About The University Center for Studies in Namibia (TUCSIN)

About The University Center for Studies in Namibia (TUCSIN)

TUCSIN

The University Centre for Studies in Namibia (TUCSIN)

2022 Intakes in Namibia [Universities, Colleges, VTC Intake]

During the 1970’s Namibia (formerly South West Africa) was administered like a province of South Africa. A university for Namibia was a controversial subject. It took courage to provide a forum for Namibians and others to address such issues and to demand access to higher academical education.

TUCSIN House

Activities at TUCSIN House, first on a farm outside of Windhoek and then from in the centre of town, consisted of hosting educationists, visiting scientists and students. Members of the organization undertook field trips, assisted researchers and offered their skills of teaching special subjects. They also assisted with setting up new classrooms and renovating older buildings on the premises. Scholarships were secured, and funds obtained to prepare students for university careers in the natural sciences. By the end of the millennium TUCSIN has been instrumental in having well over 600 Namibians qualify in fields critical to the development of the country.

The organization runs projects that fit together like building blocks towards achieving the overall aim of lifelong learning, development of the individual, the society, the country and the world.

Brief History

1978

  • Launch by an association of members.
  • Offering 2 scholarships and student guidance.

1979

  • Utuseb and Naos schools established in rural areas.
  • Instrumental in planning the establishment of the Rössing Foundation Education Centre.

1980

  • Feasibility study for the Rehoboth Library is drawn up.

1981

  • Feasibility study for the Rehoboth Museum is drawn up.

1982

  • Launch of Ju/wa Bushman Development Foundation (today Nyae Nyae Development Foundation of Namibia).
  • Educational Testing Services (ETS) New Jersey, appoint TUCSIN to administer internationally recognized tests for admission to University.

1983

  • Development Projects launched: Namibia Crafts & Wear; Epukiro Farmers Cooperative.

1984

  • The Complementary Course is offered to the first 8 students.
  • Adam Small inaugurates the Rehoboth Library.

1985

  • Konrad Adenauer Stiftung provides funds for 25 Complementary Course students.

1986

  • “International Seminar on Appropriate Education in Namibia” is held at the Rössing Foundation Education Centre.
  • Rehoboth Museum opens.
  • Complementary Course students go on an educational tour to South African universities and technicons.

1987

  • DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) appoints TUCSIN as its representative in Namibia.

1989

  • TUCSIN Enrichment Programme (TEP) for High School Students in rural areas is inaugurated.

1991

  • Additional premises acquired.

1993

  • Konrad Adenauer Stiftung terminates funding of Complementary Course.
  • TUCSIN administers reintegration of previously exiled children from the German Democratic Republic.

1994

  • Ministry of Fisheries requests the design and facilitation of an upgrading course for sea cadets.

1995

  • Upgrading course for students in the Faculty of Agriculture at University of Namibia (UNAM).

1996

  • Rehoboth Museum inaugurates new buildings and establishes its own Research Centre.

1998

  • Ministry of Defence requests design and facilitation of an upgrading course for students to attend a military academy in Brazil.
  • TUCSIN Tutorial Course is offered at the Rössing Foundation Education Centre.

2000

  • TUCSIN NORTH is established.
  • Full-time Complementary Course replaces the TEP.
  • TUCSIN Alumni Association (TAA) officially launched.

2001

  • Dr Sandelowsky retires and Henriette Rispel takes over as director of TUCSIN.

2002

  • Public Relations Course (March 2002 – March 2003) designed for 12 students in cooperation with WIMSA (Working Group for Indigenous Minorities in Southern Africa).

2003

  • TUCSIN celebrates 25th Anniversary.
  • TUCSIN Alumni Talk – bi-weekly Radio programme.
  • TUCSIN Orphans’ Project launched.
  • TUCSIN joins ICACT (International Campaign Against Child Abuse and Child Trafficking).

2004

  • Publication of brochure “25 Years”
  • TUCSIN Trustees review the Deed of Trust.
  • TUCSIN Alumni event: Dr Joseph Diescho leads a debate on the Status of Democracy in Namibia.

2005

  • Dr B. Sandelowsky launches her book on “Archaeologically yours”
  • Prof Richard Lee of the University of Toronto presents “A Tale of Three Communities: Anthropological Insights into the African AIDS Crisis”.
  • Think-Tank Event: TUCSIN and Millenium Development Goals.

2006

  • TUCSIN Trustees approach President Pohamba about the future of TUCSIN.
  • The Municipality of Oshakati dontates an erf to TUCSIN for further development.
  • TUCSIN staff members Martina Williams and Mitchell van Wyk attend an international conference on e-learning.

2007

  • Enrollment at TUCSIN increases dramatically.

2008

  • TUCSIN turns 30 – Anniversary programme:
    • TUCSIN Public Lectures in cooperation with Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation – 800 participants
    • Launch of TUCSIN-Festschrift
  • Visit of Dr Lammert, President of the German Parliament (Bundestag). He met with beneficiaries of the Norbert-Lammert-Foundation
  • End of the year Dr Ronnie Böck took over from Dr Beatrice Sandelowsky as chairperson of the Board of Trustees.

2009

  • At RUNDU the TUT (Tutorial)-Course was launched.
  • Yearly blood donations and participation at cancer-apple-project in aid of the Cancer Association of Namibia
  • In Windhoek, Mont-Blanc-Street, the Complementary Course on Higher Level was established.
  • Alumni-Event in November showed again TUCSIN’s positive input to the country’s development.

2010

  • 20 years of Independence of Namibia
  • August 2010 start of the `Heritage and Cultures in Modern Namibia´- Seminar Series
  • November 2010: TUCSIN organised the conference `Dialogue on Education in Namibia´ attended by more than 70 experts from the Namibian educational sector.

2011

  • March 2011: NTA (Namibian Training Authority) Bridging Programme implemented by TUCSIN Oshakati for 180 students.
  • July 2011: TUCSIN participates in the National Conference on Education.
  • July & mid-September 2011 – `Heritage and Cultures in Modern Namibia’ Seminar Series.
  • August 2011: Summer School at TUCSIN Khomasdal for 35 Grade 12 learners

 2012

  • February 2012: Opening of TUCSIN Centre at Rehoboth
  • TUCSIN´s AGM, 30 March 2012: Cliff Olivier, Senior Manager HRD at NamWater and TUCSIN Alumnus succeeded Dr Ronnie Böck as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees.
  • March 2012: TUCSIN Trustee Cornelia Limpricht launched her new book `Rehoboth, Namibia  Past & Present.
  • July & September 2012: Part III – Seminar Serie `Heritage and Cultures in Modern Namibia´ in Whk-Khomasdal and in Rundu (Beatrice Sandelowsky)

 2013

  • January: TUCSIN welcomed Dr Andreas Wienecke, who took over from Dr Chris Sworn.
  • Chris Sworn agreed to join Dr Cornelia Limpricht as Honorary Trustee.
  • 15 June 2013 TUCSIN’s 35th anniversary was marked with another contribution towards the Seminar Series on `Heritage and Cultures in Modern Namibia´ (Part IV). Presentations dealt with the issue of Mother Tongue: Key to the Treasures of Cultural Diversity; Whk-Mont-Blanc-Street.
  • November: Once again TUCSIN excelled with outstanding results – it belongs to the “Top 20” nationwide secondary schools (rank 17).

2014

  • February: TUCSIN-Rehoboth had to be closed – hopefully temporarily.
  • February: The enrollment for TUCSIN’s Upgrading/Complementary courses at the centres in Windhoek, Khomasdal, Oshakati and Rundu totaled 945 students.
  • 24 June 2014: Launch of TUCSIN TSUMKWE. TUCSIN had bought the Tsumkwe Lodge and is intending to use it as a multi-purpose educational and development centre.

2015

  • February: TUCSIN is establishing a database for qualified and experienced Grade 12 teachers at its Centres in Windhoek.
  • March: TUCSIN  enrolled 1,049 students across four centres.
  • June / July:  In cooperation with TUCSIN Welwitschia – Education Initiative for Namibia(www.welwitschia.org)  held their Application
    Seminars in all four centres. In order to provide career guidance to TUCSIN students they made extensive use of the TUCSIN Career Focus Newsletters, prepared by Martina Williams.
  • August: The Heritage & Culture Seminar 2015 took place in Tsumkwe. Nine lecturers from the US, Germany, South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia (including one from Tsumkwe itself) gave talks on the San and their culture.
  • October: Dr Lammert, President of the German Parliament (Bundestag) visited TUCSIN to meet with beneficiaries of the Norbert-Lammert-Foundation.
  • December: Dr A. Wienecke resigned as director, TUCSIN is being managed for the time being by the TUCSIN Board.

2016

  • February: TUCSIN employs 46 full-time and 80 part-time staff working at five different locations in central and northern Namibia.
  • March: In cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation TUCSIN arranged a one-day-conference on ‘The Role of Education in providing opportunities for the Youth of Namibia’.
  • May: Bruce Parcher, the new Program Manager of TUCSIN-Tsumkwe, presented a Strategic Plan for the TUCSIN Tsumkwe Lodge for Hospitality and Training.
  • June: Using TUCSIN’s 38th anniversary in mid-June TUCSIN invited their Alumni in Swakopmund, Windhoek, TUCSIN-Rundu and TUCSIN North to show-case their professional achievements. Every centre reported on the wonderful contribution the Alumni made. / Blended E-Learning Workshop: This workshop was facilitated by Christopher Olivier for the teachers in TUCSIN North and TUCSIN-Rundu.
  • July: Major building improvements commenced at the TUCSIN Tsumkwe Lodge.  /  Welwitschia Namibia (in Partnership with TUCSIN) hosted Career workshops to our students  at the TUCSIN centres in Oshakati and RUNDU.
  • August: TUCSIN Khomasdal arranged a very successful Champagne Brunch to create awareness for breast cancer. The proceeds totaling N$13 700 was TUCSIN’s donation to the Cancer Association of Namibia.
  • October: TUCSIN in cooperation with the DAAD (German Exchange Service) processed 127 applications to award 36 scholarships for advanced studies in Namibia and South Africa for the 2017 academic year.
  • November: TUCSIN Tsumkwe published a short video on cultural activities on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxeHmeRJzuI).
    New co-operative ties between TUCSIN-Tsumkwe and the South African NGO Khwattu – San Community-based Tourism Training Programme were established (www.khwattu.org).