BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITY.

16 March 2018Official weekly newsletter of NUST

Namibia University of Science and TechnologyNUST_Namibia

@NUST_Namibia

NUST BRIEF website: www.nust.na

An award-winning university• Rated Best Higher Education Institution in Namibia (PMR 2014, 201 5, 2016, 2017)

• Rated Most Innovative Institution in Namibia (PMR 2014, 2016)

The University continues to take the lead in the education sector in the country, with a particular focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The accolades received are two Diamond Arrow Awards, in the categories of Higher Education/Tertiary Institution, and Executive Education through the Harold Pupkewitz Graduate School of Business (HP-GSB).

The awards are the culmination of a research process whereby companies and institutions are rated based on respondents’ perceptions with a focus on measuring customer satisfaction. A company, department, institution and individual cannot ‘enter’ the research process, but must always be nominated and rated by the respondents.

HP-GSB’s commitment to offering quality

postgraduate business and management education was further strengthened with the development of a postgraduate Diploma in Management (PGDipl.M) scheduled for implementation this year.

Johan Hattingh, the Chief Executive Officer of PMR. Africa, said that the awards set a benchmark for industry.

From 2002 to 2008, the Institution has walked away with six PMR Gold Arrow Awards as the Best Higher Education/Tertiary Education Institution in Namibia, and has won the Diamond Arrow Award (top award) in this category every year since 2009.Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor and other senior managers were present to receive the award on behalf of the University.

NUST receives top PMR. Africa Awards once againNUST has once again received the highest awards in higher education at the annual Professional Management Review (PMR) Africa Awards ceremony. This year’s event was held earlier this week and the University was amongst the top achievers.

Open Data is an idea that citizens should have wide access to the information collected by their governments without any restrictions, except those preventing the tampering of data, misrepresent the data and/or information.

The keynote address was delivered by Honourable Stanley Mutumba Simataa, Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT), who highlighted the benefits of open data. “Giving citizens access to data to freely use and/or share will promote innovation, induce the development of more businesses and help entrepreneurs develop products and services not yet imagined. In Namibia open data can unleash opportunities – opportunities that will allow access to information, promote accountability, enhance transparency and of course enable the citizenry to hold government to account,” the Minister said.

The hackathon was well attended and innovative prototypes were developed and presented during the event for road users, drivers and passengers

to use. The data for the prototypes was provided by Gondwana Collection, and the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (MVA).

Five NUST students won the top prize of N$7 000. They are Albertus Coetzee, Gatsen Tjirare, Saimie Kevanhu, Gabriel Kamenye, Nathan Dasneves. The team developed a Driver Assistant Application that acts as a sensor to detect road signs and the distance of vehicles ahead, which then notifies the user. This application is tied to gamification as one earns points for driving safely.

“These prototypes or solutions are absolutely necessary in a big country with a small population and fairly good roads, relatively speaking, but the highest deaths per capita in the world. Namibia is the ‘capital of death by road’,” highlighted Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor.

The partners in organising this event included the Namibia Open Data Community, NBII, Developers Circles Windhoek from Facebook and Green Enterprise Solutions (Pty) Ltd.

4th Open Data Hackathon targets road safetyBetter Public Transportation and Safer Roads was the theme for the 4th Open Data Hackathon, an event that was organised by the Faculty of Computing and Informatics, the Open Data Society and the Namibia Business Innovation Institute (NBII) at NUST. The aim of the competition was to encourage students to develop technological solutions that can help curb road accidents in Namibia.

BOTTOM: Honourable Stanley Mutumba Simataa, Minister of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

FROM LEFT: Dr Rolf Becker, Dean: Faculty of Natural Resources and Spatial Sciences; Suama Hamunyela, Head of Informatics Department: Faculty of Computing and Informatics; Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST Vice-Chancellor and Dr Seeham Khan, Dean: Health and Applied Sciences.

International Women’s Day was celebrated recently and NUST’s Faculty of Computing and Informatics and the Women in Computing Organisation, celebrated the event by extending a helping hand to less-privileged San women and girls in the regions. The Dean of the Faculty, Dr Anicia Peters, encouraged fortunate women to lend a helping hand to women and girls who are less privileged by donating cosmetics to the //Anna Djeh San Trust to distribute to San girls in the regions.

NUST, in partnership with the University of Namibia and industry partners, is running a donation drive where they seek assistance from women in the technology sector to support the //Anna Djeh San Trust at Tsumkwe. One of the reasons for the high dropout rate among female San learners in the area is the unaffordability and general lack of sanitary pads and other basic cosmetics in poverty stricken rural areas.

This donation drive will continue for the remainder of March. Interested persons can call Jesaria Khom-Oabes +264 61 207 2722 or Annastasia Shipepe +264 81 169 4714 or Emilia Shikeenga +264 85 560 2323. The Women in Computing Organisation will have another handover during their annual conference on 24 March 2018.

Solidarity on Women’s Day

Dr Anicia Peters, Dean: Faculty of Computing and Informatics, pictured with other women from the Faculty and members of the Women in Computing Organisation.

2018 APRIL GRADUATION NOTICE The two graduation ceremonies will take place on 26 and 27 April 2018. The first day is for the Faculty of Management Sciences only and the second day is for the the rest of the faculties. Both ceremonies will begin at 09h00 and will be held at the Safari Hotel and Conference Centre in Windhoek. Candidates who are set to graduate (3-year Diplomas as well as other Degrees only), must visit www.nust.na and fill in a compulsory attendance form.

TOP: The winning team of the Hackathon. FROM LEFT: Gabriel Kamenye, Saimie Kevanhu, Jürgen Sieck (Professor: Faculty of Computing and Informatics ), Nathan Desneus, Gatsen Tjirare and Albertus Coetzee.