13 Jun 2017

Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ethiopian Airlines.

Some of the elements of the MoU include student education and training, attachment and graduate internship, staff capacity building, research and research funding and exchange of information.

Signing the MoU during a three-day Research and Innovation Symposium in Palapye on June 12, BIUST Vice Chancellor, Prof. Otlogetswe Totolo said Ethiopian Airlines had been ranked the largest, leading and most profitable airline in Africa.

He said the Ethiopian Aviation Academy (EAA), which was the training arm of the airlines, would operate the MoU on behalf of the organisation.

“The EAA is the largest and most modern aviation academy in Africa and is an internationally recognised training centre of excellence. We envision that engagement with Ethiopian Airlines through the implementation of the MoU will contribute immensely to achieving our mandate,” he said.

Prof. Totolo said this would include creating access to quality and relevant education in science, engineering and technology, delivering cutting-edge research, enhancing the development of communities through service provision and becoming a university of repute comparable to the best institutions in Africa and the world.

“BIUST will contribute its resources to ensure the success of the MoU. We are confident that BIUST will be able to contribute to the ever-increasing demand for basic and recurrent training programmes of EAA,” he said.

For his part, BIUST chairperson, Mr Bernard Bolele thanked the BIUST community for their efforts in ensuring that the university continued to collaborate with others to advance its mission of providing cutting edge education and promoting industry links.

“I hope that the terms of this MoU will be implemented speedily, pragmatically and orderly so as to maximise the benefits of this interaction between the two parties.”

For his part, Ethiopian  Aviation Academy managing director, Mr Solomon Debebe said the signing of MoU between BIUST and the Ethiopian Airlines would lay a foundation for mutual partnership between the two parties especially in the area of Aerospace training.

He said EAA had so far graduated 11 000 graduates from over 40 countries, adding that he was delighted to have Botswana amongst the countries that would benefit from the EAA.

Ethiopian Airlines, he said one of the few successful Airlines Academies in the world.

The airline, he said provided the first jet service in the African continent in 1962 and had grown to laudable heights since then. ENDS