Windhoek: Namibia's higher education institutions should strengthen innovation, strategic partnerships, and investment in digital transformation to remain competitive in an increasingly technology-driven world.
According to Namibia Press Agency, Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp emphasized that while Namibia has made progress in adopting digital technologies, universities must continue strengthening their innovation ecosystems through partnerships and domestic investment. Speaking to Nampa on the sidelines of her official visit to China, the minister asserted that Namibia should adopt a context-based approach to digital transformation rather than attempting to replicate systems from other countries.
Steenkamp noted that both the University of Namibia (UNAM) and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) have incorporated innovative strategies into their institutional plans. However, she emphasized that transformation requires time, collaboration, and sustained financial support. 'We need to look at what is the context in our own country, what it is that we need to expand on or strengthen. You therefore need to foster new collaborations, network and find strategic partners that are prepared to invest, but we also need domestic resources to look specifically at innovative processes,' she said.
The minister acknowledged that many Namibian graduates return home with valuable international experience and innovative ideas, and she emphasized the need for the country to create an enabling environment that allows such innovations to flourish. Calling for openness and creativity, Steenkamp noted that existing policy frameworks provide a foundation for technological advancement but should continually be reviewed to accommodate emerging technologies and changing educational needs.
Steenkamp indicated that the education ministry is examining how technological innovation can be incorporated into revised national education policies to ensure they remain relevant. Her remarks follow engagements in China, where the Namibian delegation visited the China University of Geosciences in Beijing and observed advanced teaching facilities, simulation laboratories, and engineering programmes designed to prepare students for rapidly evolving industries.
Steenkamp said exposure to such facilities demonstrated the importance of continuously modernising university infrastructure and academic programmes. 'Yes, you need simulation, you need new kinds of laboratories and new engineering programmes. That will take us further than where we currently are,' she said. The minister is among the delegates accompanying President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on a State visit to China aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in education, trade, technology, and industrial development, among others.