Department A/Chairperson – Dr. Emmanuel Mavhura
Mandate Statement
The mandate of the Disaster Risk Reduction Department is to promote the teaching and learning of all current and future programmes which include Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Disaster Management Sciences and Master of Science in Disaster Risk Management. The teaching and learning processes embrace both the theoretical, the technical and practical aspects with internship to cement the development of knowledge and skills provided by the curricula. The outcome is to produce knowledgeable, skilled, innovative and entrepreneurial graduates through teaching and research innovation; and sustainably develop products and services for industrialisation and community transformation.
Thus, the Department endevears to pursue and achieve its mandate through scientific research and publication on current and topical issues as well as through collaborations, engaging in university and community extension services. Stakeholder involvement and participation through setting up of MOUs is being done to achieve the desired goals. Both staff and students are to be fully equipped with geospatial analytical skills some of which are acquired through some short courses introduced in the Department.
Vision
The Disaster Risk Reduction Department seeks to be an internationally renowned Department producing transformative and innovative graduates with geospatial analytical skills to sustainably develop communities.
Mission
To produce knowledgeable, skilled, innovative and entrepreneurial graduates through teaching and research innovation; and sustainably develop products and services for industrialisation and community transformation.
Core Values
As Disaster Risk Reduction Department works towards achieving the set Vision and Mission, it embraces the following values for both staff and students:
- Integrity – Truthfulness, honesty, ethical
- Teamwork – Respect, trust, mutual accountability, tolerance, complementing, cooperation, caring, receptiveness, solidarity
- Student-Centeredness – Empathy, compassion, responsive, respect
- Commitment – Dedication, loyalty, sacrifice
- Diversity – Inclusivity
- Innovativeness – Originality
The Disaster Risk Reduction Department is a vibrant Department that seeks to be internationally renowned producing knowledgeable, transformative, innovative and entrepreneurial graduates with geospatial analytical skills, to sustainably develop products and services for industrialisation and community transformation through teaching, research and extension. The department consists of Doctors with a diversity of research experiences evidenced by numerous publications in high impact international journals. The researches focus on current and topical issues, focussing on climate change, disaster risk reduction and sustainable environmental management. The Department develops and runs an undergraduate programme called Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in Disaster Management Sciences. The postgraduate programme offered is Master of Science in Disaster Risk Management. PhDs are also offered in the Department.
The Department promotes collaborative work both internally and externally. Other extension services done include ‘Disaster Education and Community Resilience to Flooding in Zimbabwe, Building Community Resilience in flood-prone communities of Zimbabwe and Reducing Vulnerability to flooding in rural communities of Zimbabwe. Disaster Risk Reduction Department has strong GIS and Remote Sensing experts who lead in outreach programmes for capacity building including flood hazard mapping. Some collaborations are underway with the World Bank. The local BUSE Weather Station is providing weather information to local farmers and the national grid.
Undergraduate Programme on Offer
Postgraduate Programme on Offer
Chairperson
Dr. Emmanuel Mavhura – Chairperson
Lecturers
Teaching Assistants
- Miss L. Dzungu – Teaching Assistant (HBSc in Disaster Management Studies)
Technical Staff
- Mr T. Musodza – Technical Assistant (Cartography and GIS)