Assistant Minister of Education and Skills Development Aubrey Lesaso has implored Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) to help government in addressing Socio-Economic Challenges faced by the country.
Lesaso was speaking during the BIUST student graduation ceremony held by the institution in Palapye recently.
He said this can be achieved if the research output by the learning institution is more geared at creation of goods and services.
“Your research output should be geared more at creating goods and services that solve socio-economic challenges faced by our people,” he said.
He said although BIUST is playing a major role in research and innovation in the country, there is still more that needs to be done.
On a different note he said the government through various strategic initiatives is committed to the promotion and development of policies that support productive activities, decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation and encourage the formalization and growth of micro, small and medium sized enterprises including access to financial services. The junior minister said through the newly established Ministry of Entrepreneurship, government is committed to engaging with the private sector and formulating private sector led partnerships that support socio-economic needs of the nation.
“The new Ministry will be used as a catalyst for creating an environment that is conducive for establishment of businesses in Botswana,” he said.
He encouraged the graduates from BIUST to be innovative and apply the knowledge and skills they acquired from the institution and bring about change in the country.
Meanwhile BIUST Vice Chancellor Professor Otlogetswe Totolo was happy that the number of graduates has been increasing at the learning institution since its inception.
“Today we are celebrating 298 graduates, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This marked an increase from the 58 that graduated back in 2016 as our first graduates,” he said.
Touching on the theme of the graduation ceremony “Building a University with industries through a well rounded eco-system for economic transformation and innovative entrepreneurship,’ Professor Totolo said economic transformation and innovation have indeed become a buzzword across the globe and governments, organizations, academia and the civil society as an answer to major societal challenges. He further emphasized that BIUST has embraced innovative entrepreneurship as part of its core mandate.
“The university has not only embraced this but has enshrined it as its vision which states “To produce world class research and innovation in science, engineering and technology contributing to industry growth and development and advancement of a diversified knowledge based economy,” he added.
He said industrialization is their focus to promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization to not only encourage more innovations in the University, but encourage innovations that bring sustainable development.
