1st Edition 2007 - University of Namibia

University of Namibia - Official Newsletter - 1st/2007
www.unam.na

The fi rst half of the year has been quite a busy one for the University
of Namibia, with so many activities taking place. These ranged from
the fi nalisation of our fi ve year strategic plan, the ongoing curriculum
review process, the launch of the superior courts and revamped
websites of the university, and the launch of the INNOPAC Millennium
library system amongst many others. I am sure for many of you, it at
times feels quite tough keeping up with time.
The strategic plan of the university contains a number of objectives
the university has set for itself, in an effort to stimulate academic
excellence and good governance. The Offi ce of the Pro-Vice
Chancellor: Academic Affairs & Research will liaise closely with the
Department of Communications & Marketing in my offi ce to host
a briefi ng session on the implementation of the strategic plan. All
directors, deans, and heads of department will be invited to attend this
session. The workshop is aimed at getting all managers acquainted
with the strategic plan, as well as assessing everyone’s contribution
to the strategy. Implementation teams will be set up at the end of
the workshop to tackle goals set out in this plan. I thus call on your
support and cooperation on this very important exercise.
I am equally delighted to report that the University of Namibia actively
contributed to the tertiary education and training component of ETSIP.
The team identifi ed areas that need strengthening. Among these are
postgraduate studies, laboratories, and the foundation programme
at our northern campus. The team further focused on areas such
as effective teaching methods, human resources, and training with
a particular focus on Masters and Ph.D degrees. A full report will be
produced in due course.
I wish to give each and every staff member a pat on the back, as
UNAM has been ranked the 16 th best university on the African
continent. This is two places higher than we were last year. This is
indeed commendable given the scarce resources at our disposal.
Allow me to once again express my sincere appreciation to all the men
and women who work tirelessly to make the University of Namibia the
successful institution that it is. Let the sky be the limit!
Our revamped website has resulted in greater interaction between
the university and the outside world. There has been an increasing
number of communication from various stakeholders including
foreign institutions, academics, and students all over the world. Most
academics have expressed interest in joining the university on both
full-time basis or sabbatical, while students enquiries have centered
around our academic programmes. I urge all of you to please take
time to reply to such communications in a friendly and timely fashion
when they come to you. As I said in our previous edition, our dealings
with external stakeholders have a direct and indirect effect on the
image of the university. External stakeholders use these to form
opinions on us as a university, and not necessarily as individuals.
Despite our achievements, like any other institution we have a number
UNAM Forum 2
of challenges to address. These
include sending our academic staff
members on pedagogical training.
Though many of our academics have
a wealth of knowledge and experience in their respective fi elds, they
are not all trained as teachers. In other words they have not all been
trained to train others, which at times makes it diffi cult to transfer their
expertise to others.
Against this background, I urge staff members to take advantage of
the various cooperation agreements we have with universities around
the world. These should be used to strengthen capacity building of
our academic departments. I am aware that this is hampered by a
lack of funds in many instances, but not all. I therefore urge you to
take active interest in the university’s bilateral agreements with sister
institutions.
Having said that, allow me to share with you what
I consider as a fruitful trip to Europe recently. I
would like to particularly focus on my trip to
the University of Oulu in Finland, which was
keen to strengthen ties with us. We signed a
cooperation agreement with that university
which should in future see collaboration
in the areas of engineering, education
and research amongst others. I treasure
these linkages because as a young
institution, we stand to benefi t a
lot from the wealth of resources,
expertise and experience our sister
universities possess. Mind you,
some of these institutions have been
in existence for half a century. On this
particular trip, I was accompanied by
the Head of Engineering Department,
Prof. Frank Kavishe and the Director
of Communications & Marketing, Mr.
Edwin Tjiramba.
I think I have had quite a mouthful. I
will spare the rest for the next edition,
as I still want you to read the rest of
the publication.
Warm regards,
Prof. Lazarus Hangula
Vice Chancellor
University of Namibia
UNAM FORUM
1/2007
UNAM Forum is published by the
Communications and Marketing Offi ce covering
news and events of the University of Namibia.
UNAM Forum does not necessarily refl ect the
offi cial views and opinions of the management
of the University of Namibia. Text material may
be reprinted or reproduced freely with attribution
to UNAM Forum and author, where applicable.
All rights to photographs and illustrations are
reserved. Permission to reproduce must be
obtained from the University of Namibia.
© UNAM 2007
Editor: Edwin Tjiramba
Compiled By:
Utaara Hoveka
Layout/DTP and Photography:
John Rittmann
Administration:
Emilia Aniceto-van Wyk
Contributions are welcome in the form of articles,
news, and comments and can be forwarded to:
University of Namibia
UNAM Forum
Communications and Marketing
Private Bag 13301
Windhoek, Namibia
(061) 206-3445/3094
Fax: (061) 206-3446
E-mail: eaniceto@unam.na
Circulation: 2000 copies
Cover photo: Prof Lazarus Hangula, Vice
Chancellor of UNAM, and Chief Justice
Peter Shivute at the launch of the two
institutions’ websites.

It is always so gratifying to share activities,
achievements and challenges of the University
of Namibia not only with the university
community, but also with the public at large.
Like the previous edition of the UNAM Forum,
this edition contains a wide range of interesting
stories. The highlight is of course the annual
graduation ceremonies of the university.
The edition also highlights honours bestowed on
two leading academics of the university, for their
outstanding contribution to academic excellence.
Further it features a Law Faculty Lecturer who
was recently appointed as the World Trade
Organisation’s expert for Namibia. All these
developments highlight the high esteem in
which the university is held by reputable outside
organisations and individuals.
Stories on diversity also feature prominently
in this edition. This is important given that
universities are universal by nature, and are
therefore enriched by a diverse staff and
student population. As human beings, we
always display elements of our backgrounds
and upbringing in one way or another without
necessarily realising this. This sometimes
infl uences the way we think, the way we do
things and our relationships with others. It is
therefore the diversity of nationalities, races,
people, and perhaps even characters that
make us the rich institution that we are.
Some staff members and students are carrying
out interesting research work on a number
of pertinent topics, such as biodiversity and
traditional authorities. You will read more on
them later in the edition. I wish to call on staff
and students to inform our offi ce about their
activities, as we are not always aware of all that
is going on in the various academic faculties
and departments.
In our Alumni corner, we feature a Bachelor’s
of Accounting graduate who has worked his
way up to the hot position of CEO of a Sanlam
subsidiary. I am sure you will have some
interesting reading!
Edwin N. Tjiramba
Editor: UNAM Forum and
Director: Communications & Marketing
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President Applauds UNAM
Academics Receive Postgraduate Training
Websites Launched
Vice Chancellor Encourages Diversity
New Masters Programme Received Well
Research on Lands Boards Legislation
Graduation 2007 in Picture...
Senior Management Appointments
Research on Marama Beans
French Government Honours UNAM Academics
I-TEC Donates Equipment
Catholic Church Supports Students
UNAM Law Lecturer Appointed as WTO Expert for Namibia
UNAM Graduate, CEO at Sanlam
- Student Hearing Ability Restored
- MOU with Nanchang University
Sponsorships and Donations
Pg-8
Pg-17
Pg-23
Pg-6
Pg-12
Pg-20

President Hifikepunye Pohamba has expressed appreciation at the
envisaged Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, the
University of Namibia is striving to establish. He declared government’s
support for this initiative, saying the faculty would contribute enormously to
the creation of a skilled human resource base as outlined in Vision 2030.
Speaking at the University’s 15 th graduation ceremony, President Pohamba noted with delight what he termed
as UNAM’s responsiveness to the country’s development needs. He highlighted among others the Postgraduate
Diploma in Arbitration and Conciliation, the Diploma in Local Government Studies and the Legal Professional Training
Course as testimony to this.
The Head of State further expressed appreciation at increased interaction between the University and his government,
singling out collaboration between the National Planning Commission, UNFPA and UNAM in particular. Under this
programme, UNAM students will be attached to Government Offi ces/Ministries and Agencies to work in the areas
of statistics, population, economics, and information technology with specifi c focus on population and development
issues as interns. The project links students to relevant institutions in order to give them practical experience.
Echoing his remarks, UNAM Chancellor Dr. Sam Nujoma said the University’s linkages with foreign institutions were
designed to strengthen the capacity building of its faculties. He told the gathering that promising Namibians are being
approached to go on staff development fellowships, in efforts to secure future lecturers for the university.
Refl ecting on the achievements and challenges the University had over 15 years of its existence, Dr. Nujoma noted
that the institution was going through a vigorous academic audit of all its academic programmes. The process he said
was aimed at developing curricula that are “refl ective of the socio-economic developments needs”. The Chancellor
noted with pride that the University was instrumental in creating an academic culture in Namibia. He added that the
university continues to nurture this culture through the establishment of taught postgraduate courses.
Turning to the graduates, the Founding Father of Namibia called on the graduates to consider community and public
service. “Contributing to community or public service at any level carries its own challenges and sacrifi ces, but we
need capable men and women to make that choice. When such a calling comes your way, I hope you will rise to the
opportunity with pride, he urged the graduates.”
The Chancellor conferred 1 159 certifi cates, degrees, Masters Degrees and a Ph.D degree at this year’s
graduation ceremony.
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195 UNAM ACADEMICS
TRAINED AT
LEVEL
The University of Namibia has trained 46 of its staff
members at doctorate level, while another 149 received
Masters Degrees. The majority of them are teaching
in the various departments of the University.
In his welcome address at the 15 th graduation
ceremony of the University, Vice Chancellor
Prof. Lazarus Hangula cited China, India and
the Indiana University in the USA as some of
the institutions stepping up UNAM’s capacity
building programme.
Turning to this year’s registration, he said
out of the 9 000 students enrolled with the
University for the 2007 academic year,
872 students are nationals of 29 different
countries. These are Afghanistan, Angola,
Argentina, Belgium, Botswana, Bulgaria,
Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, China, Britain,
India, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi,
Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Rwanda, Sierra
Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland,
Norway, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Ukraine,
Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Out of the 1 159 graduates at this year’s
graduation ceremony, 100 were foreign
nationals.
Speaking at the same occasion, guest speaker
Prof. Joseph Diescho urged graduates not
to take Namibia’s independence for granted,
but to always remember the price with which
it was attained. He encouraged graduates to
be appreciative of the good deeds accorded
to them, relating his own experience of how
he was assisted by the current Speaker of
the National Assembly Theo-Ben Gurirab
and former UNAM Vice Chancellor Prof.
Peter Katjavivi, when he left the country in
the early days of the struggle for Namibia’s
independence.
UNAM Forum 6

First Superior Courts &
UNAM Revamped
W ebsites http://www.unam.na/
http://www.superiorcourts.org.na/
LAUNCHED
It looked more like judgement day than a website launch recently, as
members of the judiciary converged on UNAM. (Pic above, left) From
left to right: High Court Judges Louw Muller, Kato van Niekerk, Annel
Silungwe, Collins Parker, John Manyarara and Elton Hoff. (Pic above, right) From left: Supreme Court Judge of Appeal, Mr. Justice Gerhard
Maritz, High Court Judge President Petrus Damaseb and National Council Chairperson, Hon. Asser Kapere.
Chief Justice Peter Shivute said the tool will be useful
not only to members of the judiciary and the legal fraternity,
but academics, students and the general public.
The university community
and the members of the
legal fraternity witnessed
the launch of the fi rst
ever superior courts
website, as well as the
refurbished University of
Namibia website.
The superior courts website contains
judgments of the High and Supreme Courts
of Namibia, enabling the general public to
have access these judgments through the
internet. The revamped university website
contains a whole lot of new features, from
prospectus of all academic departments,
news, and general information on the
university.
Chief Justice Peter Shivute expressed the
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judiciary’s appreciation to the university
for designing and maintaining the superior
courts website. “The visionary university
administration, with the personal involvement
of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Hangula,
and to whom we are eternally grateful in this
regard enthusiastically embraced the idea
and the institutions involved went about to
implement the project.” He said the tool will
be useful not only to members of the judiciary
and the legal fraternity, but also to academics
and students. “The general public will also
be able to have access to information and
learn a few facts about the courts, including
the Supreme Court building, that were
hitherto known perhaps only to those who
were in close contact with the courts such as
members of the legal profession.”
UNAM Vice Chancellor Prof. Hangula
remarked that the university was greatly
honoured to come to the aid of the judiciary.
“The website adds to the teaching and
research facilities of the staff and students
of the Faculty of Law of the University of
Namibia. This has come at a time that the
Faculty is experiencing an unprecedented
increase in its admission with a corresponding
demand on already overstretched facilities. It
is my fervent hope that the website will help
alleviate the situation and that the Faculty
of Law and indeed the entire University
community will take maximum advantage of
this facility.”
The website was designed by a fi nal year
Computer Science student Gerhold Kooper,
with the assistance of his lecturer Kauna
Mufeti.

VC encourages diversity on SRC...
PROF LAZARUS HANGULA
HAS BEMOANED THE LACK OF
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
ON THE 2007
STUDENTS REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
Vice Chancellor Prof. Lazarus
Hangula has bemoaned the
lack of international students
on the 2007 Students
Representative Council.
Speaking during the first consultative
meeting with the newly elected students
representatives, Hangula encouraged
more diversity in future. “We should reflect
the diversity of our community. We are in a
globalising world and we want our different
students adequately represented. Please
encourage our international students to
also contest for seats on the SRC next
time”, he remarked.
He stressed the importance of
UNAM Forum 8
multiculturalism, relating his own experience
as an African student at German and French
universities. “There, you get all the different
cultures of the world – Chinese, European,
Muslims, Jews and many others. You
appreciate that in the sense that you cannot
visit every single country, these cultures
come to you. It was the fi rst time I came to
know that someone from another culture
would die for me”, he continued.
Meanwhile, SRC President Fillemon Wise
Immanuel complimented the University for
enabling students to receive their academic
results via sms. This, he said, provided so
much relief to students, who often had to wait
for their results to arrive in the post. He also
expressed appreciation at the renovations
that took place in the hostels.
Immanuel at the same time expressed
hope that the long outstanding student
constitution would be adopted this year.
Through the constitution, the SRC wishes to
strengthen powers of the Student Parliament
as well as to encourage more dialogue
with management. The SRC head further
encouraged management to monitor the
performance of lecturers through out the
year.
Prof. Hangula noted that the constitution is not
in the hands of management, but the SRC.
“Generally, young people are democratic in

the sense that they like consulting. The
dilemma with the constitution is that at
present, the University Act stipulates that
management deals with the SRC and not
parliament. So, if you want management
to deal with parliament, there will have
to be amendments to the University Act
which have to go through the national
Parliament.”
Meanwhile, the Vice Chancellor enlightened
the SRC leadership about plans to
strengthen e-learning at the university, for
UNAM Forum 9
2007 SRC captured with the Vice Chancellor during their courtesy visit.
the benefit of over 4 000 distance students.
Prof. Hangula remarked that this modern
form of learning was currently receiving
management’s attention.
He also informed the SRC about the
envisaged MIS system, which he said
should be operational by next year.
Long queues at registration will become
something of the past for senior students,
with the implementation of this system.
“Senior students do not need to go through
the same registration process as new
students”, the VC said to the delight of the
SRC members.
The University he said, has requested the
Chinese government to assist the Science
Faculty with two IT professors.
He further remarked that the University
was working hard to see to it that all
lecturing staff have computers. Hangula
expressed optimism that with government
and donor support, this problem will be
brought to rest.
The Vice Chancellor stressed the importance of multiculturalism,
relating his own experience as an African student
at German and French universities.
“There, you get all the different cultures of the world -
Chinese, European, Muslims, Jews and many others.
You appreciate that in the sense that you cannot visit
every single country, these cultures come to you.
It was the first time I came to know that someone from another
culture would die for me”, he continued.

UNAM Launches
Masters in Security &
Strategic Studies
In an effort to aggressively tackle
issues relating to national and
global security, the University
of Namibia recently launched a
Masters of Arts in Security and
Strategic Studies. The programme
is designed for senior security
offi cials in the public and private
sectors of Namibia, the SADC
region and the world at large.
Speaking at the launch of the programme,
Defense Minister Major General Charles
Namoloh remarked that the programme had
come at an opportune time when the security
sector was faced with new dimensions
of human security. “The need for quality,
transparent and accountable operations is
the priority of the international community.
During yester years it was not a crime for
a serving member of the troop contributing
country to have had consensual relationship
with internally displaced persons, but
nowadays it is a crime of the highest order in
the eyes of the international community.”
He further stressed the importance of
academic skills in the day-to-day activities of
the Defense Ministry, saying it is particularly
helpful in formulating cooperation accords
with foreign stakeholders. “The exercise
requires some high levels of academic
UNAM Forum 10
competencies from the operational or tactical
components to provide well informed and
researched advise to the strategic leadership
of our respective institutions that represent
the large public of our nation state.”
Deviating from his prepared speech, the
Minister urged the university academic
staff to encourage students enrolled in the
programme to do their thesis on various
aspects relating to Namibia, charging that
some foreign theses written on Namibia
contained information that was not true.
The Pro-Vice Chancellor: Administration &
Finance, Mr. Zach Kazapua, reminded the
audience that the term security has assumed
a much wider meaning in modern times, and
was no longer confi ned to the prevention of
physical harm. “The challenges are: how can
human survival be sustained in the face of
depleting resources? Why can confl icts and
wars not be prevented when technology has
advanced so much? Why should there be
such a wide gap between the developed and
the developing countries when there are so
many trainable citizens in every one of those
developing countries?”
Twenty candidates in the employment of the
Ministry of Defense are currently enrolled for
the course.
...the programme had
come at an opportune
time when the security
sector was faced
with new dimensions
of human security.
“The need for quality,
transparent and
accountable operations
is the priority of
the international
community.

Law Student urges Parliament
to Strengthen
LANDS BOARDS
Legislation
A lack of a clear cut
mandate of Communal Land
Boards activities as well as
a lack of adequate resources
are some of the stumbling
blocks hindering the
performance of these bodies.
Pic left: Julia Mushimba (right) captured here with one of her subjects during her research in
the Kavango region.
Presenting her
fi ndings on a
research she did
on Traditional
Authorities and
Biodiversity in
the Kavango
region, University
of Namibia fourth
year Masters of
Law student, Julia
Mushimba, also noted that the Directorate of
Lands does not have much powers. This she
says makes it diffi cult for it to take action
against anyone seen to be improperly using
land. “People get warnings but not much
UNAM Forum 11
is done. There is a lack of enforcement of
policies.”
While the Land Board and Ministry of
Lands need one another in their day-to-day
operations, Mushimba noted that they largely
operated as two separate entities.
Mushimba also spoke to representatives of
the Kavango Tradition Authority and some
Oshiwambo speaking farmers over the
latters’ eviction from the Kavango region.
She told the session that some of the farmers
have been living in the Kavango Region
for about twenty years. Chief Mpasi Sitentu
of the Kavango maintained that he had
only given permission to eight Oshiwambo
speaking farmers to settle in the area. The
eight apparently invited cousins and friends,
who came in with their livestock.
Her colleague Ray Rukoro who researched
the Ovitoto area expressed concern
with what he termed as a high level of
overgrazing in the area. He highlighted the
non-recognition of the Traditional Authority in
the area by government, as well as the nonrecognition
of Ovitoto as a communal area in
the communal land act as some key factors
hindering the protection of bio-diversity in the
area.

Graduation 2007 Pi
UNAM Forum 12

ctorial Highlights...
UNAM Forum 13

SENIOR MANAGEMENT
Appointments
Prof Osmund D Mwandemele
Pro-Vice Chancellor: Academic Affairs and Research
The University of Namibia Council
earlier this year appointed Prof.
Osmund Damian Mwandemele
as Pro-Vice Chancellor:
Academic Affairs and Research,
and Ms. Ellen Ndeshi Namhila
as the University Librarian.
Prof. Mwandemele was the Founding
Director of UNAM’s Sam Nujoma Marine
and Coastal Resources Research Centre
in Henties Bay. He completed his Bachelors
of Science degree at the University of Dar
es Salaam in 1976, followed by a Masters
Degree in 1978 at the same institution. He
then enrolled for a Ph.D degree with the
University of Sidney in Australia, which
he completed in 1983. Prof. Mwandemele
has a proven track record of academic
accomplishments, administrative leadership
and the ability to confront new challenges
facing higher education. He has 30 years
of teaching and research experience at
university level. Of these, 18 years were in
various senior university management and
administration levels, among them:
• Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science
at the University of Dar es Salaam from
1988 to 1990;
• Professor and Director of the Graduate
School at Egerton University in Njoro,
Kenya from 1990 to 1995; and
• Founding Dean of the Faculty of
Agriculture & Natural Resources of
UNAM Forum 14
the University of Namibia from 1995 to
2004.
Prof. Mwandemele also enjoys enormous
recognition from internationally acclaimed
organisations among them:
• He was selected as Scientifi c Advisor of
the International Foundation for Science
based in Stockholm, Sweden (3 year
period);
• Nominated as one of the top 20 African
scientists to be founding members of
the College of Research Associates of
the United Nations University Institute
of Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-
INRA); and
• Was appointed as Honorary Professor of
the Institute of Tropical and Sub-tropical
Agriculture of the Czech Agricultural
University.
Before this appointment, Ellen
Ndeshi Namhila was the
Director: Namibia Library
and Archives Services in the
Ministry of Education. In that
portfolio, Namhila managed 60
community libraries throughout Namibia, 17
ministerial libraries in different government
agencies and departments. Her directorate
oversaw the professional training and
procurement of educational materials for 1
800 school libraries in Namibia. She is no
stranger to the University of Namibia, having
Ms Ellen Ndeshi Namhila
University Librarian
previously worked as a Researcher for the
Multi-Disciplinary Research Centre. She has
a Master of Social Science Degree in Library
and Information Sciences from the University
of Tampere in Finland.
She serves on numerous national and
international boards apart from her full-time
career, which include:
• Member of the Executive Board of the
Eastern and Southern African Branch
of the International Council on Archives
(since 2002);
• Honorary member of the Finnish Library
Association;
• Chairperson of the Association of
Parliamentary Libraries in Eastern and
Southern Africa APLESA from 1996 to
1999;
• Chairperson of the Namibian Information
Workers Association (NIWA) from 1995
to 2001;
• Vice Chairperson of the Archives of Anti-
Colonial Resistance and the Liberation
Struggle Project National Steering
Committee since 2001; and
• Chairperson of the National Heritage
Council in compliance with the National
Heritage Act.
The two appointees not only bring a wealth
of knowledge and skills to the University, but
tremendous institutional knowledge.

EU Funds
Research on
MARAMA BEANS
This crop is
only found
in Namibia,
South Africa
and Botswana.
It is considered
as a very
important crop
as it contains
high levels of
protein.
The University of Namibia
received 153 870 Euros
(N$1,4 million) from
the Eurpoean Union to
conduct research on the
“Development of Innovative
& Helpful Marama Beans
(Tylose ma Esculentum)
products Targeting Niche Markets”.
This crop is only found in Namibia, South
Africa and Botswana. It is considered as a
very important crop as it contains high levels
UNAM Forum 15
Petrina Kapewangolo
of protein. In Namibia, this crop is found in
Okakarara, Otjiwarongo and Sandveld in the
Gobabis area.
A Masters of Science student, Petrina
Kapewangolo, will conduct the study under
the supervision of the Head of Chemistry
Department Dr. Martha Kandawa-Schulz.
As part of the project, Kapewangolo will also
travel to the University of Botswana and to
the Royal Veterinary University in Denmark
for collaboration and research with fellow
researchers.
Photo: Utaara Hoveka
This is the second phase of the study. There
fi rst phase focused on the under-utilisation of
this crop. It was also funded by the EU with a
grant of 49 839 Euros (roughly N$470 000).
The main objectives of the study include
knowledge generation as there is limited
research on this crop, as well as capacity
building. Through this collaboration, the
University acquired a number of much
needed modern scientifi c equipment for the
Chemistry Department.

Prof André Du Pisani
FRENCH
Government
Honours
two
UNAM
ACADEMICS
Prof Volker Gretschel
Prof Du Pisani... the award signals that the
University of Namibia is recognised as
“a space that produces ideas
and critical thinkers”.
Prof Gretschel... It shows that the University
of Namibia has delivered a job of high
professional value and performance”.
The French Government
honoured two University
of Namibia academics,
Prof. Volker Gretschel
and Prof. Andre Du
Pisani, as well as
former Deputy Minister
of Education Hon.
Buddy Wentworth.
The awards were conferred on the three
by the French Education Minister, Gilles
de Robien, during his visit to Namibia late
last year. Prof. Gretschel who is a French
specialist and the Dean of the Faculty
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of Humanities and Social Sciences was
honoured for his “outstanding” contribution
to the French language and culture.
Prof. Gretschel expressed gratitude for
the award, saying it came as a surprise.
“I was very proud of it because it was the
first time my commitment to French was
honoured. It shows that the University
of Namibia has delivered a job of high
professional value and performance”, the
proud academic remarked.
His colleague in the Faculty of
Management and Economics Sciences
Prof. Andre Du Pisani who received the
Chevalier Palme Academique Award
was equally proud. “It is in recognition
of my contribution to critical scholarship
and public debate in the country since
independence. It is actually recognition of
dialogue and public debate. Democracy is
dead without discourse,” Prof. Du Pisani
said. He added that the award signals that
the University of Namibia is recognised as
“a space that produces ideas and critical
thinkers”.

I-TEC
Donates Equipment
to
Health Faculty
The International Training
Education College has donated
equipment valued at N$30 000
to the Faculty of Medical and
Health Sciences at UNAM.
The equipment includes two
computers, two printers and a photocopier
amongst others.
Speaking at the ceremony, Dean of the
Faculty Dr. Lischen Haoses-Gorases
expressed appreciation at the gesture,
saying the institute has been at the aide
of her faculty during difficult times. She
noted that I-TEC is currently paying the
salaries of three assistant lecturers and
four part-time lecturers. The lecturers
are assisting with clinical teaching and
theoretical lectures. “I am very touched by
your continuous assistance and support”.
She borrowed from American writer and
poet Waldo Emerson to emphasise her
gratitude: “Happiness is a perfume you
cannot pour on others without getting a
few drops on yourself’.”
In addition, the organisation has enabled
the faculty staff to receive short-courses
in various health related courses, among
them TB guidelines, Opportunistic
Infections, Prevention of Mother to Child
Transmission of HIV and AIDS and
voluntary counselling and testing.
Photo: Utaara Hoveka
I-TEC donated equipment to the value of N$30 000 to the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences. In the front row with some of the donated equipment are I-TEC
Deputy Director for Training Alexina Muadinohamba, I-TEC Country Director Lee Pyne-Mercier and Dean of the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences Dr. Lischen
Haoses-Gorases. Other members of the Faculty were also present to witness the handover of the donated equipment.
UNAM Forum 17

CATHOLIC CHURCH
Supports Students
The Catholic Church has
donated N$22 000 for the
purchase of prescribed
textbooks, to 11 students at
the University of Namibia
and the Polytechnic of
Namibia. The 11 students
each received an amount of N$2 000.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Director
of the UNAM Foundation, Mr. Donovan
Weimers praised the church for its “history
of social involvement”. Weimers noted with
delight that the church’s contribution to the
book fund has increased dramatically over
the years. “We started off with two-to-three
students a year and the grant was about N$1
000, now the number of benefi ciaries and
the amount has increased.”
Echoing his remarks was UNAM Foundation
Offi ce Administrator Barbara van der
Westhuizen who praised the church for
going beyond the book fund, and assisting
academically deserving students with
tuition fees. In 2005 the fi rst study loan was
made available to a Cameroonian refugee
who wished to complete a Business
Administration degree. Since its inception,
the Fund has attracted the interest of
international Catholic parishes who wish
to participate in some way in uplifting the
gifted but socially downtrodden sons and
daughters of Africa.
Father Winfried Deing of the Catholic Church
reaffi rmed his church’s solidarity with the
less fortunate. “Our budget is very tight at the
moment as we are busy extending our own
facilities, but we still found it appropriate to
contribute to the book fund despite our tight
fi nancial position,” he said.
The Catholic Book Fund has its roots in a
conversation between UNAM Foundation Offi ce
Administrator Barbara van der Westhuizen and
Father Winfried Deing. It started with an initial
amount of N$7 500 in the year 2001, and has
grown to over N$120 000.
Reverend of the Catholic Church Father Winfried Deing (center) with bursary recipients and staff members of the university.
UNAM Forum 18

WTO Appoints
UNAM Law Lecturer
as its Expert for Namibia
Law lecturer Dr. Olivier
Chrisitian Ruppel was
recently appointed as
a regional expert on
Namibia, by the World
Trade Organisation. Apart
UNAM Forum 19
from providing advice on
environmental issues and
the law, he will also be running a course
on Regional Trade & Policy. He will further
be involved in cultivating standards of
excellence in research.
“It is a great honour for me to make a
contribution to something which brings the
Law Faculty and the University of Namibia
into the limelight in the outside world,”
Ruppel told the UNAM Forum.
Dr. Ruppel studied law and languages at
the University of Lausanne in Switzerland,
as well as the universities of Passau and
Munich in Germany.
He served as a legal practitioner’s trainee
before obtainining his Master of Law
degree in Public Law from the University of
Photo: Utaara Hoveka
Stellenbosch in South Africa in the year 2000.
He also has a doctoral degree in law from
the University of Pressburg in Slovakia.
He was one of the fi rst lawyers to be
awarded a Master of Mediation degree from
the University of Hagen in Germany, with a
specialisation in economic and environmental
extrajudicial settlement.
Dr. Ruppel is a founding member of the
United Nations Environmental Programme’s
(UNEP) and the Association of Environmental
Law Lecturers in African Universities
(ASSELLAU).
He enjoys interacting with students and
colleagues in his department. “I have
personal contacts with students, which is
not possible in European universities where
I have taught before because of the high
number of students,” he said.
Dr. Ruppel is married and has a daughter.
“It is a great
honour for
me to make a
contribution
to something
which brings
the Law
Faculty and
the University
of Namibia
into the
limelight in
the outside
world”

Photo: Utaara Hoveka
NEWLY APPOINTED CEO
of Sanlam Investment
...ALUMNI CORNER
Management Company
Focus, perseverance and hard-work
even in the face of harassment
from apartheid authorities have
paid off for UNAM Alumnus and
newly appointed CEO of Sanlam
Investment Management company
Tega ya Shiimi. Ya Shimi is a
Bachelor of Accounting graduate
who has worked his way up to this
hot seat, having previously worked
as Premium Clerk, Broker Consultant
and Country Manager.
UNAM Forum 20
He recently shared his professional
and personal experiences with
UNAM Forum.
UF: Tega, give us a brief background
about your yourself?
TS: I grew up in the Donkerhoek suburb
in Windhoek. I got a scholarship from
the Catholic Church to go to St. Paul.
It was hard growing up in the heart of
apartheid. As you know Donkerhoek
was a target of the apartheid authorities
because of Swapo activism in the area.
We were harassed and persecuted by
the authorities at the time. It was even
tough going to school. One needed to
create smart ways of getting to school. I
remember waking up at 5 o’clock in the
morning, getting on my bicycle and taking
the back roads to Klein Windhoek in order
to attend school.
UF: How was it like living in an area
regarded as low class, and going to school
in a fairly affluent suburb?
TS: It opened my eyes to understand
classism at its ultimate peak, going to
school with predominantly privileged kids

who were so naive towards blacks, the
Katutura neighbourhood and the struggle
for independence, and on the other hand,
staying with mates you grew up with who
did not go to school. It is a dichotomy of
worlds that I experienced on a daily basis.
That experience has made me understand
the dynamics of companies like Sanlam.
These human traits make me understand
what excites people and what discourages
them.
UF: How would you tie in that experience
with your current portfolio?
TS: My job as CEO involves matching
people and processes to management
expectations. It is highly technical. One
has to show an understanding of people,
because it is people who drive these
processes. Some people like being
praised with money, while others prefer a
holiday or praise in the media. You also
have to be tough minded when it comes
to principles of the mandate that you are
given. You cannot forget the underlying
responsibility.
UF: What would you say to students
aspiring to enter the insurance industry
and those dreaming of becoming CEOs?
TS: You need to be good on the
technical side. You need to have general
analytical skills, accounting, finance
& mathematics. You need a lot of self
confidence, you really need to believe
in yourself. You need to sacrifice and
be willing to admit mistakes. Just
before you came in, I was talking to
someone who was telling me that the
latest inflation figure is 6.9%. Now, our
thinking was that inflation would be at
6% this time of the year. The reality is
that it is higher than we expected. We
now need to look at the impact this will
have on portfolios and the expectation
of our clients.
So you need to be on the ball about
world financial and capital markets,
and geo-political factors. You also need
to be aware of people’s perceptions
and the knock on effect this can have.
You must be able to absorb a lot of
information.
UNAM Forum 21
UF: How did you get to where you are?
TS: I joined the Sanlam Group as Country
Manager to start of the fi rst third party
investment management and portfolio
company. We are involved in providing
portfolio administration and accounting
services to Sanlam Investment Management.
I was running the back and front offi ce
operations which were later consolidated into
one. I was then appointed as Chief Operating
Offi cer for Sanlam Investment Management.
Along the way I took on new responsibilities
in preparation for my current role as CEO of
Sanlam Investment Management.
UF: Where do you see yourself in the next
fi ve years?
TS: I would like to see myself contributing to
economic growth substantially, whether it is
in the form of changing policy or perceptions,
opening up doors and avenues for other
young people to add value. Old people are
very complacent and do not really look for
exciting challenges.
UF: Any plans of getting married?
TS…Haaah….I am still checking out. The
time is not right. I won’t fully give of myself
right now and it would be unfair to whoever is
to become my partner. I get up at fi ve o’clock
in the morning and go to sleep slightly after
midnight. There has been pressure from the
family and colleagues that I get married.
They say a person in my position has to
show some stability.
UF: Who comes to mind as the most
important person in your life and why?
TS: There are a lot of people who have
contributed to what I am. But if you ask me
to single out one person, it will be my mother,
because of her ability to reassure me of her
believe in me. She has been there through
it all.
UF: What was your most embarrassing
moment?
TS: It was when I was still a student, waking
up in Swakopmund not actually knowing I
was there. I have never really quite recovered
from that.
You need to
be good on
the technical
side. You
need to have
general
analytical
skills,
accounting,
fi nance &
mathematics.
You need a
lot of self
confi dence,
you really
need to
believe in
yourself.
You need to
sacrifi ce and
be willing
to admit
mistakes.

Photo: Utaara Hoveka
UNAM Forum 22
UNAM Student
Prof. Dianne Ashton (right) from the Special Needs
Unit who mobilised funds for Nanyeni’s operation
After years of living with
a hearing disability lost
during early childhood,
University of Namibia
Education student Paul
Nanyeni had his hearing
ability restored following
an operation to the value of about N$2 million
in the United States.
“I can now talk and hear. I am able to
communicate with my mother on the phone. I
am very thankful to the University of Namibia”,
a proud Nanyeni told
Vice Chancellor Prof.
Lazarus Hangula.
American born Prof.
Dianne Ashton from the
Special Needs Unit in
the Faculty of Education mobilised funding
for Nanyeni’s operation. She forwarded
a video tape of Nanyeni to U.S medical
practitioners, who all volunteered their
services free of charge. “It was the company
that manufactured the device, the doctors,
the hospital, the surgeons that all volunteered
their services”, said Prof. Ashton.
Describing Prof. Ashton as a “special angel
of our age”, Prof. Hangula expressed
appreciation at her fundraising efforts which
eventually saw Nanyeni having his hearing
has
Hearing
Ability
Restored
ability restored. “This is a very wonderful
act of humanism”, he compassionately
remarked. Prof. Hangula enlightened
Prof. Ashton about the possibility of the
university sending Nanyeni on a staff
development fellowship to complete his
Masters Degree overseas. “We will do
everything possible to see him progress.”
The University has a Special Needs Unit,
which Prof. Hangula wants to see Nanyeni
make a contribution to.
Nanyeni on his part said he would work
hard to encourage more students to take up
studies at university level. He also wishes
to design a sign language dictionary for
Namibia, which he says would hopefully
encourage more teachers to learn sign
language.
UNAM signs MOU with
Nanchang University
The University of Namibia continues to build partnerships with academic institutions around
the world, the latest being the Nanchang University in China. Under a Memorandum of
Understanding signed between chief executive offi cers of the two academic institutions,
the two universities have agreed to exchange academic staff and students for “practical
experiences and research.”
They further agreed to exchange “scholarly and pedagogical materials” as well as carry
out joint research, amongst others. The two institutions will jointly fund the implementation
of the agreement.

NAMCOR
PPS
Photo: Utaara Hoveka
Photo: Emilia Aniceto-van Wyk
Pic above: Namcor donated N$30 000 towards
UNAM’s graduation ceremony. Director of
Communications & Marketing, Edwin Tjiramba
(right) received the donation on behalf of the
University from Namcor’s newly appointed
Managing Director, Sam Beukes.
INVESTEC
LL.B students Fiona Fortuin (far left) and Ndilimeke Amunyela (far right) each received an
amount of N$4000 to cover for their book fees. They are pictured with UNAM Foundation’s
Director Donavan Weimers and PPS Namibia Managing Director Magareth Bennett.
Pic below: Investec gave bursaries to the value of N$100 600 to four UNAM students in the fi elds of
accounting and economics. In the photo is Investec’s CEO James Hatuikulipi (second left, back row),
Director of the UNAM Foundation Mr. Donavan Weimers (far right) with the bursary recipients and Investec
staff members.
Photo: Utaara Hoveka
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