provided purpose narrative. b. Mission statement
and how it related to its several market-access or social capabilities. c. Core
SHARED Values or Values system d. Beliefs and general cultural developments
initiatives e. Grand GOALS and key strategic Objectives.
1a) WOMEN UNIVERSITY IN AFRICA STRATEGIC INTENT AND MINDSET
WUA is a private institution founded by two visionaries, Professor Hope Cynthia Sadza, a
former Public Service Commissioner, and Dr Fay King Chung, a former Zimbabwean Minister
of Education. It was founded in 2002 and granted a charter by the Zimbabwean government in
2004. (Statutory Instrument 130 of 2004). Its headquarters are currently located at 549 Arcturus
Road, Manresa Park, Harare. It has satellite campuses in Zimbabwe, including Bulawayo,
Marondera, Kadoma, and Mutare, as well as an Open Distance Learning program for students
in Malawi and Zambia.
The Trustee Deed and Charter provide strong governance structures for the University. WUA's
vision is to be Africa's best university for promoting gender equity. Its mission is to empower
mostly female students for leadership and development roles through quality tuition, research,
community service, innovation, and industrialisation. WUA's core values are honesty,
integrity, professionalism, accountability, and teamwork. WUA aims to increase women's
capacity by providing higher education that enables women to fulfil political, economic, social,
and leadership roles free of gender-based violence.
It is noted in WUA's strategic intent and goal that it is the only women's university in the region
that is directly addressing the problem of women's access to university education. Its enrolment
policy of 85% women and 15% men contributes to the 50:50 gender participation ratio
enshrined in the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development and the Zimbabwean
Constitution. Women's empowerment, according to the University, is absolutely critical for
substantive economic growth and improved democratic governance. WUA is evolving as a
multidisciplinary institution committed to promoting gender equality and reducing gender
disparities in higher education.
WUA currently has three faculties: Agricultural Sciences, Management and Entrepreneurial
Sciences and Information Technology, Social and Gender Transformative Sciences and the
Research, Postgraduate Centre, and the Quality Assurance Directorate. These faculties provide
diploma, undergrade, master's, and doctoral degree programs. The newly established Research
and Postgraduate Centre, led by a director, serves as a focal point for catalysing research and
publication policy, ensuring quality, and coordinating doctoral research and supervision.
b) MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC INTEND AND MINDSET
The concept of a university in the Midlands dates back to the establishment of the National
University of Science and Technology, when Gweru, which had been identified as a potential
2|Page
site for a second university campus in the country, lost out to Bulawayo. The Midlands
Province also passed up two other opportunities to host institutions of higher learning (the Open
University and the Catholic University) when the two universities relocated to Harare. In the
midst of such setbacks, two initiatives gradually converged to give birth to what is now known
as Midlands State University.
This coincided with the then-Ministry of Higher Education and Technology's devolution
policy, which aimed to increase access to higher education by converting teachers and technical
colleges into degree-granting institutions. Beginning in 1998, Gweru Teachers College began
to enroll students studying for the University of Zimbabwe's Bachelor of Commerce with
Education and Bachelor of Science with Education degrees.
MSU aspires to be a leading internationally respected university that embraces diversity and
community engagement while inspiring a spirit of life-long learning, as guided by its Vision.
MSU aspires to be a world-class, leading, innovative, entrepreneurial, and technologically
driven university that is unique, development-oriented, pace-setting, and stakeholder-driven,
producing internationally acclaimed graduates for societal empowerment and wealth creation.
MSU plans to expand to 10 faculties and 35000 students by 2023, which will be supported by
appropriate teaching, learning, and research facilities.
2) Comparison between the two University institutions, comparative analysis of the above
two (2) institutions from the theoretical basis
Information on
the
strategic
intend of the
Universities
a)
Vision
Statement
WUA (Women’s University MSU (Midlands State University)
in Africa)
The Women's University in
Africa aspires to be the best
African university in terms of
gender equity and equal access
to tertiary education.
provide
high-quality
b)
Mission To
education, tuition, research,
Statement
and community service in
order to prepare students,
particularly
women,
for
leadership and development
roles.
3|Page
To be a world-class, leading, innovative,
entrepreneurial, and technologically
driven university that is unique,
development-oriented, pace-setting, and
stakeholder-driven,
producing
internationally acclaimed graduates for
societal empowerment and wealth
creation.
MSU aspires to be a leading
internationally
respected
university that embraces diversity
and community engagement while
inspiring a spirit of life-long
learning, as guided by its Vision.
This would be accomplished by
committing to:
• A results-based culture based on
performance contracting;
•
Student-centered
through quality and
research;
learning
relevant
• Teaching and training through
flexible packaging, work-related
learning, community engagement,
and strategic partnerships with the
University's stakeholders; and
c)Core
values
beliefs,
system
shared The core values of WUA are
integrity,
and honesty,
Value professionalism,
accountability, and teamwork.
d) Beliefs and
general cultural
developments
initiatives
Honesty,
integrity,
professionalism,
accountability, and teamwork
are the key beliefs that guide
WUA.
e) Grand goals WUA's strategic goal is to
and key strategic empower African women via
high-quality research and
objectives.
education, allowing them to
fully participate in all aspects
of the economy and contribute
to Africa's growth.
4|Page
• Long-term socioeconomic
transformation through industry
partnerships.
The following core values guide the
University: hard work, teamwork,
honesty, integrity, accountability, passion
for excellence, self-discipline, and respect
for others.
MSU values the development of trusting,
cooperative, and honest relationships and
partnerships. It also believes in keeping
promises and honouring agreements.
MSU thinks that working together toward
common goals is the best way to
effectively use the team's combined
genius.
To expand and grow the university to 10
faculties with 35000 students by 2023,
with adequate teaching, learning, and
research facilities.
References
Garwe, E.C. and Thondhlana, J., 2019. Higher education systems and institutions, Zimbabwe.
Encyclopedia of international higher education systems and institutions. Dordrecht: Springer.
Ngara, R. and Makuvaro, V., 2017. Lecturer Induction Programmes: A Case Study of Midlands
State University and Zimbabwe Open University in the City of Gweru, Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe
Journal of Educational Research, 29(3).
Nyakurerwa, A.T., 2021. Institutional Repository as a Knowledge Management Tool for the
Enhancement of Library Visibility in the 21st Century: A Case of Midlands State University.
In Handbook of Research on Information and Records Management in the Fourth Industrial
Revolution (pp. 81-93). IGI Global.
Nyaruwata, L.T., 2018. The dual-mode provision: successes and challenges. A case study of
Women’s University in Africa (WUA). Distance Education, 39(2), pp.194-208.
www.msu.ac.zw
www.wua.ac.zw
5|Page