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.

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.

Until the 2010s a classic polytechnic, the institution offered both higher-level vocational training and academic degrees in technical subjects and the applied sciences.

[6] Since gaining university status in 2015 several Master and PhD programs have been developed, and short, entry-level certifications have been phased out.

[11][12] In 2010 the argument about who delivers the best tertiary education in Namibia entered a new stage when a local study found the NUST again to be far ahead in terms of services delivery.

[12] The Polytechnic of Namibia had for a number of years attempted to change its name and its mandate to that of a Namibian university of science and technology.

[14] More than two years later in December 2012, cabinet instructed the Ministry of Education to grant the Polytechnic of Namibia university status and a change to the desired name.

Activities include an International Cuisine Day where staff and students prepare and sell traditional food, a flea market, and the Miss and Mr NUST competition.