NUST Represented on Engineering Council
The Minister of Works and Transport, Hon. Veikko Nekundi, recently inaugurated new members of the Engineering Council of Namibia, with three staff members from NUST among those appointed. These include Dr Veikko Shalimba, Associate Dean of the School of Engineering; Ms Truddy Theron-Beukes, a Water Treatment Lecturer; and Prof Fillemon Nangolo, Head of the Lüderitz Campus. Their appointments underscore the vital link between academia and industry.
For NUST, the appointment provides a direct channel to align programmes, internships, and research with national and regional priorities. “We can leverage this platform to deepen industry partnerships, expand internship opportunities, and enhance research collaborations,” Dr Shalimba said.
Drawing from his experience in the automobile industry and his involvement with accreditation processes such as those under the Engineering Council of South Africa, Dr Shalimba brings both practical and international perspectives to the Council. “These insights position me to contribute to strengthening engineering education programmes, supporting continuous professional development, and ensuring that our standards remain both relevant to Namibia’s context and in harmony with international best practices,” he added.
The benefits extend beyond academia. The engineering industry stands to gain from a steady supply of well-prepared graduates trained in line with evolving sector needs. Namibia as a whole benefits from innovations that feed into strategic growth areas such as renewable energy, green hydrogen, oil and gas, and emerging technologies.
Prof Nangolo’s research focus includes marine systems, renewable energy, water solutions, and industrial processes. Notable contributions include his work on solar-powered desalination plants, predictive maintenance for maritime systems, and the Benguela Community Wind Power Demonstration.
Whilst, Ms Theron-Beukes's research focuses on natural organic matter characterisation, membrane technology, and the application of nanotechnology in water treatment processes. She has presented papers at international conferences, including studies on ultrafiltration membrane monitoring and organic matter removal in treatment processes.
