27 Nov 2024

Universities can play a role in generating opportunities that add value to communities and create employment for youth.

The Vice Chancellor of University of Botswana, Professor David Norris shared the sentiments and noted that this could be achieved if African universities could collaborate and learn from each other.

Prof Norris was speaking during the visit by Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities Secretary General, Professor Andrew Haruna in Gaborone on Tuesday. 

Prof Norris said collaborations could foster production of knowledge such that in the end, universities do not become consumers of knowledge that was produced outside the continent. 

Prof. Norris also emphasised the need for conducive environment for excellence to thrive, saying everything that was invented stemmed from an idea. 

He further said university graduates who were economists should innovate coping models that worked for African nations. 

Prof. Norris said consultants in SADC, ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) were foreigners to the African continent as if Africa does not have professionals. 

“Does it mean Africa does not have professionals?” he quizzed. For his part, Professor Haruna, said universities must be agents of change, and could start by setting actionable strategic milestones to address shared challenges. 

Prof. Haruna said discussions from the meeting would culminate into concrete outcomes, practical frameworks and collaborative initiatives that would align with goals of the Agenda 2063 and position Africa Universities to become icons of excellence and innovation. 

The Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities was on a two-day visit to the University of Botswana. Ends