WINDHOEK
The annual registration at the International University of Management (IUM) has been in full flight since January 18 and is due to finish this Friday, to be followed by the late registration process starting on Monday until February 29.
Registration at IUM may appear a cumbersome process for a first-year student because it involves different stages and rules that must be adhered to. The process includes assessing student applications, checking biographical details before moving to financial clearance.
To make the process easy, IUM places a range of messages on notice boards at strategic places, as well as flow charts or maps directing especially first-year students to the points of registration.
At the initial stage of registration, there are lecturers from different faculties serving as advisors at the helpdesk giving academic advice and information about the different qualifications offered and entry criteria for each qualification. In addition, there is a main helpdesk where all the information is provided.
The office of the Dean of Students, in partnership with the Student Representative Council (SRC), has been working together to facilitate the process. The SRC provides students with the relevant information and directs them to the right points of registration, as illustrated on the checklist.
The SRC posters have all their contact information and this is available to all students. Prior to registration, the university provided career guidance to prospective students in 2015 at various educational career fairs and expos hosted by stakeholders in the education sectors throughout the year.
In addition to this, IUM always attends the Annual Ongwediva Trade Fair and the Windhoek Agricultural Show to share information with prospective students. During 2015 the new IUM Nkurenkuru campus was inaugurated and thereafter, the IUM marketing and communications team visited schools in the Kavango East and West regions to share information with students on IUM programmes and registration processes.
This initiative is expected to be taken to other regions in due course.
Educational career fairs which the IUM marketing and communications team attend create a platform for learners in Grades 11 and 12 to interact with tertiary institutions on their programmes and registration processes.
IUM provides learners with the IUM prospectus and information leaflets, as well as application forms, especially to Grade 12 learners. Some schools also make time to visit the IUM Dorado campus to get more information. For example, the Canisianum Roman Catholic High School in the Omusati Region visited the IUM Dorado Park main campus during 2015 to obtain first-hand information. .
The university also uses the media – both electronic and print – to advertise courses offered and requirements. In addition, the same information is available on the IUM website at www.ium.edu.na and on IUM’s Facebook page, which is updated on regular basis.
The normal registration fee is N$1400 and the late registration is N$1600. Prospective students can apply during the normal registration period to avoid extra charges. The application fee is N$120.
Students who intend to register should bring along certified copies of their birth certificate, identity card or passport, a statement of Grade 12 results, two passport photos and the registration fee. Those who had applied previously should bring along their final Grade 12 results and the registration fee.
Continuing students who are Namibian Student Financial Assistant Fund (NSFAF) loan holders do not pay the registration fee. Those who have not received the NSFAF award letters yet should pay and will then be refunded after they submit the award letters.
Students can register on a full-time, part-time or distance mode of study. All undergraduate courses, except nursing, digital communication technology (DCT) and business information systems (BIS) are available for distance study, while some of the distance students register with the Institute of Open Learning (IOL).
The issuing of materials, teaching, marking and issuing of qualification still remains with IUM.
IUM offers Bachelor Honours degrees, Stand Alone, Postgraduate, Preparatory and Short-Courses qualifications. The normal entry for a Bachelor Honours Degree is 25 points in the best five subjects at Grade 12 level and a D symbol in English.
The normal entry for Stand Alone Qualifications is 20 points in the best five subjects at Grade 12 level and a D symbol in English. Preparatory courses, a bridging path where successful candidates can get an entry to the Stand Alone qualifications has normal entry criteria for 18 to 19 points in five subjects at a Grade 12 level and a minimum of a D symbol in English.
The university, furthermore, offers a wide range of short courses ranging from a period of two weeks to six months. Applicants whose English is poor are required to sit for an English Assessment examination before the end of registration.
At postgraduate level, prospective students can register for a Master’s degree. This programme requires a Bachelor Honours degree in the Upper Second class, or equivalent in a related field from a well-recognised university.
Furthermore, through IUM in association with reputable institutions, students with a Master’s degree from a recognised university in a related field can register for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.