Front row from left: Prof Kenneth Matengu, UNAM Vice Chancellor & Ms Suzie Nkambule, Nafasi Water Technology CEO.
Back row from left: Mr Paul Nakawa, Nafasi Water Director for Strategy & Business Development, Mrs Lovisa Nghipandulwa, UNAM’S Industry and Cooperative Education Coordinator (CILT), Dr Frans Persendt, Deputy Director: Teaching and Learning (CILT), and Dr Beukes-Amiss, Director: Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT).
The CEO of Nafasi Water Technologies, this week, paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Namibia, as a means to re-affirm their commitment to collaborate with the University.
The visit comes days before the two institutions are about to sign a collaborative agreement that will strengthen bilateral relations and accord University students with professional opportunities, amongst others.
Kick-starting the discussion was Ms Suzie Nkambule, CEO of Nafasi Water. She stressed the potential long-term vision for this student-orientated partnership. “We are glad to come on board as a resourceful partner and are willing to go beyond the norm and explore pulling in other experts to assist where need be”, explained Nkambule.
Prof Kenneth Matengu lauded Nafasi Water’s seriousness towards student’s skills development and encouraged further collaboration on projects that the University has already embarked upon. “We need strategic partners such as yourself to expand on projects like the growing of tilapia fish in saline water, as well as the processing and bottling of seawater at our Sam Nujoma Campus’ Desalination Plant at the coast”, he elaborated.
Also in attendance was, Dr Maggy Beukes-Amiss, the Director for the Centre in Innovation in Learning & Teaching (CILT), who welcomed this collaboration.
“This partnership comes in, just at the right time to compliment collaborative efforts and plans to join hands with industries in assisting the University’s new curriculum framework semester zero,” emphasized Dr Beukes-Amiss.
She further stated that the curriculum transformation is dedicated to sending students out to engage with communities in order to improve the attributes and soft skills required before stepping into the industry.
Nafasi Water Technologies is a water technology company that focuses on water reclamation and desalination. The company has 5 operational sites, out of which Namibia’s coastal town Swakopmund is one. The town also hosts the company’s flagship sea-water desalination plant at which 4 of UNAM’s engineering students had taken up industrial attachment since the beginning of June this year.
