23 November 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)

Kindly note, the last day of publication of this newsletter, for 2018, will be 30 November.

We need YOUR help!The University is in process of evaluating the effectiveness of this institutional newsletter. Please help us to improve this publication by taking part in a survey. Kindly follow this link:

http://www.nust.na/?q=nustbrief-survey

or

This survey will be closed on Monday, 26 November 2018. Thank you in advance!

Thirteen (13) SADC states took part in the competition, which is aimed at improving the remote sensing skills of participants. Remote sensing can best be described as the scanning of the earth by satellites or high-flying aircraft in order to obtain information.

Freddy Muyamba, a Master of Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation student of the Department of Geo-Spatial Sciences and Technology, as well as Susanna Abraham and Sarlotte Kalenga, who are alumnae of the University, made up the wining team.

The trio is currently employed by the Geological Survey of Namibia, with Muyamba as a Geoscientist and Abraham and Kalenga as Cartographers.

NUST’s Geoinformation Science and Earth

Observation programmes, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, aim at providing practical-oriented education for higher level scientists /specialists that are able to provide practical solutions to problems in this sector, locally and beyond.

JOGMEC works as an adviser for Japanese mining companies, with a view to secure their safe and stable activities in mining sectors outside Japan. Among other key roles, JOGMEC provides financial and technical support to exploration and development projects carried out by Japanese companies.

Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST Vice-Chancellor (Pro Tem), congratulated the team for an excellent performance.

Namibia wins remote sensingNamibia, represented by former and current NUST students, won the SADC Remote Sensing Competition, which was organised by the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC). Namibia previously won this competition in 2013. The runners-up were South Africa, Madagascar and Tanzania, respectively.

competition in Botswana

The SSC’s Development Fund (SSC-DF), was established for the benefit of socio-economically disadvantaged persons who are unemployed. Furthermore, grants, bursaries, loans and other forms of financial aid are provided to students. It is through this Fund that N$2 million will be availed for the trainning.

“Our government has been striving tirelessly to attain the National Development Plan (NDP) goals of inclusive, equitable and sustainable economic growth. It surely cannot succeed in this endeavour without the collective support of the public sector. It is against this backdrop, premised on mutual understanding, that this collaboration bears testimony of our efforts to address the challenges of unemployment,” remarked Milka Mungunda, Executive Officer: SSC.

Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor (Pro Tem) said: “NUST has a track record

of engagements of this nature. About four years ago, NUST in partnership with the Overseas Development Cooperation (ODC) and its international partners - the Lempäälä / Kangasala Municipalities in Finland and Kristallen in Sweden, trained 30 youths in gemmology, jewellery-making and entrepreneurship in Keetmanshoop. To date, some of these youths are employed in the gemstone sector while two of them are now in engaged in a full-fledged business of producing jewellery with financial support from ODC and business development support from NUST’s Centre of Entrepreneurial Development (CED).”

Additionally, the aim of this training programme is to empower unemployed youth with the necessary skills to either find employment or start their own businesses.

N$2 million reserved forNUST and the Social Security Commission (SSC), signed a Service Level Agreement (SLA) which will see 30 unemployed youth in Keetmanshoop receiving training in gemmology and jewellery design. NUST will facilitate the training, whilst the SSC will avail funding for this Agreement.

unemployed youth

FROM LEFT: Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST Vice-Chancellor (Pro Tem) and Milka Mungunda, Executive Officer: Social Security Commission.

Prof Hippolyte N’Sung-Nza Muyingi received a Certificate of Professorship, conferred upon him by Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor (Pro Tem), at a Professorial Inaugural Ceremony recently. Prof Muyingi is an Associate Dean: Research and Innovation, of the Faculty of Computing and Informatics (FCI) at NUST. During the ceremony, he delivered a lecture titled ‘Societal Innovation Partnership through the Rural Living Laboratory (LL) Experience.’ His current research interest is in the area of Computing for Cultural Advancement. Prof Muyingi boasts a 34-year professional experience in Higher Education and Training, including seven years of professional development, 26 years of lecturing, 16 years of academic management and ten years of industry experience in the Electrical Engineering and Computing fields.

Congratulations Prof Muyingi!FROM LEFT: Sarlotte Kalenga: NUST Alumna; Freddy Muyamba: Master of Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation student, and Susanna Abraham: NUST Alumna, pictured at the airport upon returning from Botswana.

FROM LEFT: Prof Hippolyte N’Sung-Nza Muyingi, receiving a Certificate of Professorship from Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST Vice-Chancellor (Pro Tem).