02 Oct 2022

Universities as ivory of knowledge towers are endowed with the capacity and all the necessary expertise that should be utilised to guide and enrich the developmental process.

“They should be at the forefront of research and innovation, the output of which should be turned into tangible products and services that can be commercialised,” said Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe.

Dr Letsholathebe, who was speaking during the University of Botswana (UB)’s 40^th anniversary celebration in Francistown Wednesday, said the country was faced with a myriad of problems which could only be overcame if local universities were responsive and quick to come up with sustainable solutions.

“I have no doubt that UB is more than capable, owing to its high level of expertise in various fields, with more than 54 per cent of its academic staff holding post-graduate degrees,” said the education minister.

He said the 40 more years of the UB should, therefore, be a period of active engagement underpinned by discoveries and innovations.

For his part University of Botswana Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris emphasised the relevance of research as the bedrock of the institution’s overall mission to advance the country from a resource-based to a knowledge-based economy.

He said one of the projects that the university was working on included an establishment of an Innovation Hub, where ideas could be explored to create knowledge.

Prof. Norris concurred that strengthening research and innovation would enhance linkages with industries as well as forge collaborations and partnerships with different stakeholders across all disciplines.

“The university has of late been signing a number of memoranda with different organisations and entities in order to deliver high quality applied research and innovation,” he said.

Being a techno-savvy and knowledge-based, he said was some of the objectives the university was focused on as it actively responded to societal needs and challenges.

For his part, the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Phandu Skelemani urged UB to research on things that could assist the country and analyse different things such as traditional medicines and foot and mouth disease.

He said UB should be the place where people got diversion of views of what others said, urging them to be open minded.

MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi pleaded with the vice chancellor to consider introducing post graduate studies in the Francistown facility.

He said the move would make it easier for residents to participate in studies that required them to indulge in intensive research without having to travel to th main campus in Gaborone.

With all the resources available at UB, he said it was time to peddle the nation into high developments, where young Batswana were baked into employees and employers.

“The university has some of the highest research already turned into use such as the fuel produced for the campus vehicles, factories, legal clinic even the judiciary system,” he said.

Mr Mmolotsi advised the UB leadership to up the scale on developing the economy by investing enough funds into research.ENDS