Dr Tjama Tjivikua, NUST Vice-Chancellor (centre), pictured with delegates making a toast at the unveiling of the Land Governance Centre, during the launch.

The Network was established by the African Land Policy Centre (ALPC) in cooperation with Germany, World Bank and other partners. Hosting a hub bears testimony to an institution’s performance in addressing land governance matters. To date, five regional nodes have been selected for establishing NELGA.

“Indeed, the Polytechnic, predecessor to NUST, became involved in land management in 1997, starting with two one-year Certificates in Land Measuring and Land Use Planning. In the intervening years, the academic profile grew impressively and we are currently offering land-related disciplines up to the Doctorate level,” remarked Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor. The University’s Department of Land and Property Sciences (DLPS), together with the Integrated Land Management Institute (ILMI),are at the forefront of research and outreach in the field of land governance and administration. The Head of DLPS, Charl-Thom Bayer, emphasised that the Department is flexible when it comes to admitting post-graduate students as this can take place anytime of the year.

Albert Engel, the GIZ Country Director, highlighted that the German government prioritises land governance and access to land, adding that there are several land reform policies in different countries that are supported by Germany. GIZ is a founding partner of NELGA, and, in close collaboration with the DAAD, provides scholarships to a number of NUST postgraduate students.

After the launch, a four-day masterclass was held to provide participants with thorough knowledge of the ethos of good land governance and the negative impacts of corruption in both the private and public sectors. The outline of the course included: The Dynamics of Corruption in Urban Planning; Social and Economic Importance of Land; and Tactics and Strategies for Addressing Urban Corruption.

The event was attended by NELGA partners from South Africa, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.T