Polytechnic of Namibia

Namibia University of Science and Technology

Logo of Namibia University of Science and Technology
Motto in English	Technology and development
Established	1994
Vice-Chancellor	Prof. Tjama Tjivikua
Academic staff	≥300
Administrative staff	670 (including faculty)
Students	11,500
Location	Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia
Sports	Soccer, Rugby, Cricket, Basketball
Nickname	NUST
Website	www.nust.na

Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), formerly known as Polytechnic of Namibia, is an institute of tertiary education in Windhoek, Namibia.

NUST emerged from the Academy for Tertiary Education, founded in 1980, which was the first institution of higher education in Namibia. Act 9 of 1985 of the South African administration defined three sections for this academy, a university part, the College of Out-of-School Training (COST) for vocational training programs, and the Technikon Namibia for technical programs related to science and technology. When in 1992 the University of Namibia (UNAM) was founded, the Academy lost its university section. The remaining sections, COST and Technikon, were merged to form the Polytechnic of Namibia per Act of Parliament 33 / 1994. In 2015 the Polytechnic was renamed Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), again per Act of Parliament, as the 1994 Act prescribed the name "Polytechnic of Namibia".

NUST consists of two campuses and a number of scattered former residential buildings all located in the Windhoek West suburb close to the city centre. The main campus consists of the structures originally erected for the Academy for Tertiary Education. At its center is the Elisabeth house, Windhoek's former obstetric hospital designed by Wilhelm Sander in 1907. Elisabeth house is a national monument since 1986 and houses the Senate chambers and the office of the Rector.

The Engineering campus is adjacent to the main campus; construction of this area started in 1995. Originally intended to house only the School of Engineering, this campus has gradually grown and accommodates the library, all auditoria, and many of the other faculty venues, including, most recently, a new building for the School of Health Sciences. A further building, to house new lecture venues and the Department of Architecture, is currently being constructed on this campus.

As a classic polytechnic the institution offers both higher-level vocational training and academic degrees in technical subjects and the applied sciences. In many cases these programs can be combined such that the academic degree can be attempted after a more basic vocational training was successfully passed.