University of Namibia

Last updated

University of Namibia
Logo UNAM Namibia.png
MottoInnovation and Academic Excellence
Type Public university
Established31 August 1992;30 years ago (1992-08-31)
Chancellor Nangolo Mbumba
Vice-Chancellor Kenneth Matengu
Academic staff
2 500
Students30 144 [1]
Location, ,
Namibia
Campus12 campuses and 11 regional centres [2]
Colors   Red
  Gold
Website www.unam.edu.na
UNAM main campus Unamt.jpg
UNAM main campus

The University of Namibia (UNAM) is a multi-campus public research university in Namibia, as well as the largest university in the country. [3] It was established by an act of Parliament on 31 August 1992.

Contents

Background

UNAM comprises the following faculties and schools:

Ranked in the top 30 of tertiary institutions on the continent in the past 10 years, UNAM is one of the best universities in Africa. [4] The University of Namibia is the only institution in the world to offer a doctorate in the study of the Khoekhoe language.

In 2023, UNAM has been co-ranked 16th among the Top 100 Universities in Africa, by the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. [5]

Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology

The Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology was founded on 1 January 2008 following the dissolution of the Department of Engineering and Technology, which had existed under the Faculty of Science since 2000. Sam Nujoma, the first president of Namibia and then-chancellor of the university conducted the groundbreaking ceremony at Ongwediva on 17 November 2007. The ceremony took place on a 13-hectare plot of land that had been donated to UNAM by the Ongwediva town council.

In January 2008, the National Planning Commission approved funding for the construction of phase 1 of the new Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology (FOET) in Ongwediva. Construction work began in April 2008 with emphasis on lecture rooms, staff offices, laboratories, IT facilities, student hostels, staff houses and other support facilities. The completion of these facilities (phase 1A) enabled the first batch of students to be admitted in the FOET. [6]

Academics

Notable academics at the University of Namibia have included Bience Gawanas, former ombudsperson, professor Nico Horn, [7] André du Pisani, Lazarus Hangula, Dorian Haarhoff, Elizabeth Amukugo, Erold Naomab, Job Amupanda and Günter Heimbeck.

Marks scandal

In 2011 reports appeared that UNAM's lecturers had been exchanging marks for sexual favours from students, and exchanging completed assignment for money. It was claimed this had resulted in serious academic degradation. Investigating and combating such illegal practices have since become a priority for the Namibian government and UNAM management. [8] [9] [10] [11]

Notable alumni

The University of Namibia has produced several notable and famous public individuals since its founding, including:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namibia University of Science and Technology</span> Institute of tertiary education in Windhoek, Namibia

The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), formerly known as Polytechnic of Namibia, is a public university located in the city of Windhoek, Namibia. Andrew Niikondo is its acting vice-chancellor. NUST was headed by the founding vice-chancellor Tjama Tjivikua until March 2019. After two acting appointments, Erold Naomab was appointed vice-chancellor in January 2021. The largely ceremonial role of chancellor of the university is held by Peter Katjavivi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ongwediva</span> Town in Oshana Region, Namibia

Ongwediva is a town in the Oshana Region in the north of Namibia. It is the district capital of the Ongwediva electoral constituency. As of 2010 it had 27,000 inhabitants and covered 4,102 hectares of land. Ongwediva has seven churches, two private schools and 13 government-run schools. Most of the inhabitants speak Oshiwambo.

Loide Lucky Shoopala Kasingo is a Namibian politician and prominent trade unionist. A member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Kasingo has been a member of the National Assembly of Namibia since 1996 and was a deputy minister from 1996 to 2005. She has served as Deputy Speaker of Parliament since 2010.

UNAM Radio is the radio station of the University of Namibia. It broadcasts on 97.4 FM and is based in Windhoek, Namibia.

Samuel Abraham Peyavali "Peya" Mushelenga is a Namibian politician and poet. He is broadly educated, holding twelve academic qualifications from six different universities.

The Namibia National Students Organisation (NANSO) is a national student organisation in Namibia. It was founded on 2 June 1984 in Döbra, about 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of the capital Windhoek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Namibia</span> Namibian institution

The Cabinet of Namibia is an appointed body that was established by Chapter 6 of the Constitution of Namibia. It is mandated to include the following positions: the President of Namibia, the Prime Minister of Namibia and any positions that the President so appoints.

Job Shipululo Amupanda is a Namibian activist and politician who served as Mayor of the City of Windhoek, in office from 2 December 2020 to 1 December 2021. He is an academic at the University of Namibia before he co-founded the Affirmative Repositioning movement, a movement setup by radical youth activists of the SWAPO Party Youth League in November 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Affirmative Repositioning</span> Namibian political organisation

Affirmative Repositioning (AR) is a leftist political movement in Namibia mainly focused on land reform, youth empowerment and social reform. Founded in 2014 by Job Amupanda, Dimbulukeni Nauyoma and George Kambala, the AR uses social media platforms to mobilise residents to apply for erven from municipalities. Due to thousands of youth submitting their forms on the same day, these activities have the character of mass demonstrations. The movement had, in a first round in November 2014, achieved a wave of individual land applications in Windhoek, Namibia's capital, which had since spread to other Namibian towns. The Affirmative Repositioning movement had threatened to take the land by force had the applications not have been processed and approved by July 2015 in the local municipalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francine Muyumba</span>

Francine Furaha Muyumba is a Congolese activist and politician serving as Senator in the Senate of Congo. Previously, she served as the president of the Panafrican Youth Union, the official youth body of the African Union from November 2015 to April 2019.

Joseph Kalimbwe is a Zambian politician, author and activist. Previously, he was president of the African Union youth simulation in 2014 and president of the student representative council of the University of Namibia in 2017. He has written for the Namibian Sun, and has published three books including Persecuted in Search of Change in 2017, The Pain of An Empty Stomach in 2015 and Teenage-Hood & the Impact of the Western World in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landless People's Movement (Namibia)</span> Political party in Namibia

The Landless People's Movement (LPM) is a political party in Namibia. It is led by former deputy minister of lands and resettlement Bernadus Swartbooi, who serves as its president and chief change campaigner, and Henny Seibeb, the party's deputy leader. The party has four seats in parliament, which are occupied by the Party's President, Bernadus Swartbooi, Mootu Utaara, Isaacks Edison and Seibeb Henry.

Henny Hendly Seibeb is a Namibian politician and Member of Parliament who serves as Deputy Leader and Chief Strategist (DLCS) of the Landless People's Movement political party which he formed alongside Bernadus Swartbooi in December 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UNAM SRC</span> Legal representative governance of the University of Namibia

University of Namibia Student Representative Council was founded on 20 February 1992, and is recognised as the legal representative body for the students of the University of Namibia by the University of Namibia Act 18 of 1992. It is responsible for representing the interests of the students to the management of the University and to local and national government. It consists of representatives from all twelve campuses across Namibia.

The University of Namibia Political Science or UNAM Political Science Department, is a department within the University of Namibia's Faculty of Economic and Management studies in Windhoek Namibia. It is responsible for directing research and teaching programs in the fields of political science and social science. The department was first established in 1992 at the founding of the university. It offers undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD degrees level in Public Administration, Sociology, Political Science International Relations and Philosophy some of which are interfaculty linked.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mexico–Namibia relations</span> Bilateral relations

Mexico–Namibia relations are the diplomatic relations between the United Mexican States and the Republic of Namibia. Both nations are members of the United Nations.

Fransina Ndateelela Kahungu is a Namibian female politician serving as a City of Windhoek Councilor, where she previously served as Deputy Mayor of Windhoek in 2016 and 2017 and Mayor of Windhoek from 2019 to 2020. Kahungu is currently the SWAPO Party Women Council (SPWC) Secretary, succeeding Eunice Iipinge in February 2022.

Inna Koviao Hengari is a Namibian politician, student leader and youth activist. A member of the Popular Democratic Movement, she became a member of the National Assembly on 20 March 2020, the youngest since McHenry Venaani in 2004. Previously she served as Vice President of the UNAM SRC and the Students Union of Namibia. 

References

  1. "About UNAM". 24 August 2015.
  2. "About UNAM | History". University of Namibia. 27 October 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  3. "About UNAM". University of Namibia. 24 August 2015. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  4. "Top 200 Universities in Africa | 2016 University Rankings". www.4icu.org. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  5. "UNAM ranked 16th among top 100 Universities in Africa | Namibia Economist" . Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  6. "Search".
  7. "Dr. Nico Horn – Professor and Human Rights Leader". www.ijnetwork.org. Retrieved 21 July 2016.[ permanent dead link ]
  8. "Unam turned into 'academic brothel'". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  9. "RDP responds to UNAM's sex trade saga". economist.com.na. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  10. "Namibian lecturers prey on students sexually". monitor. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  11. "UNAM knew about sex-for-marks claims". The Namibian. Archived from the original on 3 June 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  12. Ikela, Selma (18 December 2019). "Fransina Kahungu: From classroom to mayor". New Era Live . Retrieved 10 February 2020.
  13. Liswaniso, Mwaka (18 July 2014). "Theo-Ben Gurirab (1938 ...) An educator, politician and diplomat". New Era . p. 6.
  14. Mongudhi, Tileni (April 2012). "Last Woman Standing". Insight Namibia . pp. 22–23.
  15. "Mushelenga, Peya". Parliament of Namibia . Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  16. "Iipumbu, Lucia Magano". Parliament of Namibia . Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  17. "USG Abdelaziz meeting with Ms. Francine Muyumba | Office of the Special Adviser on Africa, OSAA". www.un.org. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  18. https://neweralive.na/posts/young-author-set-to-release-4th-book-on-world-economy | Young author set to release 4th book on world economy – New Era Newspaper
  19. https://www.lelamobile.com/content/66671/Landless-People-s-Movement-seeking-restorative-justice-Seibeb/  Lela Mobile Online – Landless People’s Movement seeking restorative justice: Seibeb

22°36′40″S17°03′27″E / 22.61111°S 17.05750°E / -22.61111; 17.05750