Rudolf Gaiseb
International University of Management (IUM) founder David Namwandi has told his students to refrain from plagiarism.
Speaking at the university’s official opening of the 2025 academic year earlier this week, he told students to stop being ‘copycats’ and strive to produce original work.
“We are determined to make a difference. We do not want to encourage our students to be copycats. We believe in originality,” he said.
“I also want to tell you students that there is a difference between a secondary school and a university. Here, you are expected to bring your part. We give you 50%, and the other 50% will have to come from you. You were sent here by your parents. They have trust in you. Don’t betray their trust. They invested in you, and they want to reap their fruits, their efforts,” he told the students.
On the other end, Namwandi highlighted that those who are fighting the university will not succeed. “IUM has the courage, confidence and trust of the young people. The young Namibians are behind IUM, and I can tell you nobody can defeat the young people. Anybody who stands in the way of the young people will collapse,” he said.
Meanwhile, IUM students representative council president (SRC) Ridge Kheimseb said although cases of plagiarism are reported here and there, it is not a major concern.
“Students are aware of the integrity in terms of getting information, so they know how to acknowledge sources. We mostly find issues with the first years here and there. We also have a system in place that detects plagiarisms, and the lecturers themselves, just by looking at an assignment or a research project, can already see that this is not [their] work,” he added.
He said students are also usually taken for disciplinary hearings once they plagiarise.
“The last two years of my tenure, as I served as SRC of academics (2024), and even now, being a part of the hearing committee as the president, there was nothing brought forward in terms of students issues with plagiarism,” he emphasised. The institution’s admissions this year stand at 24 030 students.
It also opened a new campus in Eenhana to empower the region, and offer diverse programmes to equip the youth.
-rrgaiseb@gmai.com