Dr Naomab officially installed as NUST second Vice-Chancellor
By Clifton Movirongo.
Dr Erold Naomab was formally robed as Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) on 2 February, having been appointed by the NUST Council effective 1 January, following a “rigorous, extensive and transparent selection process.”
Naomab is NUST’s second VC in the history of the university following the longest serving rector and first VC of NUST Dr Tjama Tjivikua, who was appointed as the Rector of the Polytechnic of Namibia since its inception in 1995.
During the ceremony the NUST Chancellor presented Naomab with his Vice Chancellor’s robe and cap – formally symbolising his appointment as the lead academic of the country’s oldest university.
In his formal acceptance speech, Naomab said he solemnly and respectfully accept the honour bestowed on him to serve his country as VC of NUST.
“My roll call of gratitude will not be complete if I do not thank and welcome all NUST local and global partners, institutions, Government entities, alumni, sponsors, industry, friends, staff, students and family. I reassure you that NUST’s confidence is restored and I am looking forward to meeting you and working towards mutually beneficial relations,” Naomab said.
The newly-appointed VC revealed that the theme for the 2021 Academic Year is “Re-Envisioning Higher Education in a post-COVID-19 Era.”
“This is not to say the pandemic is over, but this theme implores us to look to the future and critically assess the important lessons we have learnt, to be proactive and embrace the opportunities brought about to revitalise higher education for the COVID-19 Generation,” he explained.
He added that NUST will remain focused ensuring that access to higher education is not a privilege but a right and hence students from disadvantaged backgrounds have access to education and this helps to change the course of poverty in their communities.
“However, we must strike the necessary balance to offer quality education and maintain broad based access to NUST’s programmes and qualifications,” Naomab stated.
During his inaugural speech, Naomab indicated that he believes the university’s stakeholders are in consensus that NUST, by its mandate as a technological university, is at the forefront of the national agenda on the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Society 5.0 and “we shall diligently respond and comply.”
NUST council chairperson Florette Nakusera said the University community has absolute confidence in Namoab’s leadership and his sound understanding of the changing higher education landscape in Namibia and globally.
“Dr Naomab will advance the NUST vision of excellence in teaching, research and innovation, internationalisation, scholarship and community engagement to fulfil the strategic goal of the University to be amongst the top ten premier technological universities,” she added.
Additionally, the freshly robed VC said he came inspired to NUST not because he expected to find the perfect organisation but the opportunity to work with people who have the ambition to stand up for each other and build the most rewarding university for both its students and stakeholders.
“Let us embrace our homegrown capabilities and restore confidence in our own experts, simply using global best practices as the benchmark is not enough. We shall uphold and vigilantly protect academic integrity and academic freedom. We shall ensure that academic staff are valued for their teaching efforts and have time to devote to research and scholarship, whilst maintaining performance orientated culture, rooted in ethics,” concluded Naomab.
