Survey released on how graduates perform at work.
From the left, Mrs Kashiwanwa Neshila, Development Officer: Alumni and Networking, University of Namibia, Ms Kumbi Short, General Consultant, International University of Management, Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Chairperson of the National Council for Higher Education, Mr Anneley Willemse, Senior Higher Education Officer at the National Council for Higher Education and Mr Efraim Dumeni, Manager: Infromation and Research, Polytechnic of Namibia, at the launch of the Namibia Tracer Studies Survey on Wednesday at the Polytechnic Hotel and Tourism School. (Photograph by Mandisa Rasmeni)
Dr Kalumbi Shangula, Chairperson of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) launched the Namibia Tracer Studies (NAMTRACE) Survey this week at the Polytechnic Hotel and Tourism School. NAMTRACE is based on the tracer study of graduates from the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Polytechnic of Namibia who completed their studies in the period of 1999 to 2008.
Dr Shangula said that the main purpose of the Tracer Study was to gain information on the current employment and economic status of the graduates and their assessment of the relevance and quality of their education within their work context. “The views of employers of graduates were also solicited to ascertain, particularly concerning graduates’ scholarly abilities, their ability to apply theoretical knowledge to concrete problem, their ability to generate and disseminate knowledge and their competitiveness measured against graduates and non-degree holders from other education providers in the country and beyond,” he said.
The Chairperson of the National Council for Higher Education said that one of the recommendations the NCHE received was to conduct a second tracer study of graduates. The NCHE will embark on a series of training workshops to build capacity of relevant staff members at the University of Namibia, the Polytechnic of Namibia and the International University of Management, to conduct professional tracer studies on their own. The objectives of this training include getting feedback from graduates that can be directed to the improvement of the quality of study programmes, to establish the quality of graduates and their employability as well as to enhance and ensure the existing quality of graduates. The outcome of the Trace Study is available in the form of a booklet which can be obtained from the NCHE headquarters or it can be viewed on the NCHE website.
