Page 11 - UNAM Executive Annual Report 2018

Statement by the

Chairperson of Council

Mr. Sam Shivute

he University Council during the period under review, and under my chairpersonship, provided leadership
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in the implementation of the 2016 2020 Strategic Plan of the University. Prioritization of key strategic
initiatives to achieve desired outcomes in the context of decreasing Government subsidy was one of the
Tkey focus areas of Council.

As reported in the 2017 Annual Report, Council was also seized with the recruitment process of the third Vice-
Chancellor of the University of Namibia. This process was successfully completed with the appointment of
Professor Kenneth Matengu in August 2018.

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The 2016 2020 Strategic Plan was crafted to redefine the Institution’s Vision, “to be a beacon of excellence
and innovation through teaching, research, and community services, in addition to map out the University’s
Mission, which is to provide quality higher education through teaching, research, innovation and community
services to our customers with the view to develop productive and competitive human resources capable of
creating and driving public and private institutions towards a knowledge-based economy, economic growth
and improved quality of life.”

The Council during the reporting period approved several Institutional policies and made strategic decisions
aimed at enhancing operational service delivery, research, innovation and stakeholder relational excellence.

It is against this background that Council resolved that the University should embark upon a restructuring process
in 2018. The objective was to make the Institution efficient and effective, and fit for purpose and for the future. The
restructuring exercise was preceded and informed by an organizational assessment to guide the development
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of the 2016 2020 Strategic Plan.

I am pleased to report that Council has contributed to an improved operational performance culture of the
University, and has put the Institution on the right path to achieve operational and service delivery excellence
for both internal and external stakeholders.

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