the university has nine faculties and one college (with faculties of agriculture, arts, commerce, education, engineering, law, science, social studies, veterinary sciences and the college of health sciences) offering a wide variety of degree programmes and many specialist research centres and institutes. the university is accredited through the national council for higher education, under the ministry of higher and tertiary education. english is the language of instruction. although once a very successful university, uz has been facing challenges since 2008 and now the university is on a rebounding drive. major work is being done to uplift the status of the university. refurbishments are being carried out on the main campus and many facilities are being upgraded to make the university an international academic brand. the university has faced criticism for awarding fraudulent degrees to members of the mugabe regime, especially grace mugabe.