2020, a year with double opportunities or so they say, could not have started any better for four University of Botswana students who are part of a team of international business students that will take part in the upcoming 2020 X-Culture Symposium slated for Singapore in July.
The quartet of Morena Matshego, Kabelo Ketshabile, Themba Mokibito, and Lesego Muswere are third-year Faculty of Business students. They earned the 2020 symposium berth after excelling in the 2019 X-Culture International Business Programme which will see them further participating in an X-Culture coaching programme.
This feat follows the International Marketing Class (MKT300) of 80 students participating in this global project as part of course assessment under the guidance of a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Marketing, Mr Tendy Matenge.
The 2019 X-Culture International Business Programme brought together 6 210 contestants from 142 universities in 93 countries from all six continents. The participants who were MBA and undergraduate business students as well as non-students, were required to tackle and solve real life international business problems.
Participants were randomly assigned to teams of about five students of the same level of study, each coming from a different country across continents but working together to provide solutions to everyday real life international business situations.
They served a diverse clientele from as far as Australia, United States of America, Brazil, Canada and Singapore. Economic sectors ranged from aviation, education, cultural tourism to health and beauty, among others. Besides being innovative, the teams tackled issues of language, culture, time zones and team dynamics.
In the end, 27 best teams were selected from the 1 178 that took part in the 2019 cycle. And as it would turn out, Morena Matshego, Kabelo Ketshabile and Themba Mokibito were among three of the best teams. Lesego Muswere on the other hand was invited on the basis of his high peer evaluations, leadership skills, and insightful comments for the duration of the project.
The students received certificates of recognition (Best Team certificates) and were also invited to take part in the upcoming 2020 X-Culture Symposium in Singapore in July besides an X-Culture coaching programme.