01 Jul 2020

Botswana Chinese Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Fair Price donated P100 000 and paint supplies towards the University of Botswana (UB) COVID-19 response activities.

Appreciating the donation on Tuesday, UB Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris said the kind gesture would assist the institution in promoting their online learning platforms and enhancing students’ experience during the trying period of COVID-19.

“One of the things that we want to do as an institution is that when our students leave the university, they really should have memorable experiences and it starts with habitable accommodation conditions and Fair Price has insured that we will be able to meet this need!” he said.

He said the monetary donation will assist in purchasing laptops for his staff members.

Professor Norris further revealed that UB would be launching a new strategy focused on an intensive enterprising centre.

He commented that for the past 35 years, the institution has been reliant on the government’s assistance for its budgetary needs, adding that its financial support was no longer sufficient to run the ever expanding university. 

The professor noted that the institution aimed to be leaders in generating third stream revenues and becoming an incubation space for manufacturing.

“We must be an entrepreneurial university, starting from transforming our research findings into products and services that can be commercialized,” he commented.

For his part, Chinese Chamber of Commerce representative, Mr Hu Zhongwen said since the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 400 individuals donated more than 13 million to the country.

He said their donation to UB was to forge a friendship and to improve the institution’s education system by promoting online learning.

Fair Price manager, Mr Ramin Mduli, added that his organisation firmly believed in Education and Learning enlightenment, particularly the empowerment of students and communities at large, hence the need to donate to UB. Ends