High-ranking Namibian delegation visits Hochschule Bremen (HSB): In connection with intensifying cooperation between the capital of Namibia and Bremen, the Mayor of Windhoek Joseph Uapingene led a high-ranking delegation on his first visit to the Hanseatic city. One item on the agenda was a visit to HSB at the Neustadtswall campus. HSB has been cooperating with the University of Namibia (UNAM) in Windhoek for several years. The aim of the visit was to intensify cooperation with Namibia's universities in the area of research projects and student exchanges.
'HSB is a fitting partner in our plan to create structures that will enable us to make evidence-based decisions for the sustainable development of our city based on the needs of its citizens`, the delegation informes. `We look forward to working together on topics such as community welfare, health, energy, mobility, and the circular economy.'
Several HSB professors are already involved in exchanges with UNAM in Windhoek: these include Rainer Hartmann, professor of applied leisure studies in Faculty 3 – Social Sciences. Several years ago, he accompanied a delegation to Namibia led by the then Science Senator Eva Quante-Brandt. Dr Martin Wittmeier from the Institute for Energy and Circular Economy is also actively engaged with Namibia. The contact for the current visit to HSB was established via Prof. Dr Silke Eckart from the Environmental Engineering Department of Faculty 2 – School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering: in June 2023, a delegation from the Municipal Waste Management Department in Windhoek visited the Environmental Engineering Department at HSB. At that time, the focus was a tour of the circular economy lab and talks on possible cooperation with the International Bachelor's Programme in Environmental Engineering. The project 'Improving Waste Management in Windhoek/Namibia' is managed in Bremen by the Senate Chancellery.
'We are very much honoured by the visit of the Mayor of Windhoek and his delegation to HSB,' says the President of HSB Prof. Dr Konrad Wolf. 'As a university with strong international orientation, we are looking forward to expanding our contact with Windhoek and its universities in the coming years. Such face-to-face meetings are invaluable for this, in order to take the next steps together.'
The visit to HSB on Tuesday, 12 September 2023 was the last item on the programme of a three-day stay in Bremen by the high-ranking delegation from Windhoek. On Sunday, 10 September 2023, the group visited the Anti-Colonial Monument in Nelson Mandela Park accompanied by Bremen representatives and commemorated the victims of the Battle of Ohamakari (Waterberg). On Monday, the delegation met with representatives of Bremer Straßenbahn AG to explore possibilities for cooperation and the expansion of public transport in Windhoek. This was followed by a meeting with the President of the Bremen Parliament, Antje Grotheer. In Bremen's historic town hall, the mayor of Windhoek met his Bremen counterpart, Dr Andreas Bovenschulte, and signed the Golden Book.
Exchanging views on expanded cooperation at HSB's Neustadtswall campus:1st row from left: HSB Vice President Dr Sabina Schoefer, Joseph Uapingene, Mayor of Windhoek, Prof. Dr Anja Noke (Environmental Biotechnology), Shafiishuna Sam Nujoma (City Councillor and Chair of the Management Committee). 2nd row from left: Silke Goethe (Senate Chancellery), Prof. Dr Silke Eckardt (Sustainable Energy and Resource Efficiency). 3rd row from left: Moses Matyayi, Michelle Farmer (Namibian Embassy, Berlin), Dr Job Shipululo Amupanda (Councillor and member of the Management Committee), Prof. Dr Babette Müller-Rockstroh (Midwifery Sciences). 4th row from left: Prof. Dr Sabine Lins (Nursing Science), Heinz Terhorst (Project Manager), Heike Tauerschmidt, Head of the International Office. The President of HSB, Prof. Dr Konrad Wolf, met the delegation the evening before.
© HSB – Louisa Windbrake
