The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), formerly known as Polytechnic of Namibia, is a public university located in the city of Windhoek, Namibia. Andrew Niikondo is its acting vice-chancellor. NUST was headed by the founding vice-chancellor Tjama Tjivikua until March 2019. After two acting appointments, Erold Naomab was appointed vice-chancellor in January 2021. The largely ceremonial role of chancellor of the university is held by Peter Katjavivi. History It emerged from the Academy for Tertiary Education, found in 1980, which was the first institution of higher education in the Republic of 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. The founding council and rector Tjama Tjivikua were appointed in July 1995. In 2015 the Polytechnic was renamed to the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), again per Act of Parliament, as the 1994 Act prescribed the name "Polytechnic of Namibia". The Namibia University of Science and Technology 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 Vice-Chancellor. 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 and also a new library for the maters and PHD students, is currently being constructed on this campus. Academic and vocational offerings Until the 2010s a classic polytechnic, the institution offered both higher-level vocational training and academic