Vincent Shimutwikeni
Sports has long played a significant role in the lives of students and the community alike at the University of Namibia (Unam).
Integrating sports as a strategic objective holds the potential to yield numerous benefits beyond the traditional boundaries of the playing field. As such, Unam should elevate sports to a more prominent position, and prioritise it in its strategic plans.
After almost every weekend, you may open any of the local newspapers, watch daily news, or check your social media feeds to see coverage of Unam’s athletic successes, whether it’s a hockey victory, a hard-fought rugby encounter, or a soccer match.
The Unam Rugby Club Men’s squad has won the Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) Premier League four times in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021, establishing themselves as a dominant force in the sport. Mr Desiderius Sethie, a Unam Rugby Club player, recently represented Namibia at the Rugby World Cup in France, after previously representing Namibia at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. Unam has also won the inaugural Namibian women’s rugby league championship in 2023, making it a historic milestone. In 2017, the Unam ladies’ hockey team displayed their brilliance by winning the Bank Windhoek Field Hockey Premier League. On the basketball court, Unam dominated, winning the Khomas Basketball Association League and the Independence Cup. Unam’s netball squad shone brightly by collecting silverware in the 2023 Super 10 title, and has a history of winning the Khomas netball league at least three times. Over the years, some of its players have had the privilege of representing the Namibian national team. The Unam athletics’ club proudly sent three of its athletes to represent Namibia at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix.
On the soccer pitch, the Unam Football Club reached the finals of the Bidvest Cup in 2015. In the 2017/2018 season, they secured third position, and continue to make significant strides in the ongoing Namibia Premier Football League. These represent just a fraction of the numerous accomplishments in the realm of sports.
Policies
While the university has recorded successes in the sports arena, Unam’s reviewed Institutional Strategic Plan 2019-2024 sadly does not speak to the enhancement of sport, neither are there any other key policies which speak to sports on a strategic level. Sport plays a crucial role in the holistic development of students. The University of Pretoria’s focus on sport and sport development and their world-renowned high-performance centre is a major drawcard for student-athletes to study at the university. The University of Pretoria’s priorities for UP2025 Strategy relating to sports includes providing access to qualifying student athletes, supporting student-athletes on an educational and coaching level to ensure their success, leveraging sports science research, transforming the university into a university with an inclusive and winning culture; a university with a reputation for excellence that has a positive impact on society.
Proponents may argue that the primary focus of universities should be on academia. However, the integration of sports as a strategic imperative remains crucial. By adopting a well-balanced approach that incorporates sports into a university’s strategic blueprint, a more dynamic and comprehensive educational environment can be cultivated. This approach not only improves student recruitment and retention (attracting high-calibre students), but also fortifies alumni relations and generates revenue. Sports fosters a strong sense of belonging among students, and offers a deciding factor for prospective students when considering which institution to join for their studies. Sports at Unam presently garners significant media attention, elevating the university’s visibility on both national and international fronts.
Interventions
As Unam formulates its post-2024 institutional strategic plan, it should strive to establish sports and physical activity as a pivotal factor in achieving its goals of enhancing and elevating the university’s standing within the realm of sports, at local, national and international levels. This objective should be realised through excellence in teaching, cutting-edge research, active industry engagement, and effective commercialisation efforts. Unam should actively explore and take a pioneering role in promoting international partnerships with universities focused on sports. It should also lead in forging research collaborations, both nationally and globally, in the field of sports. Moreover, Unam should assume a role as a thought leader on topics encompassing genetics and human performance, sports engagement, and equity and inclusion in the world of sports.
Viewing sports as a central strategic objective involves acknowledging the importance of sports in realising broader university goals. To make this approach effective, the objective must be formally integrated into the institution’s framework.
All in all, ensuring alignment with various internal functions and departments within the university will be crucial. This involves securing sufficient financial resources to enhance sports programmes, estate services focusing on upgrading Unam facilities to world-class standards through renovations and expansions, and academia, especially in fields such as the sciences, conducting research to advance knowledge in sports-related areas, among others. It is essential to acknowledge that without making sports a strategic imperative, Unam’s sports programmes may struggle to thrive in the highly competitive and ever-changing sports industry landscape.
* Vincent Shimutwikeni is a Legal and Compliance Officer at the University of Namibia, and a sports enthusiast. He writes this opinion in his personal capacity.