During the opening session of the two-day event, the Deputy Minister of Higher Education Training and Innovation, Honourable Dr Becky Ndjoze-Ojo, addressed the gathering and emphasised the importance of collaboration in the higher education sector. She encouraged the students to take advantage of platforms such as the Symposium, for the greater good of the country.

The event gives students an opportunity to engage in mentally stimulating discussions and collaborations across various disciplines.

Some of the studies presented by NUST students at the Symposium were: Evaluation of E-Government Services Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities in Developing Countries – The Case of Namibia; A Symptomatic Based Insider Threats Assessment Framework for Namibia Critical Infrastructure Organisations; and Design and Development of Voice Activity Detection-Based Smart Home Automation Systems.

Dr Tjama Tjivikua, the NUST Vice-Chancellor, delivered an address in which he singled out research as ‘The Missing Link in National Development.’ He said: “In most economies, universities play a critical role in the nation’s system of innovation. Their cutting-edge performance in basic and applied research lays the basis for a healthy innovation-based economy.”