UNZA Holds the 55th Graduation Ceremony

The University of Zambia (UNZA) celebrated its historic 60th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee during its 55th Graduation Ceremony held at the Great East Road Campus. The two-day event, cantered around the theme "Sixty Years of Transforming Lives through Teaching, Research, Innovation, and Responsiveness to a Competence-Driven Future," highlighted major government infrastructure commitments and a record-breaking graduating class.

Speaking on behalf of the Government and the people of Zambia, the Guest of Honour, Dr. Kelvin Mambwe Permanent Secretary for Educational Services in the Ministry of Education congratulated the graduates and lauded UNZA as the cornerstone of the nation’s intellectual architecture.

"The University of Zambia was established in 1966 out of a deliberate, visionary decision by Zambia’s founding fathers, led by the late President Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, who understood that political independence without intellectual independence was incomplete," Dr. Mambwe stated.

Dr. Mambwe issued a direct challenge to the university faculty, noting that modern pedagogy must give way to active, technology-enhanced learning to prepare students for artificial intelligence and digital economies. He also underscored the government’s active investments to improve student welfare and campus infrastructure, announcing:

• Hostel Construction: The completion of hostels yielding a capacity of 4,160 bed spaces across both campuses, alongside a new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to construct an additional 6,480 bed spaces over the next 24 months.
• Sanitation Overhaul: An emergency investment of over K76 million dedicated to rehabilitating the UNZA sewer system to meet international standards.

Dr. Mambwe urged the graduating class to lead with character, stating that in a world where corruption and self-interest derail nations, integrity matters just as much as academic competence.

Meanwhile, UNZA Vice-Chancellor Professor Mundia Muya welcomed the assembly, expressing immense pride in what he termed an "enduring covenant with this nation: to educate, to illuminate, and to transform lives".

Professor Muya revealed that the 55th Graduation Ceremony marked a massive surge in enrollment and completion, with the university conferring degrees and certifications upon 6,480 graduands—a substantial leap from the 4,955 graduates of the previous ceremony.

The Class of 2026 Breakdown

Qualification Type

Number of Graduates

PhDs

150

Master's Degrees

1,585

Undergraduate Degrees

4,136

Postgraduate Diplomas

161

Diplomas

398

Certificates

48

Looking forward, the Vice-Chancellor detailed UNZA Vision 2075, a long-range strategic framework designed to steer the institution's academic excellence and institutional sustainability over the next half-century. He also highlighted the university's digital progression, acknowledging the support of the UNDP in establishing the AI Next Generation UNIPOD Innovation Hub, a foundational element of UNZA's emerging Innovation Village.

Professor Muya closed by requesting the Permanent Secretary to convey the university's profound gratitude to the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema. The Vice-Chancellor recognized President Hichilema's deep personal connection to his alma mater, noting a personal donation of K1,500,000 from the Head of State toward renovating his former student hostel, Tiyende Pamodzi 5 (TP5). Professor Muya further emphasized that the ongoing campus sanitation overhaul was the direct result of a firm presidential directive.

As a final highlight of the Diamond Jubilee year, the Vice-Chancellor warmly invited all graduands and global alumni to return to the Great East Road Campus on July 11, 2026, for the official 60th Anniversary Celebrations and Alumni Reunion.