Welcome to the Zimbabwe Open University Alumni Newsletter. I hope you are all doing well and striving to achieve the best in your endeavours.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in different Alumni activities for the enhancement of the ZOU brand. To those that attended the High Tea event, I am grateful and I hope that you enjoyed networking with other ZOU alumni.

I thank everyone who assisted in the setting up of various Regional Chapters. Such efforts are commendable. We seek to strengthen the Alumni and university ties. The Alumni Coordination Unit is keen to keep in touch with all ZOU alumni.

The newsletter for this month will highlight developments at the institution, alumni achievements and successes in specific professional areas. We will also share with you news about illustrious ZOU alumni.

We invite alumni to submit their success stories and achievements to be considered for publication.

Contact:Mrs J. Z .Mtezo on:(Alumni Coordination Unit Director)+263-24-2793003/7/8 ext 256/7. alumnirelations@zou.ac.zw

You can also follow us on social media;Facebook: Zimbabwe Open University Alumni AssociationTwitter: ZOU_AlumniInstagram: zou_alumni/

Editor’s Note

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August 2018

The Zimbabwe Open University Alumni Association (ZOUAA) met at Jameson Hotel in the capital recently to elect a substantive executive committee that will steer the ship for the next two years.The Harare Chapter chairperson, Dr Lilian Dodzo, stood a shoulder above the rest, shrugging off challenges from five other prospective presidential candidates to land the top post. Dr Philimon Mahanya of Masvingo Chapter was elected her deputy. Mr. Costa Nkala of Matabeleland South was elected the Treasurer while Mrs Addis Hlomani of Bulawayo Chapter was elected Secretary. All the Regional chairpersons who did not make it to the top four automatically became committee members of the new executive committee.The Director, Centre for Student Management, Professor David Chakuchichi, presided over the elections, assisted by Harare Regional Campus Acting Regional Director, Mr C. Mabaso and Mrs T. Zinyama, Regional Director, Mashonaland East Regional Campus.In her acceptance speech (the new president) Dr Lilian Dodzo, called for a meeting to strategise the way forward as the committee intended to “hit the ground running.”

ZOUAA selects National Executive

ZOUAA National Executive. Left (in black jacket) Mr C Nkala (Treasurer), Dr L. Dodzo (president), Dr Mahanya ( Vice president) and Mrs A Hlomani (Secretary)

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ZOUAA National Executiveselection in pictures

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The Zimbabwe Open University Alumni Coordination Unit exhibited at the 2018 Harare Agricultural Show from 27 August to 1 September 2018.The Show provided a platform for the Unit to communicate with its valued alumni, who visited the stand. Most Alumni who visited the stand expressed excitement at the opportunity to network, engage with other alumni.

The issue of the non-availability of Masters Programmes was said to be frustrating those who would like to continue their studies with ZOU. The University has however introduced post g ra d u ate p ro g ra m m e s i n Development studies and two more are coming. (See Page 7 of this Newsletter for the new post graduate programmes.)

ZOUAA exhibits at Harare Agricultural Show 2018.

THE Zimbabwe Open University Alumni Association (ZOUAA) participated in the march to herald the beginning of the sixth Edition of the ZOU Vice Chancellor's games, which were held in Harare from 23 to 25 August 2018.The march started from the Africa Unity Square to the Robert Mugabe S q u a r e w h e r e b u s e s t o o k participants to the National Sports Stadium for the official opening. ZOU's ten Regional Campuses took part in the event which was so colourful that Harare came to a standstill in awe as the ZOU students , staff and a lumni marched.A number of Regional Campuses had banners stating their identity; the ZOUAA banner was visible too with its inscription “ZOU FOR LIFE!”. Star FM radio was the official broadcaster for the games. A number of staff members were interviewed. The ZOU alumni

present concurred that ZOU had empowered them in their life endeavours. The 6th edition of the Vice Chancellor's Tournament saw Bulawayo Regional Campus clinching nine gold medals, followed by the host Harare Regional Campus, that scooped five gold medals. Midlands Regional Campus was third with four gold medals. Mashonaland West Regional Campus got three gold medals, Manicaland Regional Campus, Mashonaland Central Regional Campus and Masvingo Regional Campus got two gold medals each while Mashonaland East Regional Campus got one gold medal. Matebeleland North and Matebeleland South Regional Campuses got one bronze medal each. The games provided a platform for networking among the students and alumni.

ZOUAA at Vice Chancellor's games

ZOUAA at the National Sports Stadium just after the 6th VC Games march

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Application forms can be downloaded from the ZOU website or get one from your nearest ZOU Regional Centres nearest to you

Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is

proud of its alumni who have excelled

in their professional areas. One

alumnus, Dr. Philemon Chitagu, a

Human Resources guru, is a Board

member of Africa HR Leadership and

Africa Best Employer Brands. He is a

Fel low of the Commonwealth

Leadership Academy.

He has presented papers at Africa HR

Directors' Summit Expo, Africa HR

Leadership and Africa Best Employer

Brands. He has also spoken at the

World Human Resources Directors'

Congress since 2015. Recently, he was

in Dubai presenting a paper to

Ambassadors, Members of Parliament,

Speakers of Parliament, Governors of

Central Banks, and Judges of Supreme

Courts from sixty-four (64) countries.

Dr. Chitagu, through the Alumni

Relations Coordination Unit, visited the

University National Centre to make a

presentation on “How ZOU can utilise

the Zimbabwe is Open for Business

Mr. Dennis Sinyolo, a ZOU Alumnus, is the Director of Education International (Africa Region) at UNESCO, Brussels in Belgium.He has donated 28 books, UNESCO branded highlighters and felt pens to Matabeleland South Regional Campus. The donation is expected to go a long way in augmenting the growing collection of library resources. Acknowledging the receipt of the donation, the University Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Alfred C. Ncube, noted that the books would be made available to learners, staff and the community of Matabeleland South Regional Campus.

Illustrious Alumni

ZOU Alumnus donates to

Matabeleland South Regional Campus

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mantra”. All ZOU faculty Deans

attended the presentation which

was held at Corner House

Boardroom on 25 June

2018.

Impressed by the

presentation, the

University went on

to invite Dr. Chitagu

to the ZOU Strategic

Planning Workshop

at Mandel Training

C e n t r e . H i s

presentation was

thought-provoking,

brilliant and was

well received by the

participants.

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Dr Philemon Chitagu

Counselling graduates in Zimbabwe

are delighted as the Ministry of

Health and Child Care gazetted the

long awaited register for Counsellors

and Family Therapists into the Allied

Health Practitioners Council of

Zimbabwe (AHPCZ) with effect from

31 August 2018.

This will see all Counsellors and

Family Therapists being legally

recognized in Zimbabwe. The

Counsellors and Family Therapists

will get practicing certificates after

undergoing an assessment which

will be supervised by the AHPCZ.

The Counsel lors and Fami ly

Therapists are advised that a register

will be available at the Allied Health

Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe

once the launch has taken place.

Currently, the Zimbabwe Association

o f F a m i l y T h e r a p i s t s a n d

Professional Counsellors (ZAFTPC)

are waiting for its official launch at a

date to be advised. The Counsellors

and Family Therapists will be

required to sit for a qualification

examination run by AHPCZ and the

Zimbabwe Association of Family

Therap ists and Profess iona l

Counsellors.

The Counsel lors and Fami ly

Therapists are expected to undergo

a six (6) months internship, which

will be supervised by the AHPCZ and

the ZAFTPC Education and Liaison

Committee, before they are issued

with practicing certificate. The

certificate will be valid for one year

and will be renewable on a yearly

basis subject to the fulfilment of the

C o n t i n u o u s P r o f e s s i o n a l

Development (CPD) conditions.

These CPD activities will be allocated

points that all counsellors and family

therapists have to meet for their

practic ing cert if icates to be

renewed.

The Counselling Department at the

Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) is

in t h e p ro c es s o f lo b by in g

Government ministries to create

posts for registered counsellors. The

Zimbabwe Open University offers

the Bachelor of Science Honours in

Counselling and the Master of

Counselling degrees.

For further details, contact:

Dr. Webster Chihambakwe

+263 772 707 839/ 717 706 381

S Shupikai Zebron

+263 773 920 028

Mr Nefasi Mlambo

+263 772 927 704/ 714 001 429

Counselling graduates get boost

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Application forms can be downloaded from the ZOU website or get one from your nearest ZOU Regional Centres nearest to you

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Application forms can be downloaded from the ZOU website or get one from your nearest ZOU Regional Centres nearest to you