Africa-Press – Lesotho. August has been designated as the month of Science, Technology and Innovation in Botswana wherein activities promoting science and technology will be held countrywide.
Vice Chancellor of BIUST Professor Otlogetswe Totolo was speaking at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) 2023 satellite event in Palapye recently.
He said the commemorations would bring together Research, Science, Technology and Innovation (RSTI) stakeholders to share knowledge and experiences and build partnerships to strengthen the National System of Innovation.
He said the initiative aimed mainly to popularise RSTI across the society through the establishment of initiatives aimed at demystifying RSTI theories and promoting the establishment of RSTI business enterprises.
“This would build public confidence and encourage participation in STEM initiatives, thus achieving increased technology uptake,” he said. Further, he said during the month, stakeholders would be expected to swamp the country with RSTI related activities or in their respective locations.
Professor Totolo said BIUST was established mainly to transform the country’s economy from a resource-based economy to a knowledge based and it was for that reason that BIUST must be at the forefront of events with a view to enlist others on a commonality of purpose in creating a STEM movement.
He highlighted that BIUST focus centered on strengthening the academic value chain, comprising three key elements being academic excellence, commercial attractiveness and social relevance.
That, he explained represented the university’s mission’s critical components which worked together in a systemic relationship to transform the economy.
Earlier on the Premium Nickle Resources Botswana chief executive officer, Ms Shamil Agosi said the country still faced challenges in ensuring that Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) addressed the needs of the people.
She said BIUST 2023 satellite event was a precursor to a bigger event, being the National Science Week (NSW) themed “Leveraging STEAM education for socio-economic development” scheduled for August 21-25 in Letlhakeng.
During the event the public had the opportunity to see exhibits from earth and environment, mining engineering, electrical and electronics and projects from biotechnology, chemical and forensics through to physics and astronomy.
Ms Agosi said the National Science Week initiative followed a resolution by SADC Science and Technology Ministers in 2008 that SADC should set aside at least a week every year to commemorate).
BIUST, she said was recently ranked 20 amongst 88 universities across 20 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, in the first edition of the Times Higher Education University Rankings of Sub-Saharan Africa.
This, she said was a true testimony that the university had positioned itself to be one of the key drivers for transforming Botswana’s economy from a resource-based to a knowledge driven economy.
The public had an opportunity to see the exhibits from earth and environment, mining engineering, electrical and electronics and projects from biotechnology, chemical and forensics through to physics and astronomy.
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