UNAM Needs A Tested Leader

ALLOW me to air my views about our one and only University of Namibia with regards to leadership change.

In many universities around the world, when a chief executive leader leaves, the governance of the university see it as an opportunity to bring in someone else from outside of the university or even the country, with tested leadership, new ideas and the ability to change the university for a better future. In my view, Namibia needs to emulate this style in recruiting for the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Namibia and look for someone who is innovative, visionary, transparent and able to paint a better history of our university, different from the previous one.A leader who will make sure that financial maladministration and bankruptcy does not happen; that it is not a dumping ground for useless and retired professors; to eliminate shaky admission procedures that allow unscrutinized foreign certificates and a lack of clear vision and strategic planning should be things of the past.Today, university leaders worldwide are well versed in issues that add value to national development goals of their countries, where issues such as access to higher education, knowledge based economy, relevant research and production of a highly educated workforce are not just spoken about but are goals that are achieved.UNAM needs a leader who believes and motivates its human resources to perform to the best of their knowledge and make them worthy of the money invested in the University by Namibian taxpayers.Hence a call for a tested leader, an outsider, with a fresh vision of what a national university should do for its country.Lerry Mupopiwa Via e-mailIn my view, Namibia needs to emulate this style in recruiting for the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Namibia and look for someone who is innovative, visionary, transparent and able to paint a better history of our university, different from the previous one.A leader who will make sure that financial maladministration and bankruptcy does not happen; that it is not a dumping ground for useless and retired professors; to eliminate shaky admission procedures that allow unscrutinized foreign certificates and a lack of clear vision and strategic planning should be things of the past.Today, university leaders worldwide are well versed in issues that add value to national development goals of their countries, where issues such as access to higher education, knowledge based economy, relevant research and production of a highly educated workforce are not just spoken about but are goals that are achieved.UNAM needs a leader who believes and motivates its human resources to perform to the best of their knowledge and make them worthy of the money invested in the University by Namibian taxpayers.Hence a call for a tested leader, an outsider, with a fresh vision of what a national university should do for its country.Lerry Mupopiwa Via e-mail