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Okavango Research Institute (ORI) Director, Professor Joseph Mbaiwa says his staff is eager to double efforts to increase their research output besides expanding third stream income for the University of Botswana.

Professor Mbaiwa was speaking after Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, handed over portacabins for use as office space and conference services at ORI in Maun recently.

Constructed at a tune of about P1.5 million, the portacabins comprise 10 offices, a boardroom, conference hall and a kitchen. The portacabins are currently used as the Administration Block housing the ORI Directorate.

Professor Mbaiwa, expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor for the delivery of the portacabins, which he said, would help alleviate shortage of office space and storage at ORI. He also thanked the Vice Chancellor for supporting ORI which he demonstrated by, among others, the many visits he had made to the institute ever since he became Vice Chancellor a few years back.

Addressing ORI staff, Professor Norris noted that the University of Botswana was committed to research given that one of its goals was to become research-intensive institution as espoused in its Strategic Plan of 2020-2029. Professor Norris explained that ORI was one area where research could intensify income generation for the university. He said ORI was a flagship research institute that had significantly contributed to research at the university and in the country.

In that regard, the Vice Chancellor assured ORI of his support, highlighting the good work the institution was doing with its research in the Okavango Delta. He observed that the portacabins would go a long way in alleviating shortage of office and storage space at ORI.