Page 21 - UNAM Strategic Plan 2019-2024

STRATEGIC PLAN 2019 - 2024 21

university through teaching, training, learning, teleconferencing capacities and strategic social
research and its innovative capacity, UNAM projects nationwide, and occupies a central role in
is able to make a meaningful contribution to the social stratum of the country – not only through
the development of communities within and disseminating knowledge and creating awareness,
beyond Namibian borders. For this reason, the but equally by applying resources at its disposal
University commits to enter into collaborations strategically to the mutual benefit of collaborations
and partnerships that are aimed at building with national and international partners, which
and exchanging knowledge, skills, expertise and make an impact, even in faraway communities.
resources with other universities, as well as other
key stakeholders and customers, particularly 5.4.3 Strengthen mechanisms for climate
government, staff, students and the community. change mitigation and adaptation

Furthermore, UNAM will strive for social relevance UNAM is part of the global community that
in the community, by deploying scholarly holds the view that innovative mechanisms for
expertise and resources to engage with climate change mitigation and adaptation
communities within the context of reciprocal should, now more than ever, be at the centre
engagement and collaborative partnerships. of research. Our institutional environment is the
best setup to contribute to such an effort through
The expected strategic outcome for this theme research and innovation. The University has the
is that UNAM will contribute to the creation of a necessary human competence to make a global
responsive and accountable society that is guided contribution to finding scientific solutions and
by moral, economic and social imperatives, reducing vulnerabilities resulting from climate
and which ascribes to the fundamental tenets change effects.
of lifelong learning, knowledge creation and
community empowerment. This theme has the Through advanced scientific technologies
following three strategic objectives. and research capabilities, UNAM will promote
and support contributive efforts of the clean
development mechanism, Reducing Emissions
5.4.1 Strengthen sustainable community from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD).
engagement The University will also be engaged through
UNAM will take stakeholders’ aspirations into other internationally recognised, legally binding
account during design, development and obligations and initiatives, such as the formulation
delivery of envisaged programmes. The University and implementation of policies, monitoring and
will, furthermore, ensure that knowledge creation, evaluation of climate change periodic reports
production, applicability and practicality are key and development of climate change response
to sustainable community engagement. plans; and it will promote and cooperate in the
development, application, diffusion and transfer of
greenhouse gas emission mitigation technologies,
5.4.2 Improve social relevance and increase practices and processes, support research and
strategic social projects
systematic observation organisations, networks and
With its 12 fully fledged university campuses and programmes on climate change, and develop
regional centres across the country, UNAM performs and implement education, training and public
strategic functions in the development of Namibia awareness programmes on climate change.
and, as such, it physically transforms the surrounding
environments, neighbourhoods, cities and regions 5.5 INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING AND
through modern, state-of-the-art investments, INTERNATIONALISATION
construction, landscaping upgrades and social
networking capacity which create employment Current global markets emphasise that
opportunities, support the service industry and graduates of higher learning institutions must
sustain local economic development. have intercultural skills to be able to interact
globally. UNAM will incorporate intercultural and
UNAM is endowed with the necessary social international dimensions into the curriculum and
networking connections, information infrastructure, teaching, research and extracurricular activities
technical know-how, corporate reputation, to help students to develop international and