News

The University of Wisconsin (UW) in the United State of America is keen on strengthening relations with the University of Botswana especially in the areas of research, training, climate change, water management and data management system. A delegation from UW recently visited the University of Botswana as part of strengthening such relations.

Welcoming the visitors, Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, highlighted research as the core of UB’s new strategic direction. He said for a developing country such as Botswana that was experiencing many challenges, research was key to solving societal challenges. Professor Norris noted that Botswana was a drought prone country, therefore collaboration on issues of water harvesting, conservation and recycling was very critical.

He said Botswana had a fragile eco system environment such as Okavango Delta that needed to be protected. As such, the Vice Chancellor underscored the importance of collaborations on issues of climate change, sustainable development and resource management. He advised UW to assisted UB on supervision of post-graduate students and data management systems.

In response, UW Director for External Relations and International Division, Ms Maj Helena Fischer, said UW has long been a global university with 120 years of existence. She said UW aimed to expand beyond US boarders through research collaborations, training as well as staff and student exchanges.

For his part, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Dean, Mr Paul Robbins, said they entered into a partnership with the Okavango Research Institute in 2022 in areas of wildlife training and monitory tools as well as management systems. Mr Robbins said the vision was to transform people-based tool to e-based tool within a knowledge-based economy as way of commencing to collect and effectively managing accruing data for decision-making.

Meanwhile, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Director for International and Professional MS Programmes, Mr Nathan Schulfer, said data science and management were top priority at UW Madison Campus. He highlighted opportunities for collaboration on core supervision post-graduate students, developing data expertise between faculties, and remote sensing in satellite imaging and drones. Dean, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, Mr Paul Robbins was also part of the delegation.