The Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, says the proliferation of higher education institutions in the country must not be seen as a challenge to the University of Botswana but an opportunity to graduate from being a primarily undergraduate teaching university to a postgraduate teaching and research-intensive institution.

The University of Botswana and Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) have signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding committing themselves to joint activities, among them collaborative research.

The Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, has impressed upon the University of Botswana community the need to turn challenges into opportunities to enhance the image of the University as a premier institution of higher learning.

Professor Norris threw down the gauntlet when he met the faculties of Social Sciences and Humanities staff as part of his orientation programme at the University on January 24, 2018.

The Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Professor David Sebudubudu and some colleagues in the academia have published a well-researched handbook that offers an insightful analysis of Botswana’s parliamentary democracy.

Titled Botswana Parliamentary Democracy Revisited, the book was launched in Gaborone on November 20, 2017 with Professor Sebudubudu describing it as a comprehensive, honest and thought provoking examination of Botswana as a world renowned model of long established democracy and political stability.

With Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries scoring low in comparative studies such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), there is no better deal for them than to collaborate, cooperate and partner in the drive to advance the Africa Agenda 2063, says UB Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris.

The Chinese Ambassador, Mr Zhao Yanbo, has called for more collaboration between the University of Botswana and Chinese Embassy.

Mr Zhao was speaking during a courtesy call he paid the Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, at the University of Botswana on December 15, 2017. He said through the University of Botswana there was a lot that Botswana and China could do together to expand their economies.

If there is anything about the University of Botswana that excites the new Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, it is not only its ability to execute its core mandate with much aplomb, but also its potential to become a money spinner.

Professor Norris observed that for the University to aggressively market its products and services, it should come up with business initiatives that could attract different stakeholders through income generating partnerships.

With universities the world over becoming more entrepreneurial, the new University of Botswana Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris looks set to refocus the University to adopt a similar trajectory.

Meeting the Kenyan High Commissioner, Ambassador Jean Kimani during her courtesy call on December 6, 2017, the VC spoke passionately about universities moving towards entrepreneurship to stay afloat amid dwindling resources.

The Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Dr Alfred Madigele, has appointed Professor David Norris as the sixth Vice Chancellor of the University of Botswana with effect from December 1, 2017.

Since its inception in 1982, UB has had five Vice Chancellors in Professor John Turner (1982-1984), Professor Thomas Tlou (1984-1998), Professor Sharon Siverts (1998-2003), Professor Bojosi Otlhogile (2003-2011) and Professor Thabo Fako (2011-2017).