The Sunday Mail
Cletus Mushanawani
Mash Central Bureau
BINDURA University of Science Education Vice-Chancellor Professor Eddie Mwenje, added another feather on his growing cap of accolades after scooping the manager of the year accolade at the Zimbabwe Institute of Management, Northern Region Leadership Excellence Awards (2017).
The award which was presented to one of the country’s leading academics was in the Public Service category.
The prestigious awards are held annually as a way of recognising, developing and promoting management leadership excellence at all managerial levels.
A distinguished academic, Prof Mwenje is a full Professor of Microbiology and Biotechnology.
He obtained his PhD in 1994 at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.
He holds an MBA from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and a Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Biological Sciences from the University of Zimbabwe.
A devoted Christian, Prof Mwenje holds a Diploma in Biblical among other several certificates in education.
Prof Mwenje has worked at the Birmingham University, University of Zimbabwe and at the National University of Science and Technology.
He rose through the academic ranks from being a lecturer to Dean and now Vice-Chancellor of BUSE. He worked at NUST for 15 years and rose to be the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences. He became the substantive Vice-Chancellor of Bindura University of Science Education in 2013 after serving in an acting capacity since May 2010.
Prof Mwenje has spearheaded the growth of Bindura University of Science Education in the last five years and recently scored a first after the university came up with a National Sports Academy whose ground breaking ceremony was officiated by the Chancellor of the university as well as the patron of the sports academy, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa last Wednesday.
Bindura University of Science Education won the Zimbabwe Chamber of Commerce award for the best tertiary institution in 2015 through Prof Mwenje’s leadership qualities.
In 2015, Prof Eddie Mwenje won the National Public sector leadership Excellence award. He also received the Visionary Award as well as Education leadership Award in 2015 from African Leadership Awards Mauritius.
In 2013, he received the Megafest award as one of the top 20 outstanding business personality in Zimbabwe.
He serves on many International boards and national committees.
Prof Mwenje has won many International grants including TWAS grant which resulted in the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) being accorded a TWAS Research Unit status.
Among other boards and committees he has served as a board member for the Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology at the University of Pretoria in South Africa since 2004.
Prof Mwenje is a member of the Governing Council of The African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI) representing the Southern African Region.
He is the Chairman of the Zimbabwe University Vice Chancellors Association (ZUVCA).
Prof Mwenje is also the inaugural Chairman of the largest research group in Zimbabwe in both international publications and postgraduate student training, the Research Platform on Production and Conservation in Partnership (RP-PCP).
In 2012, he was honoured by an international organisation for his role in science education.
Bindura University of Science Education along with its partners received the Erasmus MUNDUS prestigious grant to support a Science and Technology Teacher Training Network involving Africa and Europe.
Prof Mwenje is a renowned scientist, a strategic leader and administrator. He has supervised several PhD, master and Undergraduate students and has published close to 50 articles in books and refereed journals.
He is married to Dr Juddie Mwenje and together they have three children and have also raised other children. He is an ordained reverend.
