More than 2 400 graduate from NUST

Harnessing the power of the youthCelebrating the success of students at this virtual winter graduation ceremony of NUST
Rovaldo Kavanga
Michelline Nawatises

Pull Quote: “Congratulations! You have earned your qualification and rightfully deserves the best accolades,” - Vice-Chancellor, Dr Erold Naomab

The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) celebrated the prestigious occasion virtually for the third time, where more than 2 400 students graduated on 25 June 2021. Traditionally, the ceremony is held face-to-face, but due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, and to limit exposing the campus community to the virus, the event took place online.

The university’s theme for the year 2021 academic year is ‘Re-Envisioning Higher Education in a post-Covid Era’. The vice-chancellor, Dr Erold Naomab, said the graduation ceremony was significant for several key reasons. Firstly, the occasion marked an end to a turbulent journey for the graduates as each student caps their success and achievements.

He mentioned that this moment carries significant national interest and impact. “Today we have harnessed the power of the youth and exploited the demographic dividend,” he said. He added that this graduation was significant because the qualifications awarded reflect the emergence of the future of jobs as the fourth industrial revolution-ready generation leaps into the future. The fourth industrial revolution will generate great benefits and big challenges in equal measures.

“Congratulations! You have earned your qualification and rightfully deserves the best accolades,” he said.

Working towards closing the gap

The minister of higher education technology and innovation, Dr Itah Kandjii-Murangi, delivered the keynote address. This year, 958 candidates graduated with a STEM qualification from the faculties of computing and informatics, engineering, health and applied sciences, and in natural resources and spatial sciences, and 1902 in the human and management sciences.

“NUST has proven to be at the forefront of responding to the Namibian economy’s human capital demands. If we continue with the current output, I am confident we can meet the demand,” she said.

In addition, NUST is gradually closing the gap between graduates in the STEM fields and non-STEM fields. This year, about 35% of the graduates are in the STEM fields – signifying continuous growth in this respect.

This graduation is also particularly significant to its mandate as a technological university, because it illustrates that at NUST, research, science, technology and innovation continues to take centre stage. This year, about 60% of the 91 master’s degrees are conferred in the STEM fields.

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Republikein 2025-05-09

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