19 Jun 2024

To be an effective leader in anti-racist and anti-bias efforts, one must understand the complex sociological, economic, and historical contexts that have led to bias, discrimination, and marginalisation.

Dr André Harper, a distinguished University Lecturer in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership Programme at Tufts University, Boston, USA, said this when delivering a public lecture at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) in Palapye on Tuesday.

 The public lecturer was held under the theme: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access (DEIA): Successes and Challenges–A BIUST Perspective.

Dr Harper, who is renowned for his expertise in organisational leadership, holds two doctorates: one in Organisation and Leadership from Columbia University and another in Higher Education Executive Leadership from Argosy University.

The public lecture was the outcome of a collaboration between BIUST and the US Embassy through the Fulbright Specialist Programme.

The public lecture put a spotlight on BIUST’s strides in creating an inclusive environment for staff, students and the faculty, in keeping with its values.

“The initiative to pursue a project aimed at integrating DEIA into the student experience is the first of its kind in BIUST and Botswana, an achievement I am very proud of,” Dr Harper highlighted.

“Through this public lecture, I hope everyone will reflect on what DEIA means in their own contexts, are more aware of the role DEIA plays in driving organisational performance and student success and take the challenge to integrate DEIA into their own contexts,” Dr Harper said.

He said upon the completion of the programme, they would be prepared to implement changes to enhance diversity, inclusion, and equity, design and evaluate programmes to enact change, and lead organisations through sustainable transformation.

 He said they would develop a deep understanding of foundational and scholarly theories while they acquire the practical tools to implement institutional changes.

He stated that the programme was interdisciplinary with  students bringing a variety of backgrounds and fields to facilitate their examination of these challenging issues.

Dr Harper said their Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Leadership programme was designed to familiarise students with the key concepts and important tools they needed to successfully lead strategic organisational change, adding that from courses on academic leadership to law and policy, the programme was designed to get them up to speed on current issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

 In his welcome remarks, BIUST Vice Chancellor, Professor Otlogetswe Totolo, said the university was established as one of the key drivers to transform Botswana through among others, research, science, technology and innovation.

He said BIUST was honoured to be ranked 20^th 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 Universities.

He emphasised that if the country was to achieve desired transformation and value addition, the national road map through quality research and development and ultimately innovation for high quality and competitive goods and services, then BIUST, was the best shot.

Professor Totolo said BIUST had joined hands to propel the country’s growth and development through research, innovation and technology and had developed a culture where highly qualified researchers, lecturers and students focused on solving societal challenges. Ends