HISTORY

In 1945, Manfred Hodgson formed the Rhodesia University Association, inspired by the promise of £20,000 by J.F. Kapnek for establishing such a university. The following year, the Legislative Assembly of Southern Rhodesia adopted a motion proposed by Hodgson for the establishment of a university college to serve the needs of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and neighbouring territories. The Governor of Southern Rhodesia established the Rhodesia University Foundation Fund in 1947. The Legislative Assembly accepted an offer of land in Mount Pleasant from the City of Salisbury (now Harare) for the construction of the campus in 1948. Four years later a bill was enacted for the incorporation and constitution of the university. First classes began for some 68 students on a temporary site at 147 Baker Avenue (now Nelson Mandela Avenue). Independent of the initiatives of Hodgson and the Legislative Assembly, the Central African Council's commission on higher education, led by Sir Alexander Carr-Saunders recommended the establishment of a university college to serve Rhodesia(now Zimbabwe) and Nyasaland (now Malawi), with its first preference being to integrate with the Southern Rhodesian initiative.

Construction began on the Mount Pleasant site, funded by grants from the British and Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Governments, Anglo American Corporation, the British South Africa Company, the Rhodesia Selection Trust, the Beit Trust, the Ford Foundation and the Dulverton Trust and in July 1953 Elizabeth, the Queen Mother laid the foundation stone. In 1955 the British government formally adopted the institution, establishing the University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland by Royal Charter. The college was admitted to the privilege of Special Relation with the University of London the following year and in 1957 all activities were transferred to the Mount Pleasant.

Vice–Chancellors and principals

The first Vice Chancellor of the university was Dr William Rollo, who served as interim principal from 1953 to 1955. The first substantive Principal was Sir Walter Adams who served from 1955 to 1966 and was later Director of the London School of Economics. Sir Walter was succeeded by Professor Terence Miller, who lasted a mere two years. His successor, Professor Robert Craig, later Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, served from 1970 to 1980. Professor Leonard J Lewis served as Principal for the transition to Zimbabwe's independence. He was succeeded in 1981 by the late Professor Walter G Kamba, who became Vice–Chancellor when that post was created to replace that of Principal. Professor Kamba was then succeeded by Professor Gordon L Chavunduka (1992–1996), who was followed by Professor FW Graham Hill (1997–2002). The incumbent Vice–Chancellor, Professor Levi M Nyagura has served since 2003.