Nkurenkuru
The International University of Management (IUM) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday for its new campus in Nkurenkuru, the construction of which is expected to cost around N$23 million.
The founder of IUM, Dr David Namwandi, and the Governor of Kavango West Region, Sirkka Ausiku, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the planned two-story state-of-the-art privately-owned university.
“Today is a joyous day for me as founder and chairperson of IUM. It is equally a joyous day for the entire IUM family as we witness the groundbreaking for the permanent campus of IUM in Nkurenkuru,” Namwandi told the gathering.
According to Namwandi this is an important milestone in the history of the IUM. He believes the establishment of the new campus is an historically significant step for Kavango West and Nkurenkuru in particular.
Namwandi also thanked Old Mutual for “their timely response to our application for funding. Indeed your kind gesture has facilitated and fast-tracked our dream to see the double-story permanent campus become a reality.” He also took the opportunity to thank the governor of Kavango West for having extended an invitation to IUM to establish a new campus at Nkurenkuru.
“Their hospitality has enabled us, to not only feel welcomed, but also encourage us to proceed with the vision of putting up a permanent structure to the tune of N$23 million to house the new campus,” the IUM founder said.
In April IUM opened a transitional campus in Nkurenkuru and vowed at the time to ensure that construction of a new campus would start this year – and the institution kept its promise.
Governor Ausiku said the groundbreaking shows how committed and ready IUM is to be involved in the economic growth and development of the region. “This is indeed a mark of development and will no doubt change the face of Nkurenkuru town and re-shape and strengthen government’s development agenda in the region,” she said.
“IUM’s presence in Nkurenkuru will be a most memorable historical event in the region, as it will not only produce skills as demanded by the region and country at large, but will also create direct and indirect employment and help facilitate income-generating activities in the region. It will also stimulate economic growth and development in the region and the wider economy. This is crucially important in the context of the development objectives of Vision 2030,” she said.
Once the new campus has been constructed it will cater for no less than 500 students, while construction of the permanent campus will start as soon as possible and is expected to be completed in less than a year.
The Nkurenkuru campus will be the sixth IUM campus in Namibia, testimony to the rapid expansion of the private university from its humble beginings. Besides Nkurenkuru, IUM has a footprint in Swakopmund, Ongwediva, Walvis Bay, as well as two campuses in Windhoek, with the main campus located in Dorado Park.