Page 1 of 3 Next  Charles Paradzayi Department of Surveying and Geomatics Midlands State University Gweru, Zimbabwe cparadzayi@yahoo.com David Njike Department of Surveying and Geomatics Midlands State Un versity Gweru, Zimbabwe njiked@msu.ac.zw Midlands State University (MSU) was established in 1999 when the State University in the Midlands Act of 1999 transformed Gweru Teachers College into Zimbabwe's third state university. This was a result of the Ministry of Higher Education and Technology's devolution policy, which was aimed at expanding access to higher education by converting teachers and technical colleges into degree granting institutions. To date, the University has established the following seven faculties: Arts; Commerce; Education; Law; Natural Resources Management and Agriculture; Social Sciences and the Faculty of Science and Technology. The Department of Surveying and Geomatics was established in 2000 under the Faculty of Science and Technology. The department is involved in teaching and research in Geomatics and it became the second surveying degree-awarding department in the country after the one at the University of Zimbabwe. The Department of Surveying and Geoinformatics at the University of Zimbabwe began offering a degree in Surveying from 1984. The curriculum at the two departments is similar in most aspects but Midlands State University programme involves a full year of industrial exposure in the fourth year of learning. The work related working period allows students to blend the theoretical concepts learned at the college and practical skills in the industry (Matyukira, 2003). Midlands State University runs fully semester-based system that allows Geomatics students to enlist for relevant modules from other departments such as Computer Science, Information Systems and Gender Studies. The double barrel name (Surveying and Geomatics) of the department has its roots in legacy systems. The university administration felt the term Geomatics was relatively new and required lengthy explanations to the conservative policy-makers who were funding the establishment of the university. This problem seems widespread in developing countries. Tembo et al (2002) contends that Land Surveying professionals in Botswana had difficulties accepting the concept of the Geomatics Engineer. Policymakers still perceive the Land Surveyor as a professional whose main function is to conquer virgin land and establish property corner beacons. Current and Future Programs At its inception, the department offered a four-year BSc honours degree in Surveying and Geomatics. The program was structured in such a way that students undertook internships, during vacations, with established private and public surveying organisations involved in Cadastral Surveying, Engineering Surveying, GIS and Mining Surveying among others. The disputed land reform program and unstable political environment triggered an economic downturn that made it difficult for the students to acquire the requisite industrial exposure during vacations. The degree structure was then revised in line with the university work-related learning (WRL) policy of placing students in industry for a full year during their fourth year of study. On successful completion of the WRL period, the students then return to university for their fifth and final year. There are advanced plans to introduce a postgraduate diploma and a Master degree in GIS once both the human and technical resources allow. The proposed regulations for the two programs have gone through the University Academic Board. The programs aim at addressing the shortage of disaster personnel in the country who have practical training on the use of Geoinformation in disaster risk management. In this regard, the department is pursuing a collaborative partnership with the University Network on Disaster Risk Reduction in Africa (UNEDRA). 
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