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PLANNING & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSUPDATE

IN THIS ISSUE

Malaysia impresses Namibian students

2nd Semester exchange students on Poly campus

Popularity of Poly’s Summer School increases in Europe

Planning & International Relations ▶ Elizabeth Haus ▶ Tel: +264 61 2072015 email: bbamm@polytechnic.edu.na

EDITORIAL

CONTRIBUTORS: Theodora Nandjaa-Mweuta, Dioné Izaks, Taimi Itembu, Susan Kambrude, Yolandé Geises

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Theodora Nandjaa-Mweuta

DESIGN & LAYOUT:Cherley du Plessis

PHOTOGRAPHS: Polytechnic Staff

Malaysia impresses Namibian Students

Namibian students share their culture at NamNight.

In 2011, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), in collaboration with the Polytechnic of Namibia, offered scholarships for Namibians to study at Taylor’s University in Malaysia. The scholarships were awarded to students in Hospitality and Tourism related fields. This is a GRN initiative aimed to build human capacity in the tourism sector in accordance with the TIPEEG (Targeted Intervention for Employment and Economic Growth).

Anele Romanus, a Polytechnic student, spent a year in Malaysia and shared some of her experiences:

Arriving in MalaysiaAs we hassled through the heavy traffic of Kuala Lumpur from the Kuala Lumpur

MOTIVATIONAL THOUGHTS

International Airport, the overwhelming evergreen forests with the hot and humid climate of Malaysia were our first greeting.

Taylor UniversityTaylor’s University is a small liberal institution situated in Selango, one of the thirteen states in Malaysia. The University promote social emancipation with many religions and diverse cultures.

Upon our arrival at the University, we met many new people and friendly students from other parts of the globe with completely diverse cultures and different backgrounds who warmly opened up to us, making us feel at home. Their hospitality made us feel part of a family of “CARE and RESPECT,” which is the University’s Residence’s motto. The

Newsletter 2012 ▶ JULY Issue

Malaysia impresses students ... continue on p.2

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university has amazing facilities that are very well equipped for the students. The lecturers are committed to the students’ success.

HighlightsAt the beginning of our second week in Malaysia, we were honoured with a visit from the High Commissioner of Namibia to Malaysia, Hon Ben Kandanga, and his colleagues who were of great support to us. On 21 March we joined our embassy in celebrating Namibia’s 22nd independence anniversary where we were able to mingle with other Namibians in Malaysia and we all had a great time together.

As time passed, and as we gradually became acquainted with the varsity life at Taylor’s, we started to make our mark there. In May we hosted a Namibian night where we got to exhibit the diverse Namibian cultures. We had different cultural performances by the Ovawambo, Nama-Damara and Ovaherero. We also had a typical Namibian braai (barbeque) complemented by potato salad and rooster brood (grilled bread). We also prepared our various Namibian traditional foods such as Oshifima (porridge), Omutete (spinach), Omakunde gondulu (pea beans), Kapana (barbequed meat) with its complementary salsa sauce, and the Oshikundu traditional drink. The event as a whole was very well organised and it turned out to be a great success which pleasantly surprised our fellow Taylorians and the staff.

In a nutshell, our stay in Malaysia was blessed and we could not have asked for a more pleasant stay. We are making the most of every second we spend here and we will surely come back and boost the Hospitality and Tourism industry of Namibia as future qualified chefs, hotel, managers and restaurant owners.

Malaysia impresses students ... continue from p.1How to survive

technologically in an ever-changing

society Information Technology (IT) innovations continue to change how we live, work, shop, learn, communicate, collaborate, entertain, and socialise. The effect of IT is felt by nearly everyone and every organisation. For some businesses and individuals, the disruption brought on by IT has not only been stressful, but in some cases even catastrophic.

A public lecture, conducted by Prof Ravinder Nath, Fullbright Scholar at the Polytechnic of Namibia, addressed the issue of IT-enabled changes and how to survive and thrive in this ever-changing environment. Prof Nath touched on various strategies on how different members of society, namely professionals, organisations and educators, could keep up with the changing tendencies.

He said that professionals should be flexible and willing to adapt to change and added that they could apply the four Cs in their professional lives, such as connectedness, composure, collaboration and communication skills. These will form part of the survival strategy in the changing technological world.

He advised organisations to be viligant, stay abreast of technological changes and embrace the changes. He also discussed how educators, such as the Polytechnic of Namibia, could survive in this fast-paced growing industry. The solution, he said, was for educators to start by striking a balance between theory and practice teaching, promoting innovation and creativity and to incubate ideas.

Hon Ben Kandanga, High Commissioner of Namibia to Malaysia pictured with a group of students during his courtesy visit.

Malaysian students experience the makalani fruit known as ondunga.

Tasting Namibian cuisine at NamNight.

Prof Ravinder Nath, Fullbright Scholar at the Polytechnic of Namibia, conducting a public lecture.

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How to survive technologically in an ever-changing

society

Popularity of Poly’s Summer School increases in Europe The Polytechnic of Namibia’s (PON) Summer School programme, initially established for Austrian students, this year managed to attract 20 University students from Germany and Switzerland.

In 2009, the PON and the Heimfest.At, an Austrian registered company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in terms of which Heimfest would promote the Summer School among its national universities and facilitate their participation in the programme every year.

This year, however, Markus Strasser, the Summer School organiser, extended his marketing drive to Switzerland and Germany where he enrolled students from Munich, Hamburg and Iserlohn in German Universities and Bern in Switzerland respectively.

The Austrian students are from Vienna, Graz, Klagenfurt and Vorarlberg Universities.

The month long Summer School which is hosted by the School of Business covers various topics such as Doing Business in Africa, Economics and Government and Politics.

The course incorporates practical work during which students are exposed to different business and government institutions. Out-of-class activities include visits to Camelthorn Brewing Company, National Broadcasting Corporation, SADC Tribunal and the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industries (NCCI) to acquaint the students with what they have learned in class and to have a feel and look of the industries.

Justifying his reasons for extending the marketing of the programme beyond the Austrian borders, Strasser said the world has become one global village and exposure to other cultures is becoming a prerequisite for many European employers.

He said in Austria, the promotion of the programme focuses on on-line advertising on the biggest student homepage combined with flyers and activities in front of different universities.

“In Germany and Switzerland the main focus is on cooperation with the international offices of many universities,” he explained.

The 2012 Summer School comprised of eight students from Germany, eleven from Austria and one from Switzerland.

Apart from academic classes, the one-month summer school also includes weekend activities such as visits to Etosha, Namib Naukluft and the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.

Students receive certificates

Nineteen European students spent the past four weeks at the Poly where they attended a summer school programme focusing on academic programmes such as Doing Business in Africa and The Namibian Economy. The students were awarded certificates by Dr Andrew Niikondo, Poly Vice-Rector for Research and Academic Affairs.

Kofi Boamah, Dean of the School of Business and Management, commended the students for attending the summer school and said that it had been a mutual learning experience. The Austrian students are pictured with Dr Niikondo, Boamah and lecturers, John Mbenzi and Dr Cyril Ogbokor.

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Centre places American students The Poly’s Centre for Cooperative Education (CCE) and the Department of Planning and International Relations in collaboration with the US-based study agency, Study Abroad to Africa (SABA), facilitated the placement of three American students with internship programmes in Namibia under the guidance of Prof Debbie Sanders of SABA. The placement is part of the service learning requirements of their studies.

Shauntay White from Brookdale Community College, Sadie Jordan from Bunker Hill Community College, and Laura Becerra from Central Washington University, have been placed for a one-month internship at the SOS Children’s Village in Ondangwa, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) in Otjiwarongo and the Medical Centre in Rehoboth, respectively.

The three students lauded CCE and the Department of Planning and International Relations for securing them placement with suitable organisations to carry out their internships, describing it as a once-in-a -lifetime experience.

White said that she intends to return to Namibia to establish an after-school programme that will provide lunch to orphans and vulnerable children and that will assist them with homework and other extra-curricular activities.

Jordan said she felt that her attachment to the CCF has made her to realise her love for animals.

Becerra, a BSc Nursing student, enjoys her work at the Rehoboth Medical Centre where she had the opportunity to test and analyse blood samples.

The students attended courses in the fields of Engineering, Transportation, Tourism, Business Administration, Biomedical Science, Media as well as Business Computing.

Dr Andrew Niikondo, Poly Vice-Rector for Research and Academic Affairs, assured the students that they made the right decision by choosing the Poly as the destination for their study exchange. He informed the students that the institution has gained regional as well as international recognition for its excellent service delivery.

During their full-time studies the students will debate contemporary ideas, confront different situations and experience challenges while far away from their familiar surroundings. All this will provide them with valuable

Laura Becerra, Shauntay White, Deborah Sanders (Study Abroad in Africa Director), Sophia Shuungula (CCE’s Industry Liaison Officer) and Sadie Jordan.

Sophia Shuungula, CCE Industry Liaison Officer and Coordinator of the Service Learning Programme, said the assignment of these students to different sectors in Namibia was in line with the Centre’s mandate of facilitating placements for both local and international students.

2nd Semester exchange students on Poly campus

Some of the exchange students are pictured with Poly Rector, Prof Tjama Tjivikua, and other Poly staff.

experience in the imminent search for employment in their respective home countries or globally.

The Department of Planning and International Relations organised an orientation function for the exchange students where various topics such as health, safety and Namibian norms were discussed.

While emphasising that Namibia is a relatively safe country, Assistant Bursar: Auxiliary Services, Calicious Nawa, told the exchange students that they should be cautious and resist “assistance” from well-dressed conmen at ATMs.

Due to the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Namibia, PIR also deemed it fit to alert and sensitise the students on the topic of engaging in safe sex.

Polytechnic Student Counsellor and HIV/AIDS Coordinator on campus, Alta McNally, informed the students that although statistics show low HIV/AIDS prevalence among PON students, the pandemic is real and they should take precautions to avoid being infected.

The students were also informed about the basic Namibian norms such as how to greet in various Namibian languages.

Sophia Shuungula, Industry Liaison Officer at the Centre for Cooperative Education (CCE), emphasised that exchange students are not expected to change their behaviour while in a foreign country, but they should adapt to new practices and the environment and to avoid being negatively affected by culture shock tendencies.

The Poly welcomed 23 university students from Germany, Austria, the United States of America, Finland, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo on an exchange basis for the second semester of 2012.