the university has faced criticism for awarding fraudulent degrees to members of the mugabe regime; in 2014, grace mugabe was given a doctorate in sociology, only two months after being registered on the programme, and although a dissertion does not exist in the university archives. also other senior members of the mugabe regime were given doctorates, without writing dissertations. on 20 november 2017, the university of zimbabwe students boycotted writing exams citing that the former first lady dr grace mugabe's controversial phd should be revoked. they also protested and declared that they would not write examinations until robert mugabe resigned. the 93 year old leader and then chancellor of the university resigned the following afternoon on 21 november 2017 as head of state and government. many claimed that the university of zimbabwe's students will go down in history as those who gave the mugabe regime the 'final push' of his 37 year reigned as zimbabwe's leader.