Kelvin Mubiana Katukula is a research management specialist, educator, and science policy advocate serving as Manager for Resource Mobilisation and Grants Management at the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST) in Namibia. In this capacity, he oversees the NCRST’s Science and Technology Fund and leads strategic national and international collaborations to advance the country’s research and innovation agenda.
A scholar-practitioner with a transdisciplinary footprint, Mr Katukula holds a Master of Philosophy in Science and Technology Studies (specialising in Research Management and Evaluation) from Stellenbosch University and a Master of Arts in Education from the University of Eastern Finland, where he conducted a comparative study on science education practices in Finland and Namibia. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Curriculum Studies at Stellenbosch University, with a focus on education for sustainable development and climate resilience.
His research interests span science policy, bibliometric analysis, environmental education, and inclusive knowledge systems. He has published on the political economy of education, science communication, and language ideologies in Namibian schools. He led the UK-funded project “Language as a Form of Violence and Assimilation: Stakeholders’ Views on Silozi as Medium of Instruction in Namibia’s Zambezi Region”, under the Political Economy of Education Research Network (PEER Network)—a consortium involving Ulster University, the University of Cape Town, Nazarbayev University, and the University of Sussex.
Mr Katukula has held academic and administrative roles at the University of Namibia, including Lecturer, Examination Officer, and Coordinator of Grants and Resource Mobilisation, where he managed several high-value research grants. He served as a Research Fellow of the PEER Network and an Associate Member of the International Society for Development and Sustainability.
He regularly contributes to high-level policy and academic platforms, including the Global Research Council Annual Meetings, the Science Diplomacy School at Venice International University, and the Southern African–Nordic Centre (SANORD). As a featured speaker at Augsburg University’s Centre for Global Education and Experience, he contributes to critical conversations on development theory, policy, and African knowledge systems.
Committed to the decolonisation of knowledge, Mr Katukula advocates for ethical, inclusive, and contextually grounded research ecosystems. His work champions language justice, equitable education, and evidence-informed governance of science, technology, and innovation (STI) across Africa.