Windhoek
The long-awaited Bill that will transform the Polytechnic of Namibia into the University of Science and Technology (UST) will soon come into force.
Once passed into law, the Act wil impose stringent conditions on the new university, including a stipulation that non-Namibians, who are not permanent residents, may not be appointed or elected as members of the University Council at the expense of a qualified Namibian.
The proposed legislation stipulates that only when there is no qualified Namibian who can be appointed or elected as member of the council, a non-Namibian may be appointed or elected, with the approval of the line minister.
The director for marketing and communication at UST, Kaitira Kandjii, yesterday described the transformation of the polytechnic into a university as a significant milestone within the development of the country’s higher education sector.
“The country can now enroll more students within higher education,” he said, noting that currently UST has the capacity to take in about 13,000 students per year. He said the new university, however, plans to increase intake figures by expanding the capacity of its departments and faculties.
UST may also commercially develop any discovery, invention or intellectual property for the purposes of promoting business and innovation, in order to assist the institution in the execution of its core functions.
Other key provisions stipulate the conditions of employment, privileges, the period of office, powers and functions of the deputy vice-chancellor, as determined by the University Council.
The Bill also states that the responsibility for academic governance and quality assurance, organisation and the supervision of teaching, including assessment and learning, community engagement and research, is vested in the Senate.
The vice-chancellor, in agreement with the chairperson of the council, may also suspend the students’ representative council, if the vice-chancellor deems it in the best interest of the university.
Additionally, the Bill, which will be gazetted once it is signed into law by President Hage Geingob, also stipulates that the new university may – with the approval of the line minister – receive funds or property by way of donation, or bequest, or in trust, and may control, use and administer such funds or deal with it in any manner consistent with the objectives of the university.
The Bill further stipulates that the new university may, by resolution of the Council, and without examination, confer an honorary degree (honoris causa) upon any person that the Council – on recommendation of Senate – considers worthy of such an honour.