Taking innovation to the next level
The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule in the Jena University of Applied Sciences this week take the cooperation between the two institutions to an even higher level.
Dr Tjama Tjivikua, Vice Chancellor of NUST said a strong collaboration an international partnership development and establishment with universities and industries have been and continue to be key strategic objectives. “Therefore it is pleasing to report that the collaboration has been fruitful as staff and students from both NUST and Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena have been supported to participate in international exchange programmes. In this regard, 56 students from Jena have attended Semester Abroad and Summer School programmes at our University and equally several NUST students over the years have participated in an exchange programme to Jena under the ‘Welcome to Africa Programme” he said.
This year three NUST students from the Department of Mining and Process Engineering received scholarships to attend a two-week Summer School at Jena, which focused on renewable energy. “As we move forward in the renewed partnership, I am looking forward to enhanced cooperation between our universities and the new Agreement focuses on joint curriculum development, stuff and student exchange, research and material exchange and opportunities to raise funds to support the partnership activities,” he added.
Professor Gabriele Beibst, President of the Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule pointed out that the cooperation between Jena and NUST have been running for fourteen years while Hon Wolfgang Tiefensee, Thuringen State Minister for the Economy, Science and Digital Society praised the two universities for their hard work and partnership. “We as Politicians must support institutions in these partnerships and young people need to be educated and have a free mind to come up with new ideas for this century and the next,” he added.
Hon Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation said that this MoU will strengthen NUST’s contribution to a quality and equitable higher education system bench-marked against international best practice. “The ministry recognizes and is always conscious of the fact that higher education, technical and vocational education, research and innovation are the engines of accelerated economic and social development, poverty reduction, the achievement of Namibia’s Vision 20130, the National Development Goals as well as Agenda 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals,“ she added.
“I am pleased that with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding the institutions are extending an existing partnership, but more importantly, I have noted the innovative approaches that have now been added to generate more tangible results that will be beneficial to both our countries in the context of the excellent existing bilateral relations between Namibia and Germany,” she concluded.
