The department of Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering was established in the year 1999 and was initially named the department of Textile Engineering. The nature of the Textile industry has been changing from the last century, hence the department's research and educational emphasis has also shifted from the production of fibres and fabrics to include the utilisation of fibres, especially polymers, in engineered materials.We live in a world that is both dependent upon and limited by materials. Materials processing industries in the world need expertise in the field of material science to Mann and monitor their various production facilities. In Zimbabwe there are a number of companies which deal with leather, plastics, rubber, fibre manufacture etc. However, these companies have expressed the need for experts in those respective fields. Therefore it is the aim of this programme to address these needs by providing graduates trained in the areas identified. Students from the Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering programme will graduate with relevant expertise that they can offer not only in Zimbabwe but to the global community.  With reference to Goal 12 of the SDGs, the programme seeks to provide training to develop skills to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse so as to achieve sustainable management practices and efficient use of resources especially natural ones.

Fibres and polymers can be derived from renewable and non-renewable resources. They have found application in industries including plastic, rubber, medical, healthcare, automotive, robotics, communication, construction, packaging, textile, manufacturing and emerging fields. Fibre and polymer engineers are equipped with a robust and deep understanding of the production, structure and properties of fibres and polymers. The engineers also have fundamental knowledge and understanding of processing, structure, properties, and function of materials manufactured using fibres and polymers. There exist a myriad of materials and products produced from these fibres and polymers and ongoing research is expanding the application potential of these materials. Also of note is that fibres and polymers, especially those based on bio-resources, are playing a crucial role in the drive towards a pollution free world based on circular economies.

Education 5.0 focuses on five pillars which are research, teaching, community service, innovation and industrialization (Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology). Since its inception, the department of Fibre and Polymer Materials Engineering has managed to enhance its research output though  publishing a number of articles in the field of fibre and polymer materials and channeling out Mphil students. We have successfully  produced a total of ….. undergraduate students and ... .postgraduate students as part of our teaching and learning mandate.As part of our community service, we have done several  outreach activities to various rural communities in Matabeleland to hold training workshops on leather and leather products. The training involves animal skin handling and treatment,  animal rearing for good quality skins and  leather products for value addition. Leather product manufacturers  in the rural areas have also been assisted with information on how to form clusters in order to streamline their business operations and maximise profits. Also , all our students go through a practical industrial experience through participating in a full year industrial attachment in the relevant industries. This allows the students to  have a hands-on approach of the field of materials engineering and also develop meaningful solutions towards problems in  these particular  industries and participate in the national drive for industrialisation.