OCTOBER 2015 NEWS BOS ISO 9001: 2008 Certified Organisation www.bothouniversity.com VOLUME 18 Dear readers, Botho University has been awarded the diamond arrow at the 2015 PMR Africa awards for Botswana, a testimony of the institution’s culture of good customer service. Botho News volume 18 is reflective of this diamond arrow status as the university is continuously determined to make a positive impact on those who enter its doors. Botho University Students in This issue showcases our new state of the art jewellery design lab fully equipped for making a University of Venda, South wide range of jewellery; the first Bokgeleke Arts & Culture Festival hosted in partnership with Editor Maitisong as a platform for culture appreciation and self expression; the Teaching Excellence talks Africa... pg 4 Tebogo Matebesi delivered by visiting academics; hosting the Association of African Universities 8th Leadership Skills Development workshop; the launch of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Gamodubu Workshop Encourages (CIPFA) professional programme; the staff and students exchange programme with the University of Venda, South Africa; the provision of distancing learning programmes; faculty based disciplinary Sustainable Charity... pg 5 research conferences; a memorable 2015 graduation ceremony; community engagement through tree planting and workshops; 2015 LINKZ ICT Challenge; the closeout of a successful Health Public Botho Sparks Dialogue with Private Partnership; 2015 Career Fairs; good results in sports activities and much much more. Thank you for reading Botho News. Entrepreneurship World Café...pg7 Your feedback is of great value to us. Please stay in touch at: [email protected] BOTHO NEWS Deputy Editor COVER STORY Kibo Ngowi In partnership with: First Bokgeleke Arts & Culture Festival On the 9th of October Botho University held the first ever Bokgeleke Arts & Culture Festival at the Gaborone campus. The exciting day started with traditional games such as mhele, The BU Drama Club was declared the Best Entertaining Act while the diketo, morabaraba, dibeke, skipping rope, and safe. Traditional poet Ms. Babedi Ponego emerged as the second Best Entertaining food tasting also took place and the students from the institution’s Act. Hospitality Department assisted with the food preparation. “The Festival was born out of the need to enrich students’ lives After a few hours of this, the action moved into the auditorium for a by providing a platform that they can use to express themselves talent show. The Guest of Honour was Gao Lemmenyane, Director artistically and to grow through engagement in cultural activities,” of Maitisong, and during his keynote speech he urged students to says Tebogo Matebesi, who led the organisation of the festival and try and find their God-given talent while they were pursuing their saw its implementation through to completion. studies. He went on to express his joy that students turned up in large Before the performances began there was a fashion show and all numbers for their own event; over 500 people attended and the plan the models who took part were BU students wearing dresses that is to stage the festival annually. “I would like to encourage everyone were designed by students at Gaborone Technical College (GTC). to be geared up for the next Bokgeleke Arts & Culture Festival as it is going to be bigger and better.” The Director of Ceremonies was Gift Chabwe but the man at the forefront of the proceedings was Tebogo Matebesi, Founding Chairperson of the Festival Organising Committee. In addition to helping carry the weight of hosting duties, Matebesi brought the house down when he performed a rendition of the traditional Setswana song ‘Sila Mosoko’. Also on hand was Dr. Diane Bolden-Taylor, a visiting professor of music and vocal training from the University of Northern Colorado, USA, who spent a week training the BU choir for a performance at the event. While she was in the country, the American music academic also conducted vocal training with some groups from the community. Judges on hand for the talent show included former Big Brother Africa house mate Mr. Kaone Ramontshonyana, popular local jazz singer Ms. Kearoma Rantao, and a local television actor who also happens to be a BU lecturer, Mr. Oscar Gobusamang. Visit our ADVERTISE IN website using this QR Code Contact the Marketing Department on: BOTHO NEWS +267 363 5482 1 Distinguished delegates including members of the Botho Board, Honourable Kgotla Autlwetse, Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development, and Professor Etienne E. Ehile, AAU Secretary General. Association of African Association of African Universities 8th Leadership Skills Development Workshop 10th-14th August 2015 Hosted by Botho University, Botswana Between the 10th and 14th of August, Botho University hosted “I met a number of esteemed senior colleagues from other large “The prime purpose of the AAU Leadership Development (LEDEV) the 8th Association of African Universities (AAU) Leadership Skills universities and in our discussions and training sessions it soon workshop series is to enhance the leadership skills of university Development Workshop (LEDEV). became clear that big or small, old or new, the problems we faced in leaders, particularly in the promotion of innovation and the higher education were similar,” Sheela Raja Ram said. “My burden management of change,” AAU Secretary General Professor Etienne AAU is the apex organisation and forum for consultation, exchange really felt shared.” E. Ehile explained during the opening address. of information and co-operation among institutions of higher education in Africa. It represents the voice of higher education in In his keynote address Assistant Minister of Education & The Association of African Universities’ (AAU) current membership Africa on regional and international bodies and supports networking Skills Development Hon. Kgotla Kenneth Autlwetse urged the comprises over 340 institutions and is spread across the five sub- by institutions of higher education in teaching, research, information distinguished audience not to be bystanders while the rest of regions of Africa and over all the major linguistic distributions on the exchange and dissemination. the world is grappling with complexities besieging the education continent. domain. During her welcoming remarks BU Vice-Chancellor Sheela Raja Ram This edition of the training series boasted the highest participation remarked that Higher Education is now in focus as African nations “In bringing this AAU workshop here, Botho University has not and most varied, in terms of institutional representation, of any AAU strive to become self-sufficient and that the AAU series has helped only made me proud but also instilled immense confidence in my training series to date. 54 registered participants, including the Vice the leadership of many African universities to achieve the ambitious government that we can transform, and indeed shall transform Chancellors, Deans, Deputy Vice Chancellors, and Senior Executives goal of delivering employable graduates with shoestring budgets. in consonance with strategy 2020 which we recently launched,” of universities from 23 institutions in 9 African countries attended. said Autlwetse. “My Ministry continues to support and encourage The represented countries included Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Mrs. Raja Ram attended the 5th LEDEV in 2013 when it was held in institutions like Botho University to review and reflect on current Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Tanzania, amongst Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, the same year that BU achieved university leadership practices and ensure that quality of Higher Education in others. status, and shared that from her personal experience she found the Botswana is globally attractive.” leadership training workshop extremely useful in growing her young university to deliver high quality. Botho University signs Agreement with the Namibia Student Financial Jewellery Design Lab is in full operation Assistance Fund (NSFAF) The Jewellery Design Lab,situated in the Kgale Building of the Gaborone campus, is now in full operation. The lab began It’s operation on 9th June, 2015 under the Faculty of The well equipped lab has 24 workstations and at each station, every Engineering & Applied Sciences. The lab offers Jewellery Management student has their own jewellery kit, working lamp, hanging motor, an apron and Design students the practical experience of making jewellery including and safety glasses. rings, pendants, bracelets and many more. For learning purposes, the students make use of beads, copper and any readily available materials such as coconut shells and ostrich egg shells to make the jewellery of In June 2014, the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund their choice. (NSFAF) recognised Botho University as an institution for which Namibian students can gain funding to pursue their studies. For the academic year commencing July 2015, 32 Namibian students were selected from the many that applied and were recommended by NSFAF, out of which 12 students registered at BU and are currently pursuing Bachelor (Hons) programmes in various disciplines. Crystallising this milestone, BU has entered into an Agreement with NSFAF. The signing ceremony was held at the NSFAF head office in Windhoek on 23rd July 2015. It was conducted by BU Pro-Vice-Chancellor overseeing Internationalisation & Communications Mr. Ravi Srinivasan and NSFAF Deputy CEO Dr. Stephanie van der Walt. 2 BU