Dr. Alfred Van Kent, PhD
Executive Director

Dr. Alfred van Kent is a Physicist by training with a Master’s Degree (Experimental Nuclear Physics) and Ph. D in Physics, from the University of the Western Cape National Accelerator Centre, South Africa and the University of Namibia. He further obtained a Masters of Business Administration with elective in Investment and Portfolio Management (MANCOSA) and Post Graduate Certificate in Environmental Engineering (University of Gent).

He started his career as a Primary School teacher, Laboratory scientist, Researcher, and Chief Development Planner. He joined the government of the Republic of Namibia, at the Ministry of Environment Tours in 1992 as Environment Scientist and thereafter became the first Director of National Research, Science and Technology.

He was promoted to the position of Deputy Permanent Secretary / Deputy Executive Director responsible Higher Education, Technical Vocational Education and Science and Technology and National Commission for UNESCO. Thereafter, he became the Permanent Secretary/Executive Director for the same functions.

He represented Namibia at the Earth Summit (1992) and subsequently in the Commission for Sustainable Development. He also participated in international negotiations, notably on the Basel Convention, Montreal Protocol, Cartagena Protocol, Hazardous and Chemical Substances Instruments, and various Space Science and Technology and Astronomy activities and instruments. He has also been a member of a number of Boards including: The Executive Committee of the National Commission for UNESCO, Petroleum Fund Board, National Qualifications Authority Council, Boards of Research Centres, and Council of the University of Namibia, Council of the Namibia University of Science and Technology, the Council for Higher Education and part of Core Team to develop Namibia’s Vision 2030. His area of expertise range from Hazardous, Toxic Waste and Pollution Management, Experimental Nuclear Researcher, Public Policy development including Science, and Technology Policy, as well as Innovation Policy, Project Management, Mining, Drilling Technologies, etc..

His current key areas of engagement are Higher Education Funding and Management, Technical Vocational Education and Training, as well as Science, Technology and Innovation include governance oversight, financial allocation and management, national policy and strategy development, and strategic project implementation.