Digital network to enhance learning

The University of Namibia (UNAM) this week launched a video conference facility which will link different campuses into a single video conference session simultaneously.
The ‘Multipoint Bridge’ facility aims to enhance the provision of quality education in the country.
According to Prof Osmund Mwandemele, acting vice chancellor of UNAM, the facilities will be used to conduct common lessons among various campuses, conduct research by exchanging ideas with other institutions, faculties and departments.
The facility will also be used to hold meetings, conferences and review budgets, curriculae as well as collaborate with other institutions.
The launch of the facility follows the demand and increase in the number of campuses across the country and challenges related to the provision of quality services to meet the expectations of UNAM clients, including the recruitment and availability of adequately trained staff.
“It has particularly been difficult to recruit enough staff for our satellite campuses, especially for postgraduate programmes that are meant for capacity building,” Mwandemele said.
The facility also allows a single lecturer to teach at many connected sites simultaneously.
In his official address at the launch, deputy minister of education, Dr David Namwandi said the initiative compliments the growing demand for education in Namibia as the country can no longer rely only on the face to face mode of teaching.
“We need to think of other ways of teaching which would widen access to higher education. Such technology can enable an institution based in a city environment to reach out to the remote campuses and deliver lectures at the same level with the students who might be disadvantaged in terms of limited resources,” Namwandi added.
The facility was established in collaboration with the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and the International Training and Education Centre for Health.