History

The School of Engineering was established on 1st September 2010 following a decision by the University Senate in 2008, to restructure Schools. Prior to this, engineering programs were offered in two schools namely, the School of Technology and the School of the Built Environment and engineering faculty existed in various schools in the University. The reorganisation therefore, resulted in pooling together not only engineering programs but also engineering lecturers or faculty. The establishment of the School was largely necessitated by the urgent need to have a dedicated School that will provide a pool of appropriately trained human resource needed to service Engineering and manufacturing firms. This became especially necessary following the creation of Multi-Facility Economic Zones (MFEZ), whose main focus is to promote the establishment of beneficiation based manufacturing and engineering firms.

The School was also established to offer engineering consultancy services to the manufacturing and other engineering firms.  The revamped economic activities in the country, coupled with the expected upsurge in industrial activities following the establishment of the Multi Facility Economic Zone on the Copperbelt, will inevitably result in a further increase in the demand for engineers, technologists and technicians.  The main purpose for the School therefore, is to develop and provide engineering education aimed at producing professionally qualified persons to meet the technical needs of the country and to render high quality service in the form of research and consultancy to private and public firms.

The School has five Departments namely, the Department of Civil Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering and the Department of Process Engineering. However, currently only three Departments; namely Department of Civil Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering are functional.

The School offers three degree programs namely; the Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Electrical/ Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical /Electronics Engineering and the Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering. It also offers five Diploma programs namely; Diploma in Electronics Engineering, Diploma in Telecommunications Engineering, Diploma in Industrial Electronics, Diploma in Electrical Engineering and the Diploma in Civil Engineering.

The School plans to introduce the following Degree programs by 2012; Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Process Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Electronics and Telecommunications. The School also plans to introduce a Masters degree in Manufacturing Systems by 2012.