NUST Zimbabwe Leverages Global Green Tech Research to Anchor International Recruitment
A group of international students currently on an exchange programme under the Grow Green Africa (Gr2A) project this week (27 March 2026) paid a courtesy call on NUST Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mqhele Dlodlo, cementing the University’s status as a premier regional destination for research-driven education.
The young scholars and now international researchers, Stephen Tobigah Maldina (Ghana), Chukwu Success Ogochukwu (Nigeria), Romeo Ngenda Simasiku (Namibia), Hazael Uzi Phiri (Zambia), and Elh Maman Garba Ibrahim (Niger) are integrated into the Department of Informatics and Analytics in the Faculty of Applied Sciences, where they are developing green computing solutions to tackle Africa’s urgent agricultural and climate challenges.
The programme highlights how NUST is successfully using high-impact, EU-funded research initiatives to attract elite scholars from across the continent, moving beyond traditional recruitment to a model based on collaborative innovation. During the meeting, Professor Dlodlo emphasised that the presence of these scientists is a direct result of NUST’s commitment to an internationalisation agenda, noting that the university is not merely hosting students but cultivating “ambassadors of a collective commitment to a sustainable future.”
He said, “You are not just students; you are ambassadors of a collective commitment to a sustainable future for our continent,” He added, “We are training a new generation of scholars with the green computing skills needed to protect our environment and drive Africa’s sustainable development.”
Project Coordinator, Dr S. Moyo, commended the collaborative effort of departments within the university and highlighted the importance of innovation-driven outcomes from the programme.
“As we move into the second phase of the project, our focus will shift towards short-term enrolments while strengthening the support systems that have made this initiative possible. We look forward to seeing innovative, practical solutions from our scholar’s solutions that will not only advance computing, but also safeguard agriculture, food security, and environmental sustainability across the region,” she said.
The attraction for these international students lies in the tangible impact of NUST’s research infrastructure. Success Chukwu, a scholar from Nigeria, remarked that the university’s academic approach is uniquely engaging and practical, allowing her to gain valuable skills that translate directly to real-world challenges.
“I am excited to be in Zimbabwe and I am really looking forward to learning both the NUST culture and the Zimbabwean culture as a whole. So far, my stay at NUST has been amazing. Academically, the programme is very engaging and practical, and I am gaining valuable skills that will help me apply green computing solutions to real-world challenges.”
By positioning itself as the coordinator in the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, NUST is creating a magnetic environment for scholars who seek to challenge the status quo and build practical, environment-saving technologies.
Professor T. Ncube, the Director of the Research and Internationalisation Office at NUST, challenged the cohort of Grow Green Africa (Gr2A) scholars to bridge the gap between theoretical computing and practical, climate-smart solutions to address food security and environmental stressors across the SADC region.
“I view this initiative as a transformative step for NUST as we spearhead regional efforts in climate resilience through Green Computing. Many researchers appreciate the role of computing systems in enhancing productivity, but only a few appreciate the damage caused by computing solutions on the environment,” she said.
She added, “Whether you are exploring edge-computing and AI optimization techniques, or the role of Green AI in predicting crop yield, your mandate is to turn data into peer-reviewed excellence. Let us aim at engineering the digital infrastructure required for a net-zero, climate-resilient Africa.”
Through its Research and Internationalisation office, NUST is fostering an environment where innovation-driven outcomes are the priority, placing itself at the forefront of international education, ensuring that the next generation of African scientists views Bulawayo as a critical center for global knowledge exchange.
