18 August 2017Official weekly newsletter of NUST

Namibia University of Science and TechnologyNUST_Namibia

@NUST_Namibia

NUST BRIEF website: www.nust.na

Applications for the 2018 Academic Year are open until 31 August 2017. Visit www.nust.na for more information.

An award-winning university

CALLING ALL SECRETARIES!

The annual Secretaries Convention will be held on 25 August 2017 on campus, under the theme “Pathway to Success.” Secretaries, Personal Assistants, Office Administrators and Office Managers aspiring to reach the pinnacle of their careers, are encouraged to attend. Enquiries: Muriel Mouton, mmouton@nust.na, 061 207 2870 or Cornelia Janga, cjanga@nust.na, 061 207 2005

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

NEED has aimed to set up and institutionalise a ‘Network of Excellence’ interlinking existing and successful renewable energy technology (RET) initiatives, institutions and experts. During the project implementation period, the network was active in three fields of activity. These are: to formulate research policies, to develop industry standards, and to enhance practical education. Dr Tjama Tjivikua addressed the delegates and highlighted a few of the many successful outcomes of the project. “An example is the Renewable Mini-Grids Dry-lands, whose primary focus is to quantify energy production and consumption and ultimately to propose sustainable ways of energy management. It also concentrates on social economic benefits as well as cost management. Other than that, the project established historic energy consumption patterns as well as capacity building at community, school and tertiary level with regard to renewable energy in general and

solar energy in particular.”NUST has deliberately taken a leading role in developing the critical mass of experts and initiatives needed to drive the renewable energy technology initiatives nationally and regionally. To this end, NUST is home to the Namibia Energy Institute (NEI), which, in collaboration with other stakeholders in the renewable energy sector, has registered significant strides in as far as adoption of renewable energy technologies is concerned. “Despite the nostalgic feeling when closing the project period, we look forward to continuing our work in the RET sector in the region, not only as project team, but especially together with our long-standing and potential new partners,” said Prof Wilfried Zoerner, the NEED project leader from THI. The NEED project is funded by the European Union through its Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States’ Science and Technology Programme.

NEED project concludes on a high noteMore than 40 participants attended the concluding Network of Energy Excellence for Development (NEED) Project conference that was held recently on campus. The project was initiated in 2014 and at the core of this initiative are five universities namely, Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (THI) in Germany, Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), Okavango Research Institute (ORI) in Botswana, University of Zambia (UNZA) and NUST.

Dr Tjama Tjivikua, Vice-Chancellor: NUST (fourth from left) pictured with Her Excellency Jana Hybaskova, EU Ambassador to Namibia (on his right), and Prof Wilfried Zoerner, project leader: Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt (to his left) and other delegates at a previous NEED meeting on campus.

The programme, offered by the Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU), meets the needs of staff new to teaching in higher education as well as experienced lecturers who wish to advance their current teaching skills. The Institution strives to take a leading role in the advancement of staff by making continuous efforts to improve their development. The PGCHE is a three-semester programme that includes the following courses: Teaching, Learning and Assessment; Curriculum Design and Development; and Technology Integration in Teaching and Learning. The programme embraces a blended learning approach, where presentations and reading materials are uploaded on the online platform that can be accessed before the contact sessions. This allows full engagement in the contact sessions which are reserved for small group work, in-class writing,

discussions, micro-teaching and feedback. One lecturer, Joshua Mario from the Management Department was asked about his experience with the PGCHE so far. “It is really an eye-opener for me, learning different ways of being an effective lecturer and connecting with my students to identify their learning styles,” he said. “With each contact session, I get more encouraged from the course facilitators when they give the opportunity for the participants to share, discuss and reflect. This is central in a student-centered classroom. I have already started to implement these practices in my own classes,” Mario added. The course coordinator of the programme, Dr Katherine Carter, commended all the lecturers for their hard work and achievements throughout the first course.

Certification of NUST lecturers continues The second group of 50 NUST lecturers has enrolled for the Institution’s Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE) programme, aimed at advancing pedagogical skills and offering lecturers learning experiences of the highest quality.

A former People’s Primary School (PPS) learner, currently an Instructional Technology Designer from the Teaching and Learning Unit and PhD student, Helvi Iitenge-Wheeler, is aiming to enhance Namibian children’s reading experiences as part of her studies. Helvi’s studies are focused on exploring technology for enhancing reading experiences for Namibian children. Inspired by new trends of interactive libraries across the globe, the PPS principal Patrick Xoagub, has entrusted the redesign of the school’s library to the FCI Computer Science Department. “As interaction designers we do not only develop engaging technologies but we create entirely new experiences through meaningful designed spaces and technologies,” said Prof Heike Winschiers-Theophilus who is Helvi’s supervisor and a co-designer of the PPS interactive technology library.“It has been an amazing journey and we are now counting on the private sector and individuals to support the finalisation of the project to make the children’s and teacher’s dreams a reality,” said Helvi.She added that this is important because teachers and learners of PPS are equally looking forward to the opportunity of experiencing a new reading culture. The interactive tech library consisting of various themed areas, engaging different types of readers by embracing new developments in emerging interactive technologies will be one of its kind in the School’s vicinity.

People’s Primary School anticipating interactive tech library

Patrick Xoagub, PPS Principal (back row, in checked shirt); Prof Heike Winschiers-Theophilus: Faculty of Computing and Informatics (fifth from left), and Helvi Iitenge-Wheeler: Instructional Technology Designer, Teaching and Learning Unit: NUST (third from right), posing with staff and learners from the school.

Dr Katherine Carter, PGCHE Course Coordinator (front row, fourth from left), pictured with lecturers.