16 Oct 2022

University of Botswana (UB) is on the verge of producing new generation of Foot and Mouth vaccine, the institution’s vice chancellor Prof David Norris has revealed.

“We are on the verge of producing medicinal steroids,” he said in Kanye on Friday during  a UB 40th anniversary commemorative event.

Prof Norris said the move was in line with the university’s role in rejuvenating, restoring and preserving the economy.

UB, he said, had embarked on a journey to drive and contribute to the resuscitation and growth of Botswana’s economy.

Prof Norris pointed out that the university recently launched biodiesel produced from animal fat and plant material.

With partner collaboration, UB was now ramping up production of the fuel thus turning into a reality Botswana’s dream  of becoming a biodiesel producing country, he said.

The vice chancellor said research indicated that Botswana had enough feedstock to yield more than 15 million litres of B2 blended biodiesel annually.

 He said biodiesel production created opportunities along the whole value chain.

 Prof Norris said Debswana Jwaneng Mine could attest to the high efficiency of the biodiesel.

Through using biodiesel,  the mine was managing to reduce bad gases emitted from other fuels, said the vice chancellor.

    He informed his audience that UB envisaged transformation which would enable it to assist in attaining economic prosperity.

By so doing, it would be following the global trend where institutions of higher learning stepped in to resuscitate depressed economies, said Prof Norris.

Giving the example of  Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, US, he said the institution set up knowledge industries after the city’s steel industry collapsed resulting in a depression.

The university was now an artificial intelligence leader producing an estimated US$2 billion in annual economic impact for the state of Pennsylvania, he said.

He said the university was powering itself in terms of research and in the last five years, it ranked 43 in Africa and was now in the top 20.

  “Where there is dark cloud there is a silver lining, so where there is a challenge there is an opportunity,” said Prof. Norris.

He said the only impactful way that the institution could honour great statesmen in the likes of Sir Ketumile Masire and Dr Festus Mogae, was to have a university that was responsive to societal challenges and served as the nation’s economic engine.

Prof Norris said the late Sir Ketumile advocated for development of education, knowledge creation and sharing.

 UB was therefore indebted to him and would do its utmost for optimum output in his honour and that of other legends. BOPA

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