The University continues to build relationships with strategic stakeholders from in and outside the country. On 4 December 2024, the University leadership welcomed a delegation from the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). The visit was the outcome of a meeting between MUT’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal and NUST Vice-Chancellor, Professor Prof Erold Naomab. The two leaders talked about having bilateral relations that would focus of the strategic aspects of the institutions. Each was wanted to have their delegation visiting the other’s university because they had identified areas that they felt their institutions could collaborate on. Professor Naomab said the “primary aims of the visit was to strengthen the relationship between his institution and MUT in all areas of mutual interest”.
During the discussion at the University’s Council Chamber, the focus of the talks fell on the Governance Architecture; Technology Transfer, Entrepreneurship; Academic Programmes and the articulation arrangements between MUT programmes and the TVET Colleges’ programmes, and the how MUT deals with students that do not qualify for its academic programmes; and Health Sciences. In his Vice-Chancellor’s presentation, it became clear that NUST has a very strong science and technology outlook, that MUT leadership showed great interest in tapping into. NUST, which, according to Professor Naomab, has been declared as ‘best institution in research’, also focuses its research efforts water, energy, food nexus, health and climate change, and digital humanities, among others.
NUST leadership showed great interest in these areas, particularly Governance Architecture, Technology Transfer, academic programme-related issues and Health Sciences issues. MUT leadership gave responses to questions and suggestion that NUST staff had on these areas. For instance, MUT Chief Governance Officer in the office of the Registrar, Mangaliso Khomo, explained MUT governance issues in great details, emphasising why an institution needs to have statutes that create stability, and harmony between its governing structures. Khomo added that MUT was still making improvements in its governing structures to ensure the smooth running of the Institution. Professor Alfred Msomi, Dean of the Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences, and Dr Kevin Ramsarghey, Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, explained the academic programmes improvements, and how MUT deals with TVET-related issues. Both institutions have had to make adjust to their new circumstances – from being a technikon, in the case of MUT, and from being a poly-technic institution, to being a universities of technology. Most of their decisions are as a result of having to meet the necessities of these adjustments they need to do.
Professor Naomab hailed MUT for caring for learners from difficult backgrounds, and said that they also had the same problem, however, they felt they should focus on the primary roles of a university. “We took took that as civic responsibility, but still stuck to what defines us as a university because the problem was not our responsibility. That is why they are asking MUT about the extended programmes because they have the same problem. How do you structure your bridging programmes, we want to know; your articulation with TVET Colleges,” he said. He added that their decision has now created a gap between them and the TVETs. “I think we went a bit too far,” he said. The NUST delegation also asked how the diplomas offered by MUT relate to the degrees. Professor Alfred, Dean of the Faculty of Applied and Health Sciences, and Dr Kevin Ramsarghey, Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences, said that diplomas lead to advanced diplomas, then to Postgraduate Diplomas; the last two are equivalent to the two initial degrees, and can lead up to PhD.