Who is Ms Cristina Stefan
Cristina Stefan is currently the Pro Vice Chancellor Research, Innovation and Business Development at University of Namibia (UNAM), a paediatric oncologist, global oncology advocate, mother and wife.

I am someone who loves challenges, hardworking and loyal. I am told that I appear extremely confident and strong despite deep down being sensitive and soft-hearted. I believe in people and am inspired by those who are determined to make a change. I am a mother who adores her daughters and who at times, might have been too strict. I believe in changes, inherited most probably my mother as an educator and I am driven by results. I am extremely creative and have a mind for business. I am passionate about equity and rights and wish that I could contribute that the most unfortunate have a better life.

We are told that yours is a combination of impressive academic credentials with a wealth of practical, high level experience in this sector. Tell us more about about that?
i.Tell us more about your job and what drives and inspires you
My job is a mix of constructive challenges, redefining the definition and description of a pro vice chancellor in research, innovation and business development, position which has been well described previously in an academic setting. I am driving a change in research acceptance and understanding, involving students from first year, showing them that research is at the base of any progress in a society as advancing science and knowledge.

I am on a mission on changing the perception about research and researcher jobs as being fulfilling and highly impactful. The same applies to innovation.

Namibians as most Africans have a high level of creativity and innovation, however very few dare or believe in building their own businesses. My role in this context is to offer them, to all young students, postgraduates and academic staff, the tools needed, the knowledge and the skills to get their ideas to take off and start their own businesses and become the entrepreneurs whom we so much need.

Namibia has a good number of women who have made it in business, and the one common thread among their success stories is that it did not come easy. Did this hardship befall you as well?
The success for me is attributed to be aligned with own beliefs, to be able to stand up after a knock down, to persevere and continue fighting/believing in your dreams.
There are many factors which contribute to one’s success: in my case it was my family who believed in me and continued to support me all the time. I also believe that I was fortunate enough to have my mother who always encouraged me and believe that I can get anything if I believe enough and work towards getting in.

I am not sure that I managed always to have a balance between being a mother and following my career goals but I hope I inspired my daughters and made them believe that everything is possible if you want it from your heart and are prepared to work for it.
Nothing can stop you and finally you will be able to get it, no matter what.

Will you safely say that you have successfully managed to align your personal goals with that of the college? If yes, how did you achieve that feat? If no, what are the challenges?
Currently, I have not managed to align personal goals with that of the university as I am very much driven by results, I see lots of opportunities and need for change and I am very tough on myself. I need to continue learning that obtaining results could be good but being able to bring all together and sustain change might be much harder. It takes time and effort and perseverance as I will need to inspire many others.

There are those who have known with unfailing certainty what they wanted to be when they grew up–and then there are the rest of ‘us.’ In which group are you and how many other ‘wrong turns’ did you make before arriving here? What are the ‘lessons learnt’ if any?
When I was 2, definitely I wanted to be on the stage ( as an actress) and then be a chef as I liked very much cakes, a few years later I was dissecting mice on the 3rd floor where the apartment, where I lived with my parents, was.

I continue enjoying being on the stage but giving lectures and talking to the conferences, I no longer eat sweets and continue to enjoy medicine and innovation

What are some of your daily challenges, on the job, and how do you circumvent them?
The major daily challenges are related to the enormous number of meetings, long, inefficient number of lost hours which prevent progress, thinking and initiatives.
On my side, I encourage empowerment and the ability of taking decisions, of being accountable for one own’s actions.
Others are related to the need of “moving fast”, to keep up with the current times or even better, to be one step ahead, we no longer do things the same way as we did them 30 years ago, those times are long gone, we need to be flexible, re-adjust, re-invent every moment if we want to be successful.

Finally, what is your advice to that women out there, who harbour dreams of becoming successful in corporate leadership, but believe that it is too late for them?
It is never too late, as long as you are alive and continue to have dreams, it is never too late.
Believe in yourself as there is no one there who could help you more than yourself. You have you and make the best of who you are and who you would like to be!