University of Namibia Assures UB of Organisational Restructuring Benefits
A University of Namibia (Unam) delegation recently visited University of Botswana Center for Continuing Education (CCE) to share lessons and experiences on organizational restructuring. UB is currently undergoing a restructuring process while Unam completed a similar exercise in 2021.
Unam has a Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching (CILT) which is similar to CCE which is a multi-disciplinary and inter-faculty arm of the University of Botswana that offers part time evening classes, distance learning, professional development and training programmes. CILT offers such service at faculty level, a concept UB aims to adopt in the new structure.
CILT Director, Dr Catherine Beuke-Amiss, said given the dwindling government support, institutions of higher learning must be proactive in self-funding initiatives. As such, Dr Beuke-Amiss said that compelled Unam to restructure and reduce faculties from eight to four. She also pointed out that restructuring did not necessarily equate to job losses but implementing systems and structures in tune with the times.
“When an institution changes its mandate, it comes with new structures,” said Dr Beuke-Amiss.
Dr Beuke-Amiss added that restructuring came with challenges that required positive responses across board, highlighting that was how Unam was able to fulfill its mandate.
CCE Acting Director, Professor Olekae Thakadu, said CCE was amenable to the learning processes that Unam had adopted as well as using relevant experience to guide their way forward. Professor Thakadu 
CCE’s mandate was to efficiently deliver distance programmes and to afford students the same treatment as other UB Students at faculty level while also allowing lecturers to be more effective.
Various topics were presented during the meeting, among the Re-integration of Distance and Online Mode Students into a Faculty: The case of Faculty of Education and Human Sciences by Unam Executive Dean, Faculty of Education and Human sciences, Prof Alfons Mosimane.
CILT Deputy Director eLearning and Learning, Mr Erkkie Haipinge presented on Provision of Student Support Services Within a Fully Integration Dual-mode Model: Roles of Faculties and CILT.