NUST pays tribute to Prof Tjama Tjivikua
Prof Tjama Tjivikua was moved to tears by the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST)’s recognition of his tenure as head of the institution, as the university officially renamed its main campus library in his honour late last week.“This is a priceless gift that I and our nation shall cherish. I extend my gratitude to the NUST council, leadership and community for the indelible mark to be etched into this library and the university,” he said.
Tjivikua, the founding Rector of the Polytechnic of Namibia (1994-2015) and the founding Vice-Chancellor of NUST (2015-2019), attended the ceremony surrounded by family, friends and former colleagues, many of whom shared in the deeply personal significance of the moment.
Held at the Windhoek lower campus, the event recognised Tjivikua’s pivotal contribution to the evolution of the institution from its early Polytechnic era to its current stature as a nationally respected university of science, technology and innovation.
Speaking at the gathering, Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof Andrew Niikondo noted that Tjivikua remains the longest-serving head of the institution, adding that his leadership “laid the academic, administrative and moral foundations on which we continue to build”.
In a speech delivered on his behalf by Prof Colin Stanley, NUST interim council chairperson Dr Leake Hangala said Tjivikua led at a time when establishing a new higher education institution in a young Namibia was both bold and demanding. “Yet he approached that task with clarity, discipline and a deep commitment to excellence,” he said.
The library offers an impressive range of resources, amenities and services, including a 750-seat capacity, each desk equipped with electrical connection points, alongside more than 66 000 printed books, 350 000 e-books, and access to over 70 000 electronic journal titles.