WINDHOEK – The University of Limpopo (UL) on Saturday officially launched the Namibia Alumni Chapter in Windhoek at a high-profile event officiated by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), Stanley Simataa.
Having produced many astute leaders serving Namibia with great commitment across various portfolios such as CEOs, executive directors and parliamentarians, UL is strengthening its footprint in the country.
At the launch the deputy president of UL Alumni and Convocation Advocate Patrick Mabaso said the association is an official forum for former students to engage their alma mater. “It represents the interests of its members and enables alumni to participate in the university’s activities,” Mabaso explained, adding that the convocation raises funds for the university, sources bursaries and arranges vocational training and internships as well as mentorships for current students.
Simataa, who is also a UL alumnus (Bachelor of Education graduate, 1986), says most professionals in Namibia have become who they are in society because of the solid foundation laid by UL. He remarked that it was not easy to allocate scarce resources to benefit students from afar.
“We applaud the university management for accepting Namibians during those difficult years and ensured that our academic and social needs were met,” he stated.
Simataa says the establishment of the chapter gives the alumni a sacred duty to nurture the bond between Namibia and UL and propel it to greater heights.
Most of the attendees studied during the turbulent years between 1960 and 1990, and shared their best memories about the university as they knew it while Professor Jesika Singh, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Partnerships brought them up to speed with the latest developments at the university.
Singh said there has been significant growth in infrastructure, including student accommodation, state-of-the-art laboratories for languages, chemistry and physics and new programmes such as geology and mining degrees as well as the opening of the first medical school since the dawn of democracy in South Africa. Giving a message of support, University of Namibia (Unam) Pro Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Prof Frednard Gideon, gave a message of support to the chapter and indicated that UL boasted a good identity in Namibia.
He says that for UL to keep its identity intact, the university should recruit more Namibian students. He further said that it was not easy to establish an alumni chapter, especially in another country. “The biggest challenge ahead is how to sustain the chapter. I, therefore, urge you to work hard and create a vibrant chapter with values, vision and mission contributing to the overall vision of UL,” Gideon stated.
The newly elected chairperson of UL Namibia Alumni Chapter, Prof Rehabeam Auala (graduated Bachelor of Arts at UL in 1975), says the Exco will begin to engage the university on various programmes in order to recruit Namibian students and facilitate access for them to study at UL. “Despite receiving further education somewhere else, UL shaped our strong foundation and we should extend this link to promote knowledge sharing and skills development among the next generation,” said the retired Unam professor of educational management and administration.