- Mission of the Chapter
To promote Operations Research activities throughout the country and the whole of the Southern Africa region through workshops, conferences, panel discussions and collaborations with industry. This is going to be achieved through:
- Promoting the application of modern scientific Operations Research techniques in all sectors of the economy through scientific research, innovation and publication of articles.
- Collaborating with industry in finding ways of analytically solving the problems that industry is facing, using Operation Research techniques.
- Promoting community outreach programmes through conducting Operation Research campaigns, and any other OR- community related activities.
- Conducting summer schools that will help impact Operations Research knowledge to people who are passionate in Operations Research.
- Rationale
Operations Research (OR), was introduced in Zimbabwe in the early 1970s with elective courses offered under engineering and statistics degree programmes at what was then the University of Rhodesia. Although not called “operations research” during those years, courses such as systems engineering, optimization, decision theory, and mathematical programming were found in several relevant degree programmes. In 2007, NUST Operations Research Society (NORS) was formed with the aim of raising and enhancing awareness and conscientising the society and industry regarding the relevancy of OR to the business world as well as its applicability in their day to day operations of OR across the whole country.
Through NUST, four local universities are now offering OR programs. Collaborative work is underway between the universities that are offering OR and industry. Several joint projects are being carried out between the universities and companies so as to increase the awareness of OR in Zimbabwe. At University level there are plans to spread OR to other departments in the university like Computer Science Department and Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department. Operations Research skills have been showcased through student research project where Operations Research techniques are used to solve problems in almost all economic sectors in the country. Major applications of Operations Research have been done in the following sectors: manufacturing, agriculture, finance, health, telecommunication, transport as well as the public sector.
- Activities
Current Activities
- Workshops aimed at collaborating with industry players and sister universities that offer the Operations Research Programme.
- Community campaigns through seminars and workshops.
- Four Universities in Zimbabwe are now offering Operations Research degrees which is helping in spreading awareness of the subject.
- High school mathematics syllabus now offers basic Operations Research topics like linear programming.
Proposed Activities
- To initiate the registration of the Zimbabwe Operations Research Society (ZORS) so as to effectively promote Operation Research throughout all the economic sectors in Zimbabwe.
- To go for massive recruitment and awareness drive.
- Steering committee
- Chairperson : Professor Philimon Nyamugure
- Vice Chairperson : Mr Hausitoe Nare
- Secretary General : Dr Isabel Linda Zulu
- Treasurer : Mr C N Mupondo