The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) officially launched its Department of Digital Arts and Animation (DAA) on Thursday, 17 September 2025, marking a significant milestone in Namibia’s creative and educational landscape. The event was graced by Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture, Sanet L. Steenkamp, MP, who delivered the keynote remarks highlighting the department’s transformative role in advancing Namibia’s creative economy and youth empowerment.
Minister Steenkamp praised NUST Vice Chancellor Prof. Erold Naomab and the university’s leadership for their visionary commitment to providing future-ready education tailored to the needs of Namibian youth and the national development agenda. She emphasized that the establishment of this department sends a powerful message that creativity is integral to innovation, identity, and inclusive growth not a luxury, but a critical economic driver.
The new department aligns with Namibia’s Sixth National Development Plan and the Namibia Arts, Culture, and Heritage Policy (2025–2030), which call for relevant skills development, quality education, and expanded creative industries. Minister Steenkamp highlighted how the department directly reflects national priorities such as youth empowerment, education quality enhancement, and creative sector growth.
The DAA will offer short courses initially and plans to expand into fully developed degree programs in Digital Arts, Animation, Film, and Television, with future expansions into Gaming and Digital Advertising. This progressive curriculum is designed to nurture young Namibians’ talents and enable them to produce animated content, games, and films for both local and international markets.
Minister Steenkamp lauded the role of industry partners including MultiChoice Namibia, the Namibia Film Commission, and the National Arts Gallery of Namibia in supporting the department through scholarships and resources. She called on the wider corporate and creative sectors to invest in the department, emphasizing that such engagement builds the creative workforce on which many industries will rely.
The Minister illustrated the broad utility of digital arts skills across sectors from animated road safety campaigns in transport to digital storytelling for tourism, and public health animations in healthcare showcasing the department’s potential to impact national development beyond the arts.
Closing her remarks, Minister Steenkamp underscored Namibia’s rich cultural heritage and stories, calling on the DAA to be a beacon where these stories come to life through color, motion, and rhythm. She declared the Department of Digital Arts and Animation officially launched, inviting all stakeholders to participate in shaping Namibia as a creative hub for Southern Africa and a lighthouse for African stories on the global stage.
The launch at the NUST Lower Campus Science and Technology Building was attended by notable figures from academia, government, industry, and creative sectors, reflecting a united vision for Namibia’s creative future.
This initiative promises to equip Namibian youth with cutting edge skills, foster innovation, and propel the country’s creative economy as a vital component of its socio-economic development .
