19 Jun 2024

University of Botswana (UB) and First National Bank of Botswana (FNBB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate and exchange best practices and cooperate in any other area of mutual interest.

The MoU is also meant to afford deserving UB students and graduates an opportunity to be exposed to the world of work and to give FNBB employees the relevant skills, opportunities and platform to impact knowledge and skills in the students.

In his remarks made during the signing ceremony held on Tuesday, UB Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris expressed gratitude that FNBB had honoured UB by willing to train its graduates, ‘because what is essential and fundamentally important is to even look at the whole education system of our country and what it is producing’.  

Prof. Norris said the country’s first institution of higher learning was in a transition to be a research intensive university, stressing that “human capital is very important for us, because if you don’t do research, if you don’t innovate, you’ll never impact the society.”

“You’ll never be able to find solutions to the challenges that the country and communities are having.

It is the human capital that is very important. We talk of economies that are driven by knowledge.

And what this means is that the natural resources are not the most important things, what is important is the intellectual capacity,” he added.

Prof. Norris said there was too much talent, in the country, as young people were talented, creative and innovative.

What was lacking, he said was a nurturing environment, for young people to excel ‘and it is collaborations, like this, that will propel them to greater heights’.

“It is the mind that is the main thing and this is what we are empowering at UB.

We want to power the intellectual capacity. These young people can do wonders for this country,” he added.

As a university, he said UB’s role was to teach, do research and enhance economic activity in the country. For a long time, however, he said UB had failed in driving and facilitating economic growth, because it was not focused on innovation and research.

However, he said the university was now addressing this element.

“For a long time we were producing people who would go into a classroom, memorise and regurgitate things in the exam room.

We want students who will apply their knowledge into solving real problems and in the process empowering themselves economically,” he said.

For his part, FNBB Chief Executive Officer, Mr Steven Bogatsu expressed delight that the MoU signing ceremony marked a milestone that represented a new era of collaboration and mutual growth between FNBB and UB.

“As a bank, deeply committed to growth and development of our nation, we proudly pledge our support to an institution that has been a cornerstone of education, in Botswana.

Our commitment is steadfast, as we work to support the university’s mission in achieving the goals of pillar two of Vision 2036, which focuses on economic development by emphasising the importance of fostering a knowledge based economy and investing in human capital development,” said Mr Bogatsu.

For that reason, FNBB CEO said the partnership would play a pivotal role in advancing Vision 2036’s focus on human capital development.

“By emphasising in education and skills enhancement, we aim to build a prosperous and inclusive society- equipping students to excel in the workplace,” he added.

First National Bank of Botswana, he said aspired to empower individuals, enhance educational opportunities and cultivate a skilled workforce that was ready to meet the demands of the future that would propel Botswana towards a brighter future.

He said the FNBB was committed to partnering with relevant stakeholders in order to elevate the quality of education and build a robust talent pool, adding that the dedication extended beyond the bank’s immediate banking needs.

Furthermore, FNBB CEO said the bank was also committed to creating sustainable share value, through collaborations, for the greater benefit of the society.

This, he said aligned perfectly with the bank’s focus on creating industries’ mentorship, as well as empowerment, environmental sustainability and human development

This partnership, he said was a deliberate and meaningful step in creating social and economic value and thanked all those who played a part in bringing the MoU to fusion.

“By working together, we can make a significant difference in our communities and set the stage for a brighter and more sustainable future in Botswana,” he added.

Already, FNBB CEO said there were initiatives that had begun, between FNBB and UB, adding that some FNBB staff members continued to be invited to be guest lecturers at UB.

He said it was through these kinds of collaborations that the needs of the industries of the economy could be addressed, as well as to ensure graduates produced were relevant for the economy. Ends