12 Jun 2016

The chief executive officer of Botswana Innovation Hub, Mr Alan Boshwaen has been elected the president of the International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) Africa division network. 

This follows the recent IASP Africa Division conference held in Abuja, Nigeria, where Mr Boshwaen was unanimously elected president of the IASP Africa Division. 

A press release from the organisation, says he takes over from Mr McLean Sibanda, CEO of The Innovation Hub, South Africa, who has reached the end of his two year term. 

The IASP, states the release, is the worldwide network of science parks and areas of innovation that connects professionals managing science, technology and research parks (STPs) and other areas of innovation and provides services that drive growth and effectiveness for its members. 

It says the organisation strives to enhance the competitiveness of its members and contribute to global economic development through innovation, entrepreneurship and the transfer of knowledge and technology. 

As president of the IASP Africa Division, Mr Boshwaen joins four other regional division presidents who constitute the executive board of IASP.  

The organisations’ other regions are Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America. In addition, the IASP executive board comprises of president, Jean-François Balducchi from France, vice president, Josep Miquel Piqué from Spain, treasurer, McLean Sibanda from South Africa and director general, Luis Sanz from Spain. 

Furthermore, it states that Botswana Innovation Hub was bestowed full member of IASP at the 31^st IASP World Conference in Doha, Qatar, in October 2014. The company is state owned with a mandate to develop and operate Botswana’s first science and technology park in which it will promote and facilitate research, development, education and innovation activities and support start-ups and existing companies to grow. 

Botswana Innovation Hub attracts companies, universities, research institutes and advanced tr