NAMIBIA: ICT centre of excellence launched

The gap between academia and industry in Namibia's telecommunications, information and technology sector looks set to be narrowed with the establishment of a centre of excellence at the University of Namibia by telecommunications giant Telecom Namibia.

The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding in July 2009, in terms of which Telecom committed to setting up the information and communications technology centre of excellence at the country's national university. The centre was launched on 10 February.

Telecom has so far equipped the centre with 10 computers, a server, Cisco switches and routers and office equipment. It will also provide at least four research scholarships to promising Namibian masters and doctoral telecommunications and IT students.

University of Namibia Vice-chancellor Professor Lazarus Hangula said the facility aims to provide a world-class research environment, as well as offering technical solutions to industry problems while equipping students with valuable skills.

Head of the computer science department Dr Jameson Mbale told University World News the centre will be used to find solutions to pressing industry problems.

He said it will approve student research projects that will "mainly centre around problems that are relevant to industry". He continued: "The university as well as industry database and network engineers will assess the quality of work done by students."

Mbale said the centre will sharpen IT students' skills, making them more relevant and competitive. "As far as I'm concerned the gap between industry and academia has now been closed," he said.

Apart from Telecom's IT specialists forming part of the team that will mould students at the facility, the company has also invited its competitors - including Leo, and mobile telecommunications giant MTC - and power utilities Nampower and Nampost, to come on board.

Head of the Telkom Centre of Excellence at Rhodes University in South Africa, Professor Alfredo Terzoli, noted that the Namibian centre's opening comes at an opportune time, when there is a dire shortage of qualified telecommunications and information technologists in Southern Africa.

"Under-capacity in the sector is a regional problem; on the world stage we are still very small," he said.

He noted that the ministry of trade and industry is a critical partner in the success of such projects: "It can easily get industry to support the centre, and because the facility will be providing industry with solutions the ministry becomes a key primary stakeholder," he said.

Deputy Minister of Education Dr David Namwandi said government is optimistic the centre will help it address some key national challenges.

"The country is faced with many challenges - from rural connectivity to animal movement control. These are all situations which require ICT solutions and I challenge students who will embark on research through this centre to come up with solutions," said Namwandi.

He said the programme will not only provide solutions to government and the private sector but also enable students to acquire much-needed experience.

"Most of our graduates complain of stringent conditions [prior experience requirements] imposed by prospective employers; now is the opportunity to get themselves into this programme and eventually graduate with experience," Namwandi said.

Telecom Managing Director Frans Ndoroma noted that the establishment of the centre forms part of his company's endeavour to help government achieve Vision 2030. Under the plan, Namibia has set itself targets aimed at becoming an industrialised country by the year 2030.

The facility, Ndoroma added, will encourage staff and students to contribute intellectual capital such as research, patents and technological inventions. "The centre has the intent to encourage students to commercialise academic innovations into the marketplace, exchange ideas, and prepare technology students for the entrepreneurial workplace."

Ndoroma told the university that his company will offer opportunities for research students at the centre to undergo internship training at Telecom. The company will in future also extend an invitation to academics to do sabbaticals in its telecommunications and IT divisions.