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EMRECC Holds Consultative Workshop on Proposed Degree Programme

The Environmental Management, Renewable Energy and Climate Change Research Centre (EMRECC) recently held a consultative workshop on the establishment of a four-year Bachelor of Technology Honours degree in Envirotechnology and Waste Management Engineering at the Harare Institute of Technology.

According to the EMRECC Director, Dr. Anthony Phiri, the objective of the workshop was to carry out a consultative process before the launch of the degree programme so as to come up with a relevant degree programme that will enhance local environmental management, renewable energy and climate change issues.

"This consultative workshop is principally designed to enhance the adaptability of the country to climate change and preparedness to the Conference of Parties (COP) 21 framework on climate change. It will also enable the building of a productive dialogue amongst organisations involved in environmental management, renewable energy and climate change as well as providing an invaluable opportunity for networking", said Dr Phiri.

Dr Phiri added that while most universities have created a degree programme on the environment, climate and renewable energy, HIT has responded by establishing EMRECC, a centre responsible for proffering technological solutions to problems associated with environmental management, sustainable energy and climate change.

The four-year Bachelor of Technology Honours degree in Envirotechnology and Waste Management Engineering seeks to develop experts who will advise senior management in industry on the importance of resource conservation approaches and pollution prevention, among others.

Speaking to the media after the workshop, Dr Phiri said the next stage is to put the degree programme through the accreditation process and to introduce it by January 2016.

The consultative workshop was funded by Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Zimbabwe (FES) in collaboration with the Southern African Regional Universities Association, (SARUA) and was attended by various representatives from industry, government bodies and independent authorities such as the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC), Forestry Commission, Environmental Professionals Council of Zimbabwe (EPCOZ), National Biotechnology Authority of Zimbabwe (NBAZ), and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate.