HTTPS inaugurated at NUST

By Michael Uugwanga

THE state-of-the-art multi-million dollar innovation hub, the High Technology Transfer Plaza Select (HTTPS), in collaboration with University of Science and Technology (NUST) and MTC was inaugurated in Windhoek last week.
HTTPS provides a beneficial integrated ecosystem for sustainable technology transfer and it facilitates the creation of inventions that are primarily set to contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.
HTTPS is based on cutting-edge digital technology. Overall, the six-story building has conference facilities, a technical lab, retail space to provide support services to students, and a taxi stand around the building.
NUST vice-chancellor Dr Erold Naomab said if NUST is to compete globally and achieve world-class status, it needs to have a robust research portfolio such as HTTPS.
“The HTTPS will enable the university to increase its offerings at the postgraduate level. Our first step in this direction is our commitment to the establishment of the Integrated Water Resources Management Graduate School Programme in partnership with the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF),” said Naomab.

Managing director of MTC Licky Erastus said the partnership is seen as the start of a roadmap towards a new multidisciplinary technology culture and interactive curricula accelerating innovation and helping deliver solutions to pressing social challenges in Namibia.
“It is against this knowledge that MTC has agreed to invest into continuous research and innovation in order to participate in development fit for future technology solutions. MTC realises the importance of private/public partnerships in advancing national development.
“We acknowledge that while every effort is put in place to respond to an array of social economic obligations, ranging from an unexpected Covid-19 pandemic that caught the world by surprise in 2020, to locust invasions and lingering spells of drought to mention just a few – any government, including ours has limited resources to meet all these expected and unexpected challenges.”
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) said that it continues to enjoy its long standing partnership with NUST.
“While the work undertaken by the integrated experts and the results achieved are definitely remarkable, the partnership with NUST does not end there, as this was complemented by several short-term and long-term development advisors, numerous GIZ interns from Germany and Namibia,” said Dr Thomas Kirsch, GIZ country director.
Vice President Nangolo Mbumba who was the keynote address said that HTTPS is a historic achievement which will offer strategic public-sector innovations which can be taken to market as business start-ups, serving as a catalyst for economic growth, employment creation, investment attraction, increasing trade and global competitiveness and thereby contributing towards the realisation of our Harambee Prosperity Plan II.
“Developing new skills for Namibia’s next generation workforce and a channel for future recruitment of top talents offer resilience and connectivity as part of this initiative.

The HTTPS facilitates co-creation and co-development that can unlock specialised expertise amongst our youth and investment opportunities in the digital economy through research and development.”
HTTPS was constructed at a cost of N$40 million.