8 September 2017Official weekly newsletter of NUST

Namibia University of Science and TechnologyNUST_Namibia

@NUST_Namibia

NUST BRIEF website: www.nust.na

INDUSTRY BREAKFAST: “Global Pharmaceutical Manufacturing and Supply Chain and its Role Towards Economic Growth: Lessons for Namibia.” Presenter: Dr Manfred Bruch (PhD Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Bonn) DATE: 8 – 11 September 2017, Enquiries: Efigenia Semente, esemente@nust.na

An award-winning university• Rated Best Higher Education Institution in Namibia (PMR, 2016)

• Rated Most Innovative Institution in Namibia (PMR, 2016)

This means that the Faculty of Computing and Informatics can offer Oracle training and certification examinations to full-time and part-time students. Students are able to learn relevant international skills and possess an internationally recognized Oracle certification that complements their formal degree programmes. Hitherto there were no local partners who were able to offer such training and certification. NUST offers both instructor-led or online courses in Oracle.

The Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Informatics, Dr Anicia Peters, said that becoming an authorised Oracle WDP partner has been like a dream come true because certified Oracle persons are direly needed in the country. The programme aims to address the global skills shortage in the technology industry. Globally, around 420 000 companies use Oracle products. In Namibia there are several companies and government departments that use Oracle products.

NUST to certify Oracle professionals

The Namibia University of Science and Technology is now an authorised Oracle Workforce Development Partner. The Oracle Workforce Development Programme is an Oracle University programme.

PAY is a Katutura-based after-school Centre for young people from disadvantaged communities. FABlab chose to partner with PAY in an effort to uplift communities through teaching young people the basics of coding, building robots and using critical thinking and engineering design processes to solve problems and complete tasks. This was conducted through operating robots to move, lift, push and pull objects.“In a country where there are so many young people, it is vital for the youth to

keep up with these cutting-edge trends. Gaining science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics skills will breed more innovators and talented tech-entrepreneurs in Namibia,” said Kirstin Wiedow, the FABlab Director. The NUST engineering and computing students have also been involved in FABlab’s initiatives through mentoring of the learners. Furthermore, the students have developed robotic arms and drones as part of projects at FABlab.

FABlab hosts robotics classes for underpriviledged youthTwelve (12) learners from the Physically Active Youth (PAY) Centre attended robotics classes at FABlab Namibia, one of NUST’s Centres of Excellence. The learners, aged between 8 and 17 attended classes for six weeks.The 2017 activities under the theme:

“Internationalisation of Higher Education and Global Citizenship Education,” will take place from 12 to 14 September 2017. The activities include an inter-varsity debate, between the NUST and the University of Namibia (UNAM) debating societies on the 12th of September at 17:30. The showpiece event of the celebrations will take place on 13 September at 11:30 in Auditorium 1, where Carolyn Medel-Anonuevo, a Senior Education Specialist at the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa will be the keynote speaker.

An International Street Food Festival with internationally themed food stalls will also form part of the festivities. The 2017 IED activities will conclude with an Information Sharing Session where NUST students and staff members can obtain information on scholarship and study abroad opportunities from international partners such as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the British High Commission. The NUST community and the general public are encouraged to attend and participate in the activities.

Gearing up for 2017 International Education Day The NUST Department of International Relations is organising the fifth International Education Day (IED) activities. The Day is celebrated annually in September and it promotes internationalisation on campus.

Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST Vice-Chancellor (left), and Dr Anicia Peters, Dean: Faculty of Computing and Informatics, posing with the Oracle Workforce Development Partner Certificate.

Welcome to the Land of the Brave!NUST is hosting international exchange students from the University of Applied Sciences and Art Dortmund, Germany and the Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Finland. This forms part of existing Memoranda of Agreement between those universities and NUST. Exchange students from various institutions, particularly in Europe, study at NUST to complete part of their formal qualification requirements. The credits gained during their attachment to NUST are transferred to their home universities. Welcoming the students, the Director of the Department of International Relations, Dr Marius Kudumo, emphasised that internationalisation of higher education and global citizenship education are key strategic objectives of NUST. He further encouraged the students to learn about the diverse cultures of Namibia.

Dr Marius Kudumo, Director: International Relations (dressed in grey suit, front row), pictured with staff and students.

Bjorn Wiedow, Deputy Director: FABlab Namibia (far right), teaching learners about robotics.