“So happy for my students. Another scientific exposure with the experts in a foreign country, thanks to the University of Namibia, Bremen University, the ERASMUS programme of the University of Bremen, and the German-African Innovation Incentive Award (GAIIA).”

That is how Prof. Lydia Ndinelao Horn summed up a two-week trip to Germany, where she and 2 of her research students took part in the IoT AgriConnect Summer Camp 2026, hosted by the University of Bremen from 17 to 28 August 2026.

The camp, part of the wider AgriConnect project, connects information technology with sustainable farming. Participants worked through three technical tracks: sensors and data acquisition to monitor crop health; machine learning for precision farming; and the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in food systems.

For the UNAM team, the camp was a chance to link these tools to the field research they are already doing at home.

Mr. Atanasius Haingura Siwogedi, a first-year MPhil student in Microbiology and Biotechnology in UNAM’s School of Science, gained practical skills in isolating and analysing root-nodule bacteria from Bambara groundnut grown in Namibian soils.

“The experience deepened my understanding of how beneficial soil bacteria can improve crop production, soil fertility and food security while supporting sustainable agriculture in Namibia,” he explained.

For Ms. Eufenia Arexander, an MPhil candidate in Crop Science based at UNAM’s Ogongo Campus, hands-on training in DNA extraction, PCR and sequence analysis was a first.

“My recent research at the University of Bremen completely opened my eyes to the world of microbiology and molecular biology.

Now, I am incredibly eager to bring these skills back home,” she shared.

The visit grows out of a long-standing partnership between Prof. Horn and Prof. Dr. Barbara Reinhold-Hurek of the University of Bremen.

In 2024, the pair received the third German-African Innovation Incentive Award (GAIIA) from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, worth up to €150,000 (about N$2.9 million).

Their project, “Advancement of the Namibian Agricultural Production Systems through Inoculants for Nutritious Food Practices Using Bambara Groundnut”, centres on Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea), a protein-rich, climate-resilient African legume.

By introducing regionally adapted biofertilisers and beneficial bacteria, the team aims to raise yields, combat malnutrition and stunting, and secure food sovereignty for small-scale farmers in northern Namibia.

“Our partnership with UNAM has always been about building capacity on both sides.

“Seeing the Namibian students apply new digital tools to their Bambara groundnut research and learn modern genetic techniques in our lab to characterize the Namibian soil bacteria, shows how this collaboration can grow into lasting solutions for smallholder farmers,” reflected Prof. Reinhold-Hurek.

For UNAM, the exchange gives students direct access to international experts and emerging technology, helping to close the gap between laboratory research and field application.

“Our students work with Bambara groundnut farmers in northern Namibia to bring research out of the lab and journals to the field and improve production.

“In Bremen, they saw how sensors and data can tell us what is happening in the soil and the crop as it happens. That is how we bring the laboratory to the farmer’s field,” explained Prof. Horn.

The exchange was supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD, ERASMUS) and the GAIIA grant.

A teaching mobility visits by Dr. Misitilde Jonas-Iita of the University of Namibia (UNAM) to the University of Education Freiburg, Germany, has reinforced a growing academic partnership focused on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), adult learning, and sustainable development.

Although the visit took place from 10 – 18 July 2025, its relevance continues to resonate strongly as the two institutions deepen collaboration initiated during an academic exchange in March 2024, when Freiburg scholars first visited UNAM and jointly identified the need for specialised teaching seminars on IKS.

The eight-day programme, funded by the University of Education Freiburg, centred around a three-day teaching seminar attended by master’s students in the Department of Adult Education & Continuing Education.

The seminar explored the significance of Indigenous Knowledge in contemporary society, its role in sustainable development, and its relevance to adult education and community learning. Dr. Jonas-Iita noted that her sessions aimed to “help students recognise that Indigenous Knowledge has always existed in their own lives, even when they didn’t know it by name.”

Across the seminar series, students engaged in group work, reflective activities, and interviews with family members aimed at rediscovering Indigenous practices within their own cultures. “Many students were surprised to realise how much of what they consider everyday knowledge is rooted in Indigenous practices passed down across generations,” she said.

A visit to spark many more

A significant highlight was the discussion on the Ovahimba community’s health-related Indigenous Knowledge, which sparked deep interest among the students. According to Dr. Jonas-Iita, “their curiosity showed how powerful Indigenous Knowledge can be in informing sustainable health practices, especially in rural contexts.”

The visit also included academic engagements with Freiburg colleagues, facilitated by Dr. Verena Raïssa Bodenbender of the International Office, who played a key role in coordinating the exchange. These discussions explored the possibilities for future collaboration with the Department of Higher Education and Lifelong Learning.

The experience enriched Dr. Jonas-Iita’s teaching practice, deepened her expertise in IKS, and strengthened her capacity for cross-cultural academic engagement. The visit, she reflected, reaffirmed that “Indigenous Knowledge remains a vital catalyst for sustainable development, cultural identity and education.”

The collaboration continues to build momentum, positioning UNAM and the University of Education Freiburg as committed partners in advancing culturally responsive and globally connected teaching and learning.

Eleven engineers made history at the UNAM Leisure Centre on 09 November 2026, graduating as the first International Welding Engineers (IWEs) trained on Namibian soil.

Seven have already secured positions with companies, and the other four are going through placement processes.

The University of Namibia delivered the programme with the Association for Welding and Allied Processes of Namibia (WeldNAM) from 13 April to 21 August 2026.

It follows the International Institute of Welding (IIW) system, giving graduates the world’s most sought-after welding qualification.

Nine graduates were sponsored through UNAM’s RealTest Project, funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and implemented with the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL).

WeldNAM member companies sponsored the other two.

In a keynote delivered on-line by the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Kenneth Matengu, he called the graduates pioneers. “You are not merely graduating into an industry. You are helping to build an industry.”

Skills for green hydrogen, energy and mining and the region 

The graduates are equipped for material selection, weldability assessment, inspection and quality assurance – skills needed in green hydrogen, oil and gas, mining, marine engineering and infrastructure.

The RealTest proposal anticipates a need for about 5,000 welding personnel over five years.

Prof. Dr. Matengu urged industry to employ the graduates. “Let us move from importing expertise to developing expertise, from participating in industrial development to leading it, and from possessing resources to creating lasting national value.”

“Every pipeline, pressure vessel and steel structure in these new industries depends on welds done right.

“With these 11 engineers, Namibian companies can meet international quality requirements with Namibian expertise,” stressed Dr. Thomas Alweendo, Chief Executive Officer of WeldNAM and Senior Lecturer in UNAM’s Department of Mechanical & Metallurgical Engineering.

He is also the representative for the whole African continent in the International Authorisation Board (IAB) of the IIW.

Prof. Thomas Böllinghaus, RealTest Project Principal, Acting Director of the Institute for Advanced & Applied Research and Technical Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor at UNAM, explained that the project was designed to make green hydrogen technologies safer.

Because these technologies depend on welded metallic components, they demand the highest levels of quality and reliability.

“We are humbled and proud that BMFTR is funding this immensely important course through the RealTest Project,” he acknowledged.

He described the UNAM course as a flagship: it is currently the only IWE course in sub-Saharan Africa, authorised by WeldNAM as the Authorised National Body (ANB) for Namibia, and is run under UNAM’s new Institute for Advanced and Applied Research.

“We strongly believe in the synergies between science, education and industry, and these 11 graduates are a marvellous outcome, as they are now qualified to work as leaders in industry, education or research,” enthused Prof. Böllinghaus.

“The next three cohorts will strengthen this process even further.”

“These 11 engineers prove that world-class welding education can be delivered right here in Namibia.

“Our next step is postgraduate study, applied research with industry and training that serves the whole Southern African region,” asserted Prof. Paul Kah, Professor of Welding Engineering at UNAM.

RealTest provides scholarships for 40 IWEs by 2028, especially for women and applicants from underrepresented regions in our country.

However, this funded scholarship model already serves as an impressive example and further organizations and industry partners have already declared interest to join in.

UNAM’s School of Manufacturing Engineering & Technology is now in place, and its Master’s in Manufacturing Engineering is accepting online applications for 2027 until 16 November 2026.

These synergistic collaborations represent a major contribution to emerge Namibia as a flagship country for welding and manufacturing technologies in Africa.

When someone collapses from cardiac arrest, the first few minutes decide whether they live.

Thanks to a new accreditation, more Namibians will soon know exactly what to do in those minutes.

The University of Namibia first started its accreditation process on 01 October 2025 as an American Heart Association (AHA) Training Site, and effective 09 November 2026 received full accreditation status.

This makes UNAM the only university in Namibia accredited to deliver certified AHA life-support training.

The UNAM BLS and First Aid Training Office in the School of Nursing & Public Health at the Main Campus runs the site, offering AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) and Heartsaver First Aid courses. All 12 UNAM campuses countrywide are accredited training sites too, bringing the courses within reach across the country.

Three staff members completed AHA instructor training at Emergency Care Education, an accredited AHA International Training Centre in Durban, South Africa.

The UNAM Training Site Administrators are Justa Davids and Hernengaten Konjore, and Training Site Coordinator Benjamin Manetti.

“Being the only university in Namibia with this accreditation is a responsibility as much as an honour.

“Our students can now earn an internationally recognised certificate right here at UNAM,” said Ms. Davids, who is also a lecturer in the School of Nursing & Public Health.

In October 2026, the office certified its first cohort: 67 Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy students trained in AHA BLS.

The certificates are valid for two years and meet the professional practice requirements of the Health Professions Council of Namibia (HPCNA).

The courses are not only for health students.

They require no medical background and are open to UNAM staff and students, healthcare professionals, companies and members of the public.

“You do not need to be a nurse or a doctor to save a life. Anyone, from a student to an office worker, can learn the skills to act in an emergency,” said Mr. Manetti, also a lecturer in the school.

The office is now working towards accreditation for Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Paediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), International Trauma Life Support (ITLS) and Advanced Stroke Life Support (ASLS).

Together with Emergency Care Education, UNAM aims to grow from a training site into Namibia’s first full AHA International Training Centre.

Individuals and companies interested in training or quotations can contact Justa Davids (davidsj@unam.na) or Benjamin Manetti (BManetti@unam.na) at the School of Nursing & Public Health.

High in the Khomas Highlands, where some of the world’s most powerful telescopes scan the southern sky for gamma rays, UNAM astronomers welcomed a visitor from well beyond the world of science.

On 01 July 2026, H.E. Radosław Sikorski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, led a high-level Polish delegation to the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.).

The visit formed part of the Deputy Prime Minister’s official engagement in Namibia, which focused on investment, trade and economic cooperation. It also put the spotlight on a quieter area of partnership between the two countries: astronomy.

H.E.S.S. is one of the world’s leading very-high-energy gamma-ray observatories.

It studies some of the most energetic phenomena in the Universe, including supernova remnants, pulsars, binary systems and active galaxies powered by supermassive black holes.

Namibia’s location offers excellent observing conditions and access to the southern sky.

The international H.E.S.S. collaboration brings together scientists and institutions from 14 countries.

UNAM is a founding member, while Poland has been active for 20 years through institutions such as the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw and the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw.

The delegation toured the observatory and learnt how the telescopes operate, the science they enable and the collaboration behind them.

They were joined by Prof. Rafał Moderski, Director of the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center and leader of the Polish H.E.S.S. group, and Prof. Tomasz Bulik, Director of the Astronomical Observatory of the University of Warsaw.

Prof. Michael Backes, Head of Astrophysics Research at UNAM and of the Namibian H.E.S.S. group, accompanied the visitors.

“H.E.S.S. serves not only as a research platform, but also as a platform for education, diplomacy and international partnership,” said Prof. Backes.

“While the telescopes are designed to observe the Universe at extremely high energies, the project itself depends on cooperation between people, institutions and countries.”

Growing Namibia’s own astronomers

Two UNAM PhD students in astrophysics, Tuwilika Simon and Hiiko Katjaita, also took part in the visit; a reflection of the role that student training and local capacity development play in Namibia’s growing astronomy landscape.

“Through its involvement in H.E.S.S., UNAM continues to create opportunities for Namibian students and researchers to participate in internationally recognised scientific work,” said Katjaita.

For UNAM, the visit was more than a tour of a scientific facility.

It reaffirmed Namibia’s place within a network of world-class research and strengthened the country’s position as a destination for future astronomical facilities, such as the Africa Millimetre Telescope.

“With sustained involvement from UNAM and international partners, Namibia’s clear and pristine skies continue to support discoveries that reach far beyond its borders,” said Simon.

Written by Hiiko Katjaita & Tuwilika Simon.

Five University of Namibia students have won a special prize at the Global HackAtom international student championship in Russia.

The prize earns the team, NamHack Innovators, a place at the Obninsk Tech Summer School in 2027.

The team competed in the grand final in Ekaterinburg on 14 and 15 September 2026, held during the Rosatom-backed International Festival of Youth.

More than 80 national-round winners from 15 countries made the final.

Finalists had just over 20 hours to design digital and energy-efficient solutions for future “atomic cities” and present them to judges.

The Namibian concept ranked highly in the Obninsk Tech track, which secured the team direct entry to the 2027 summer programme without further qualifying rounds.

The team is made up of second-year Bachelor of Computing students Muhammad Garba (24), Lemmy Nyambe (21) and Tylan-Dre Murorua (23), second-year Bachelor of Science in Physics student Lazarus Ndango (23), and fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Computer Science student Catherine Beukes (22).

They were mentored by Mr. Meinolf Simbenda of the Department of Computing, Mathematical and Statistical Sciences.

“Our students have proven that Namibian youth are fully equipped to drive global technological breakthroughs,” said Simbenda.

“Securing direct entry into the Obninsk Tech Summer Institute highlights the immense potential of our institutions to address real-world energy and digital challenges through interdisciplinary innovation.”

He invited ministries, industry and business to put that talent to work. “If you have a problem, approach the department and present your case study.

“This team built a concept for a city of the future in 20 hours. Our students are hungry for real challenges, and together we can solve them.”

For Beukes, the competition confirmed what Namibian students can do.

“We came from different programmes, and that was our strength.

“Standing next to teams from 15 countries, we realised we belong there.”

Ndango sees a direct link back home.

“Energy is a Namibian question, not only a global one. I want to bring what we learn in Obninsk back to solve problems here.”

Nyambe, who led the team, said the journey showed the value of working across disciplines.

“Leading this team from the national round to Ekaterinburg showed me what we can achieve when Computing and Physics work together.

“We delivered under pressure against the best in the world, and we’re ready to take that experience to Obninsk in 2027.”

The summer school is run by the Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering at the National Research Nuclear University MEPhI.

It offers participants deeper study of nuclear science and technology alongside industry experts.

The team’s road to Ekaterinburg began on 04 April 2026, when it beat 20 groups at the Namibian national round.

Experts from MEPhI, the Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University named after R. E. Alekseev, and UNAM judged the round together.

Fifty learners at Cause Primary School, a rural school in the Kavango West Region, can now attend classes with renewed dignity and confidence after receiving new school uniforms from the University of Namibia’s Rundu Campus Uniform Project on 07 October 2026.

The donation brings to 179 the number of learners the staff-driven project has supported at four primary schools in the Kavango East and Kavango West regions since 2024, at a cost of N$66,315 to date.

The idea was born during School-Based Studies (SBS) evaluations, when concerns were raised about learners from poor households who attend school in incomplete uniforms, or without warm clothing and shoes in winter.

“A child without a full uniform feels it every day, in the classroom and on the playground,” said Dr. Charity Ausiku, the project leader.

“We could not keep seeing that in the schools we visit and do nothing about it.”

At Cause Primary School, 50 learners were selected through a needs assessment conducted by the school.

Each received a pair of school shoes, a school shirt and a pair of socks, while 32 boys received trousers and 18 girls received skirts.

Project secretary Ms. Erwina Josef said each school decides who benefits.

“The schools know their learners better than we do, so they tell us who needs help and we buy what those children are missing,” she said.

Among the contributors is Ms. Sophia Daries, who has retired from the campus but still gives to the project.

“I retired from the campus, not from these children,” she said.

Learners, parents, teachers and community members warmly welcomed the donation and thanked the project team for its continued commitment.

Earlier beneficiaries are Ncumushi Junior Primary School (34 learners, who also received jerseys), Ndonga Primary School (45) and Mukuvi Primary School (50).

In total, 100 boys and 79 girls have received shoes, socks and trousers or skirts.

The project is funded primarily through voluntary contributions from 34 academic and administrative staff members at the Rundu Campus.

Aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 4, ending extreme poverty and ensuring inclusive, quality education, the initiative reflects UNAM’s commitment to community engagement, meeting learners’ immediate needs while promoting their inclusion and participation in school.

Kippie George Primary School, another rural school in Kavango East, is next on the list.

Ausiku said continued support from staff and community partners will enable the project to reach even more learners.

Members of the project: Dr. Charity Ausiku (Project Leader), Ms. Erwina Josef (Secretary), Ms. Theresia Siyave, Dr. Mathilde Shihako, Mr. Alex Ilukena, Dr. Angelika Mukoya, Dr. Tetukondjele Iiyambo, Ms. Johanna Linonoka, Ms. Atanasia Awala-Nashima, Ms. Selma Mutangara, Ms. Justina Diyeve, Dr. Faustinus Shikukutu, Ms. Irmgard Moyo, Ms. Anna Fruginnta Mangundu, Ms. Rebecca Haingura, Ms. Jennety Situnda, Dr. Martha Nahole, Mr. Disho Muruti, Mr. Develias Ngatjiisiue, Ms. Mary Muyenga, Ms. Kaarina Paulus, Dr. Mbela Kalengay, Dr. Naftal Ngalangi, Mr. Joseph Kanyetu, Ms. Ester Mukete, Ms. Elizabeth Mutwamezi, Dr. Oiva Nauyoma, Ms. Sophia Daries, Ms. Alice Lifalaza, Ms. Hilma Kautondokwa, Mr. Andrew Muhapili, Ms. Lanna Makanga, Ms. Marian Sankombo and Ms. Rebecca Ihemba.

For Dr Lineekela Nauyoma, a part-time lecturer in UNAM’s Department of Environmental Science, the numbers behind wildlife populations have always mattered.

A recent workshop at the University of Oxford gave him sharper tools to make sense of them.

Dr. Nauyoma, who completed his PhD in Wildlife Management in 2025, was one of a competitive international group selected for the Bayesian Population Analysis (BPA) workshop.

The five-day programme covered Bayesian statistical inference and computation, generalised linear and mixed models, site-occupancy and N-mixture models, state-space models, Cormack-Jolly-Seber and multistate capture-recapture models, and integrated population models.

Working in R, NIMBLE and JAGS, he strengthened his ability to build hierarchical ecological models, estimate uncertainty, integrate multiple data sources and produce reproducible analytical workflows.

“The training has improved my technical capacity to analyse complex wildlife datasets and strengthened my independence as an early-career researcher, particularly in developing analyses that can underpin publishable, decision-relevant research,” said Dr. Nauyoma.

His attendance was funded by the Namibia National Commission for UNESCO and the Swiss Ornithological Institute, covering airfare, meals and accommodation.

Building an International Profile

The workshop adds to a growing international research record.

Dr. Nauyoma’s study, “Modelling Roan and Sable Patterns of Spatial Distribution in the Mudumu National Park, Namibia,” has been accepted for poster presentation at the International Statistical Ecology Conference in Mérida, Mexico, in January 2027, widely regarded as the largest gathering of its kind in statistical ecology.

His focus now turns to applying these methods locally.

In late 2025, he and Professor Ezequiel Fabiano spent a week at Namdeb’s Oranjemund mining sites, within Tsau //Khaeb (Sperrgebiet) National Park, exploring collaborative wildlife ecology and genetic research between UNAM and Namdeb, a visit funded by Namdeb.

“I want my research to offer actionable solutions for biodiversity management amidst climate change and national industrial expansions, such as the current mining boom,” Dr Nauyoma said.

The Oxford workshop ran from 10 to 14 August 2026. The visit to Namdeb’s Oranjemund sites took place in late 2025.

A five-year study into how drought and grazing are reshaping Namibia’s rangelands has reached an international audience, with UNAM PhD graduate Dr. Faith Chambara presenting her findings at the Ecological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting in the United States.

Dr. Chambara, from the Department of Environmental Science, conducted the research under the guidance of Dr. Wellencia Nesongano, Principal Investigator of the NamTip Project. She joined more than 2,600 ecologists from around the world at the conference, held under the theme “Ecology in an Era of Uncertainty.”

Her long-term experiment tracked how repeated droughts and intensive grazing are gradually depleting key forage species in Namibian rangelands, while also revealing the resilience of certain native plants able to withstand harsh conditions.

“It was encouraging to see how strongly the research resonated with scientists working in dryland regions globally, where many face similar environmental challenges,” Dr Chambara said.

She stressed the need for sustained investment in long-term ecological research, particularly restoration experiments that test how well these systems can recover. “This kind of research gives us critical insights for sustainable land management, ecosystem restoration, and the livelihoods of communities that depend on dryland ecosystems,” she said.

Beyond her presentation, Dr Chambara attended scientific sessions and plenary discussions, and used the opportunity to broaden her international research network.

The ESA Annual Meeting is a leading forum for ecological research, drawing scientists, educators, students, policymakers and practitioners from across the world to address environmental challenges and advance ecological knowledge. UNAM’s participation reflects its ongoing contribution to globally relevant research and its commitment to environmental challenges facing Namibia, Africa and the wider world. More information is available at www.esa.org.

The study formed part of the now-concluded NamTip project, a German-Namibian collaboration examining dryland ecosystem dynamics under shifting climatic conditions. With droughts growing more frequent and severe worldwide, such research offers vital knowledge for sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation and the long-term well-being of communities reliant on rangeland resources. More on the project is available at www.uni-potsdam.de/en/namtip .

The ESA Annual Meeting took place from 26 to 31 July 2026.

Three Master’s students from UNAM’s School of Education are on their way to Norway, marking the university’s first cohort under the GLOMIND (Global Mindsets) exchange programme. Donald Jossob, Ben Kamati and Miquele Mbaisa will spend the coming months at the University of Inland Norway (INN), a partner institution in the Erasmus+-funded project.

The initiative brings together students and staff from INN, UNAM and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) to build international learning, intercultural understanding and collaboration in teacher education. It aims to prepare future educators for a globally connected world through mobility, collaborative learning, sustainability education and intercultural engagement.

For Jossob, the opportunity began with a flyer. “When I saw the flyer on the student portal, I applied and hoped for the best. I look forward to sharpening my research skills,” he said.

While in Norway, the three will study alongside peers from different educational systems and cultures, taking courses including Indigenous Texts in English and Cultural Expression in English.

Kamati is looking ahead to new approaches in the classroom: “I look forward to learning more about inclusive education practices in Norway.” Mbaisa shares that curiosity: “I am looking forward to seeing different teaching strategies and learning from them.”

Before their departure, the students gathered for a farewell photograph with members of the GLOMIND Committee at Khomas Campus: Dr Jessica Jansen from the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, and Ms Ivy Heyman van Wyk, Dr Collin Tjitemisa and Ms Narenda Hoepfner from the Department of Intermediate and Vocational Education.

As UNAM’s first GLOMIND participants, Jossob, Kamati and Mbaisa now carry the role of ambassadors, for the university and for Namibia. Their exchange marks the start of what is expected to be a deepening partnership between UNAM and its international collaborators.

UNAM wishes the trio a rewarding stay in Norway and looks forward to the perspectives, skills and knowledge they will bring home to the country’s education sector.

GLOMIND (Global Mindsets) is an Erasmus+-supported internationalisation project led by the University of Inland Norway, in partnership with UNAM and the University of KwaZulu-Natal, strengthening global learning through mobility, collaborative teaching and sustainability-focused education across Norway, Namibia and South Africa.

The students departed for Norway on 19 August 2026.