Lubango — Mandume ya Ndemufayo University (UMN) has secured $3.5 million in World Bank funding to support and strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs across its constituent units.
This funding is part of the Angolan Government's Higher Education, Science, and Technology Development Project (TEST), which aims to transform the higher education sector by focusing on quality, gender equity, digital innovation, and sustainable management.
In total, the initiative is expected to benefit at least 2,832 individuals in the STEM field, including undergraduate and specialized master's students, non-teaching staff, faculty members, and researchers.
Speaking to ANGOP, UMN's Vice-Rector for Scientific Affairs and Postgraduate Studies, Francisco Maiato Gonçalves, stated that the proposal was submitted in 2025 and recently approved; implementation is likely to begin this year, with a three-year execution period.
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He explained that the initiative aims to foster postgraduate training (master's and doctoral degrees) to address the shortage of qualified faculty in the fields of engineering, technology, and mathematics.
He highlighted the existing deficit in these areas, noting the limited availability of master's and doctoral programs in engineering within the country, as well as the fact that available scholarships have been insufficient to cover all disciplines.
According to the source, the focus is on establishing a Pure and Applied Biology program--with a view to constructing a Faculty of Natural Sciences at the future UMN University Campus--and supporting the existing Master's program in Genetic Biodiversity and Conservation, which is run in partnership with the University of Porto.
He also revealed that the acquisition of laboratory equipment and the optimization of existing infrastructure at the Huíla Polytechnic Institute (IPH) and the Ondjiva Polytechnic Institute (IPO) are among the other actions included in this funding.
"The funding has already been authorized; all that remains is the signing of contracts by the heads of the higher education institutions. I believe the funds will begin to be disbursed this year," he emphasized.
Regarding research promotion projects under the Foundation for Scientific and Technological Development (FUNDECIT), he highlighted that UMN has developed seven projects--currently nearing completion--with funding ranging from 23 to 26 million kwanzas per initiative.
Francisco Maiato Gonçalves explained that two of the projects originate from the Faculty of Economics: one focused on fostering a business incubator and the other on specialized training in scientific research for professors and researchers.
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He noted two other projects from the Faculty of Medicine related to improving the innovation ecosystem and acquiring equipment, while the remaining two--led by the university administration--focus on establishing the core of the UMN Central Library and providing specialized training to set up a future scientific research center.
The final project involves the Ondjiva Polytechnic Institute (Cunene) and entails equipping the hydraulic engineering laboratory.
He also mentioned that, under another project funded by the European Union to support the higher education subsystem, a specialization course in medical microbiology and parasitology is currently underway at the Faculty of Medicine.
UMN currently has over 200 faculty members and 7,164 students enrolled for the current academic year. It offers more than 10 STEM-related courses, taught at the IPH and IPO.
