JAKARTA, Indonesia – The National University of Science and Technology (NUST) has once again solidified its status as Zimbabwe’s premier STEM institution, placing the nation at the center of global innovation during the World Engineering Day 2026 celebrations. Held from March 3–5 at the Balai Kartini Exhibition Centre, the event saw NUST students showcase groundbreaking solutions to an international audience of policymakers and industry leaders.
This follows their victory at the Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers (ZIE) National Hackathon, where Michael P. Kumirai (5th Year) and Desire Chirichoga (4th Year) were sponsored by the ZIE to represent Zimbabwe on the global stage. Under the expert supervision of Eng. Felix Mudhindi, the duo presented their "Smart Constructed Wetland" system, a revolutionary circular economy project.
The innovation directly embodies the spirit of Heritage-Based Education 5.0, which champions homegrown innovative solutions to global challenges. By repurposing industrial waste, specifically platinum granulated furnace slag and alum sludge—to reverse heavy metal contamination and eliminate eutrophication, the students successfully projected Zimbabwe’s indigenous knowledge systems and local resourcefulness onto the global stage. This approach proves that local environmental challenges can be solved using materials found right in our own backyard.
The team’s achievement serves as a practical blueprint for the objectives outlined in Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), seamlessly weaving-together the nation’s most critical pillars of progress. By bridging the gap between classroom theory and industrialization, the project demonstrated that Zimbabwean students have matched their scientific research skills to the urgent demands of the global environmental sector. This research-driven approach, effectively moves Zimbabwe away from a primary commodity-based economy toward a modern, value-adding society capable of exporting sophisticated technological solutions. Furthermore, as Kumirai and Chirichoga represent the next generation of Zimbabwean start-ups, their journey is the embodiment of a vibrant culture of youth entrepreneurship and innovation, underscoring that the nation's youth can compete and lead within the elite "Smart Engineering" sector on the world stage, a key objective of NDS2.
NUST’s participation was part of a high-level Zimbabwean delegation including Hon. Prof. Paul Mavima, Minister of National Housing and Social Amenities, and Dr. Eng. Martin Manhuwa, Vice President of the WFEO. The delegation also featured Prof. Eng. Goriwondo (ZIE President), Dr. Eng. Sanzaan Diarra (ZIE CEO), and Dr. Eng. Ben Rafemoyo (ECZ CEO).
A defining moment occurred during High-Level Panel 2: "Smart Engineering for a Sustainable Future." Where the Team NUST held its own alongside an elite assembly of global leaders, including Indonesia’s Minister of Communication and Information Technology, Meutya Hafid; Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita; and the Chairman of the Indonesia Chamber of Commerce, Anindya Bakrie.
This global exposure ensures that NUST students graduate not only as locally relevant engineers but as world-class innovators. By turning local waste into global restoration tools, NUST continues to fly the Zimbabwean flag high, proving that the nation's human capital is ready to lead the world in sustainable innovation.