![Aerial view of Solusi Adventist University](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Aerial_view_of_Solusi_Adventist_University.jpg)
Solusi University is a coeducational
private university
Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grant (money ...
in
Bulawayo
Bulawayo (, ; Ndebele: ''Bulawayo'') is the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council cl ...
, Zimbabwe.
Initially established in 1894, the institution received the authorization of the Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe through an act of Parliament to operate as a university in 1994. As a university it first opened on 4 October 1994, the first private institution of higher education in the country. Following the granting of the charter by the Government it was renamed Solusi University. The university follows American grading and business, research, and liberal arts curricular patterns. It is owned and run by the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and ...
and is part of the
Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world's second largest Christian school system.
History
Solusi Mission was the first Seventh-day Adventist mission station in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. It was founded in 1894 on 12,000 acres of land given by
Cecil Rhodes
Cecil John Rhodes (5 July 1853 – 26 March 1902) was a British mining magnate and politician in southern Africa who served as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony from 1890 to 1896.
An ardent believer in British imperialism, Rhodes and his Br ...
, prime minister of
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony ( nl, Kaapkolonie), also known as the Cape of Good Hope, was a British Empire, British colony in present-day South Africa named after the Cape of Good Hope, which existed from 1795 to 1802, and again from 1806 to 1910, when i ...
, to Pieter Wessels and Asa T. Robinson. On October 31, 1956, the Board of Regents of the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
The General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists is the governing organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland and oversees the church in directing its various divisions and ...
approved Solusi Mission Training School to become a college. In 1958, Solusi College was giving Bachelor's Degrees to church workers throughout southern and central africa to meet the needs of a growing church membership. Later on negotiations were made to receive affiliation with a Seventh-day Adventist university in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. In October 1984 Solusi College became affiliated with
Andrews University
Andrews University is a private Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists and is the flagship universit ...
. During the 10 years of affiliation with Andrews University, Solusi College grew rapidly. New courses were added and enrollment increased by 500%. In 1991 Solusi College submitted an application to become a private university. In March 1992 the National Council visited Solusi College. In July 1994, a
charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...
established Solusi University. On May 4, 1995, His Excellency, Cde
Robert Gabriel Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the Z ...
, gave the Solusi University Charter to Chancellor, Dr I. D. Raelly. His Excellency became the first graduate as recipient of the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws. With the establishment of Solusi University, granting of Andrews University degrees became obsolete in August 1998.
The university has 105 faculty members and a student-faculty ratio of 3:1.
Notable alumni
*
Professor Levi Nyagura, former vice-chancellor of University of Zimbabwe
* Charles Mhlauri, former Zimbabwe national
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
team coach
* Dr. Pardon Mwansa, Vice Chancellor, Rusangu University
* Joshua Maphonga, Philosopher, Artists, Author
See also
*
List of Seventh-day Adventist colleges and universities
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby union ...
*
Seventh-day Adventist education
The Seventh-day Adventist educational system, part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is overseen by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists located in Silver Spring, Maryland. The educational system is a Christian school-based syste ...
References
External links
*
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Universities and colleges affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Universities and colleges in Zimbabwe
Buildings and structures in Bulawayo
Educational institutions established in 1894
Education in Bulawayo
1894 establishments in the British Empire