News Date : 06 December, 2022
On the 6th December 2022, the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) and Universidale do SAVE (UNISAVE), Mozambique signed a Memorandum of Understanding. In his remarks, the Vice Chancellor of BUAN, Professor Ketlhatlhogile Mosepele stated that BUAN’s Vision was to ‘To be an innovative and research-intensive university in agriculture and natural resources’ and that the institution had developed and implemented a strategic plan to achieve this vision. He said that the principle of increased collaboration with external partners is embedded within the Research Intensification thematic areas, which is one of the BUAN’s strategic areas.
“Globally, achieving the sustainable development goals (SGDs) of the 2030 Agenda requires international research collaboration on sustainable development, which calls for North-South partnerships and collaborations to benefit from resources most institutions in the north have, like finance and research equipment”, Prof Mosepele explained. He further stated that, according to the Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities, “One of the lessons of Covid-19 is that Africa cannot just depend on outside support to solve its own problems. Research must be focused on development, and one of the ways we can do that is by collaborating among ourselves”. Collaboration amongst higher education institutions in the SADC region is crucial towards forging a common regional identity, as SADC considers universities as catalysts and key players in learning environments, pillars of innovation and leaders in areas of research and technological advancement.
The collaboration and subsequent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UNISAVE is consistent with the aims and goals of the regional policy instrument and emanates from several exchange visits between BUAN and UNISAVE to establish mutual beneficial partnership. Prof Mosepele encouraged colleagues to take advantage of the MoU and ensure successful implementation of it. The key elements of the MoU include:
- Staff and student exchange
- Program/project development
- Co-supervision of students
- Joint staff training programs
- Joint conferences and workshops
In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of Universidale do SAVE, Professor Doutora Catarina Tivane Nhamposse, expressed her gratitude to all members of BUAN AND UNISAVE who were involved in the designing and alignment of the MoU document and preparation of the signing event. She explained that UNISAVE was a national public higher education institution in Mozambique with campuses and facilities throughout the country with main campus in Gaza. “Based on the African proverb that says ‘if you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together’, we join BUAN, with confidence that together we can enable exchange of teachers, researchers and technical staff, promote the mobility of professors and researchers for teaching and research either in undergraduate and/or graduate programs’, Prof Catarina said. She went on to state that the MoU will allow the two parties to organize scientific activities, design and implement research extension projects, conduct sports and cultural exchange activities, cooperate in the implementation of advanced internship program for under or post-graduate programs in areas of common interest among other areas mutually agreed upon. In closing, she stated that their expectation is that both universities will be able to carry out the above mentioned activities and strengthen the partnership to ensure quality education from research and extension activities to come up with innovative solutions to the multiple problems which the world/continent was struggling in.
