Graduates celebrate during Africa University’s 31st commencement ceremony June 7 at the United Methodist institution in Mutare, Zimbabwe. With 622 graduates from 20 African countries joining its alumni across the continent, the university remains true to its mantra: “Leaders are made here.” Photo courtesy of the Africa University Public Affairs Office.
UM News | June 10, 2025
Key points:
- The pan-African institution’s class of 2025 featured graduates from 20 African countries, with 59% women.
- Vice Chancellor Peter M. Mageto said Africa University is set to empower thousands of young men and women through programs done in collaboration with local organizations.
- The 31st graduation ceremony celebrated attainment of inaugural degrees offered in partnership with Wesley Theological Seminary and Claflin University.
MUTARE, Zimbabwe--More than 600 students from 20 African countries graduated at Africa University on June 7 in a ceremony where recent graduates from two partner institutions also were presented to the institution’s senate.
In his address, Vice Chancellor Peter M. Mageto said the United Methodist university is not only reimagining how universities serve their communities but also anchoring its young people in purpose-driven research, innovation and enterprise. With 622 graduates joining its alumni across the continent, the university remains true to its mantra: “Leaders are made here.”
“As we gather to celebrate the achievements of our graduates, we also mark the beginning of a bold new chapter — one shaped by transformative partnerships that position our institution as a continental catalyst for innovation and impact,” Mageto said.
“As the lead institution in Zimbabwe, AU is working hand in hand with local universities, vocational institutions and grassroots organizations to empower over 16,000 young men and women — including refugees and persons with disabilities — with the tools to drive inclusive and climate-resilient transformation in agriculture and agri-food systems,” Mageto said.
He said to drive entrepreneurship and innovation, the university has formed the Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Centre, a game-changer connecting research to industry and converting student ideas into viable businesses.
“Through this center, AU aims to support over 30 startups and train more than 300 students in entrepreneurial skills by 2027, paving the way for more than 1,000 new jobs,” Mageto said.
Vice Chancellor Peter M. Mageto delivers remarks at Africa University’s 31st commencement ceremony June 7. He says the United Methodist institution is reimagining how universities serve their communities and focusing on research, innovation and enterprise. Photo courtesy of the Africa University Public Affairs Office.
The 2025 class of graduates, with 59% women, was unique in that students completed their final year of high school and first year of college under the COVID pandemic.
During the ceremony, the first cohort of 10 graduates from the inaugural Doctor of Ministry in Military Chaplaincy on the African continent were presented to the senate. The pilot program was run in partnership with United Methodist-related Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. The 10 male chaplains, drawn from the army, air force, police and correctional services in four Southern African countries, graduated in May.
Africa University will welcome its first intake for the chaplaincy program; it has since been registered by the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education, which regulates programs.
The institution’s partnership with United Methodist-related Claflin University in South Carolina produced a landmark achievement that also was presented to the senate: the first African cohort of four students to graduate with a Master of Science in Biotechnology with a specialization in climate change. Students from Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique and Zimbabwe are now at the forefront of climate-focused research, Mageto said.
Members of the Africa University choir perform during the June 7 graduation ceremony in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Women represent 59% of the 2025 graduating class. Photo courtesy of the Africa University Public Affairs Office.
The pan-African university conferred Martha Kabaira Chikowore, a World Intellectual Property Organization executive based in Switzerland, with an honorary degree in recognition of the foundational role she played in the creation of AU’s master’s program in 2008.
“To receive this honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Intellectual Property (Honoris Causa) is both overwhelming and affirming. I must admit: I’ve simply been doing what I love and enjoying my work. And to be recognized for it here by this extraordinary institution is one of the greatest privileges of my life,” Chikowore said.
“Africa University is not just an institution — it is a beacon. A place where purpose meets possibility. A place that believes in building a better future, brick by brick, student by student, idea by idea,” she said.
Chikowore advised the graduating class of 2025 to serve with humility, lead with heart, step forward with courage and always lift others as they rise.
“I stand here today because someone opened a door for me and I had the courage to walk through it. My faith has taught me this: You belong wherever God places you and when He opens a door, walk through it boldly.”
Martha Kabaira Chikowore receives an honorary doctorate from Bishop Gaspar J. Domingos, Africa University chancellor, in recognition of the role she played in the creation of Africa University’s Intellectual Property master’s program in 2008. Chikowore delivered the keynote address during the university’s 31st graduation ceremony June 7. Photo courtesy of the Africa University Public Affairs Office.
In a statement, the university said Chikowore has changed the trajectory of intellectual property training in Africa. “Her legacy is written in the strengthened capacity of institutions, the enhancement of IP education, and the advancement of legal frameworks across nations. This was true at the time of the launch of the program and still remains today.”
Fanuel Tagwira, the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education permanent secretary and former Africa University vice chancellor, said the 31st graduation ceremony was the beginning of new possibilities for each graduate and for the continent at large.
“The government of Zimbabwe remains firmly committed to ensuring that higher education is not a privilege for the few but a right accessible to all Zimbabweans, regardless of background or geography,” Tagwira said.
“Through deliberate investment in infrastructure, digital connectivity, scholarship programs and the establishment of innovation hubs across the country, we are working to eliminate barriers and empower every young Zimbabwean with the opportunity to learn, lead and innovate. Education is the foundation of national development and access to it is not negotiable; it is essential,” he said.
Institutions like Africa University serve as critical partners in extending opportunity to underserved populations, including women, rural youth and students from across the continent.
“Your efforts in fields such as climate resilience, health sciences, artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship are directly contributing to the transformation we envision as a nation,” Tagwira said. “This is the kind of higher education that speaks to Zimbabwe’s present and future needs.”
Zimbabwe permanent secretary for Higher and Tertiary Education and former Africa University vice chancellor Fanuel Tagwira (right) congratulates the first graduates of the inaugural Doctor of Ministry in Military Chaplaincy, a partnership program with United Methodist-related Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington. The 10 male chaplains, drawn from the army, air force, police and correctional services in four southern African countries, graduated in May. Photo courtesy of the Africa University Public Affairs Office.
Chikwanah is a UM News correspondent based in Harare, Zimbabwe.