NUST is at the forefront of higher education in Namibia. The University offers various Certificates (under- and post-graduate), Diplomas, Bachelor, Bachelor Honours, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in more than 60 programmes. 

NUST is the first Namibian higher education institution to have established a dedicated Quality Assurance Unit; its programmes are accredited by, among others, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA). The University enjoys a cherished partnership with industry, public sector and civic society through various initiatives such as curriculum advisory boards, work integrated learning and joint research. 

Students are equipped with a blend of contemporary knowledge, skills and competence acquired in classrooms, simulation laboratories, through field work and job attachments, to drive competitiveness in the knowledge economy. NUST graduates are sought after in the Namibian labour market and beyond, and are accepted for further studies in other universities internationally.

1. EXCELLENCE: Excellence is the cornerstone of our operations through the delivery of relevant and responsive education. 
2. INSTITUTIONAL AUTONOMY AND ACADEMIC FREEDOM: We espouse the fundamental values of the freedom to set and implement our own policies and priorities for teaching, research, and community service and freedom of enquiry for students and staff members to pursue their research, teaching, and learning activities. 
3. COLLEGIALITY: We support and promote the principle and culture of collegiality and integrity among staff members, united with a common purpose of collectively achieving our vision and mission. 
4. ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY: Reflection of sustainability, through exercising prudency and accountability in all facets of our operations is one of our enshrined values for progressive growth and development. 
5. DIVERSITY: We strongly embrace, uphold and implement the doctrine of diversity in all our endeavours as entrenched in the constitution of the Republic of Namibia. 

Higher education in Namibia started around 1979/80. Prior to this, all students wishing to pursue higher education had to study abroad or through distance education.

The Namibia University of Science and Technology, a public university, has its roots in the establishment of the Academy for Tertiary Education (Act No. 13 of 1980). Classes in Teacher Training and Secretarial Courses started on 14 January 1980.
Five years later, Act No. 9 of 1985 was promulgated and, by it, the Academy - consisting of a university component, a Technikon and a College for Out of School Training (COST) - was established.

The Technikon offered a total of 17 Diploma and Certificate programmes in Agriculture and Nature Conservation, Personnel Management, Public Administration, Cost Accounting, Secretarial and Communicative and Legal Training.  The College for Out-of-School Training (COST) offered 13 certificate courses in Technical and Commerce/General areas. Some of the courses included pre-tertiary teacher training.

Shortly after independence in 1990 it was resolved to restructure the three components into two independent higher education institutions, namely, a university and a polytechnic.

Act No. 18 of 1992 saw the establishment of the University of Namibia, leaving the Technikon and COST together as a stand-alone unit, however, under the auspices of the new university, until the promulgation of the Polytechnic Act.

Two years later, with the establishment of the Polytechnic of Namibia (Act No. 33 of 1994), Technikon Namibia and COST merged to become the Polytechnic of Namibia. The Act provided for the phasing out of vocational training courses and the granting of degrees by the Polytechnic.

The former “City Campus” (former Academy) became the main campus of the Polytechnic under its founding Rector, Dr Tjama Tjivikua, who was appointed on 04 August 1995.  The first meeting of Council was held on 10 August 1995.  These events accelerated and completed the de-linkage of the two institutions of higher education in December 1995. Thus, with effect from 01 January 1996, the Polytechnic became independent and autonomous.

After 20 years of tremendous growth and relentless pursuit of a new status under the visionary leadership of Dr Tjivikua, the Polytechnic was renamed as the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Act No. 7 of 2015).  The University is ranked as the best higher education institution in Namibia, since 2002 (PMR africa) and most innovative institution /or organisation in Namibia (PMR africa 2014 and 2016), and has won numerous local and international awards.

The University’s governing structure comprises the Council (supreme policy-making body), Senate and a Students’ Representative Council.  The Vice-Chancellor is supported primarily by a Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Teaching, Learning and Technolgy; Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Finance and Operations, a Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Partnerships; and a Registrar.