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Amos Mpofu, [email protected]
SOLUSI University is set to host a week-long regional summit that will highlight the role of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the country’s education sector and explore ways to revitalise its institutions.
The summit, which will commence at the university before transitioning to Victoria Falls from 4th to 11th March, is organised by the church’s Education Department.
Participants are expected to include key stakeholders and education officials from the church across Africa. Representatives from the church’s four invited divisions worldwide — namely, the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), East-Central Africa Division (ECD), West-Central Africa Division (WAD), South Pacific Division (SPD) and East-South India Division (ESD) — will also attend.
Speaking to the Chronicle,the Director of the Education Department for the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), Dr Felix Njini emphasised the summit’s aim of addressing critical issues concerning institutional governance, leadership, administration and the growth of Adventist education globally, among other pertinent topics.
“The summit is a unique event, bringing together attendees from various parts of the world under the Seventh-day Adventist Church to deliberate on pressing issues such as leadership and governance,” he said.
“We will also examine current trends and challenges within Adventist education, featuring plenary sessions focused on diverse educational contexts,” added Dr Njini.
The event will showcase a host of seasoned international speakers from the World Church Headquarters, including Dr Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, Dr Hudson Kibuuka, Dr Socrates Quaspe and others.
These experts will share their extensive experience, equipping participants with insights into mission growth, challenges and initiatives within the church’s educational network.
Solusi University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Khumbulani Mpofu, spoke about the significance of hosting such an important summit, stating,
“Solusi is the mother of African missions, and it is time for it to evolve into the mother of Adventist global missions, delivering education that shapes the head, heart and hands of future leaders.”
Professor Mpofu stressed that the summit would address the various educational challenges faced by Adventist institutions across Africa, particularly in terms of resource sharing and collaboration.
“As a continent, we face limitations in terms of experts. We must collaborate globally to ensure a future-ready workforce that is creative, innovative and entrepreneurial,” he explained.
“By connecting with colleagues from around the world, we aim to establish networks for effective resource sharing,” he added.
The Vice-Chancellor further noted that Solusi University is working with various partners to deliver a truly authentic Zimbabwean experience and its unique offering of Education 5.0 as part of the preparations for the summit.
“We are preparing for the summit to be impactful, especially with the participation of various Adventist divisions globally. As we move Solusi from being the mother of African missions to the mother of global missions, it is essential to springboard to a new level of engagement in a digitalised world,” said Professor Mpofu.
Located in Bulilima District, Matabeleland South Province, the revival of Solusi University is expected to make a significant contribution to the district and the country’s education system, ensuring that the next generation of leaders is equipped to tackle the challenges of an ever-evolving global landscape.
