SPECIAL ADRESS TO

1. The University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor
2. The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development
3. Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE)

We, the undersigned students and alumni of the University of Zimbabwe, along with concerned members of the public, strongly condemn the recent statement made by the Association of University Teachers (AUT) accusing the University of Zimbabwe of conferring “fake degrees” to the graduating class of 2025.

This baseless accusation directly undermines years of academic dedication, financial sacrifice, and professional preparation by thousands of students. It tarnishes the reputation of our university and threatens the value of our qualifications in the job market both locally and internationally.

We note that:

• The AUT’s conflict with the University Administration is over salary increments, not the academic integrity of our degrees.

• The AUT lecturers themselves taught, supervised, and assessed the modules we completed.

• These remarks are therefore contradictory, misleading, and harmful to innocent graduates.

We demand:

1. An immediate public retraction and apology from the AUT.
2. A formal statement from the University of Zimbabwe Administration defending the legitimacy of its qualifications.
3. A public verification from the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) affirming that all degrees awarded meet national and international standards.

We will not allow our academic futures to be used as bargaining chips in a dispute between the AUT and the University Administration. We stand united in defending the dignity and credibility of our hard-earned qualifications.