Rudolf Gaiseb
Founder of the International University of Management David Namwandi said Africans must unite to harness their resources to reap maximum returns.
He discouraged division and laziness among the masses, which he said leaves room for control over them.
“We have everything on our continent, but we are, in most cases, sleeping on our bread. People who give advice are not fit for advice because they do not have what we have. But we allow ourselves to be controlled by them because we are not united. Africans are good at talking, but are reluctant when it comes to implementation. It’s about time we talk less and act more. Unity is power, and synergy is strength,” he stated.
He made the remarks during the signing of an agreement between IUM and South Africa’s University of Witwatersrand (Wits) last week in Windhoek.
IUM and Wits University agreed to join hands and cooperate in educational and professional projects in areas of mutual interest.
They aim to develop cooperation and promote mutual understanding as well as excellence in practice-based education, research and knowledge exchange so that the research and knowledge developed are used for further research, and its application at a regional, national and global level.
The chairperson of the IUM Graduate School of Business Ishmael Mubwandarikwa noted that the collaboration between IUM and Wits University will improve the quality of education, especially for IUM, and create pathways for innovative research.
“Together, we will advance in areas such as business leadership, executive training and research development, such as youth unemployment research, which will surely enhance the skills and knowledge of our students and faculty.
“IUM’s partnership with Wits also encompasses the ambition to tap into Wits’ knowledge sets to create new opportunities to tailor-make professional qualifications in energy that will create a pool of Namibian business models that will assist the country to be owners of its energy sector, rather than getting expert advice from others,” he added.
The partnership also seeks to rationalise the energy mix of the two countries, the region and the continent.
“IUM will also play a pivotal role in the energy sector. We want to build our capacity in Namibia through this collaboration so that Namibians can be captains of industries with the relevant skills and competencies,” he added.
He said the alliance will witness scholarly cooperation, particularly on sustainable development, renewable energy, medicinal plants, environment, professional development, indigenous knowledge and linguistics.
The relationship will include student exchange programmes, accelerate entrepreneurship, and build a robust forum to share ideas on innovation and technology.
The dean of Wits Business School, Maurice Radebe, said the opportunities are endless, and the agreement will open a world for more possibilities of collaboration.
“I believe that collaboration has never been more important for universities and business schools, as we face the increasingly complex challenges of technological disruption, artificial intelligence, socio-political uprisings, war and climate change,” he remarked.