Biust targets courses in demand

| Monday April 12, 2010 00:00

'We have decided to start with programmes that the industry has a shortage in, for instance the college of engineering will kick start with geological, mining, geo-environmental and computer science engineering which are in high demand at the moment,' Vice Chancellor Kweku Bentil said.

Bentil added that these programmes would also share facilities such as laboratories and professors.

BIUST currently has a memorandum of understanding with Akita University from Japan, and is expected to tap from its vast technical experience in the research of mines and mineralogy. The biggest dividend to this marriage is the possibility of establishing a mining museum in Selebi-Phikwe. A visiting Japanese delegation from Akita, together with the BIUST staff visited one of the shafts at BCL Mines on Friday.

Bentil said the agreement with Akita University would advance environmental research in the country as well as help in conserving the environment of Selebi-Phikwe as ways of recycling the sulphur dioxide and making it less toxic would be discussed.

The envisaged centre will be open to all institutions and is expected to attract researchers from different places of the world.

'This agreement will help us in areas such as developing mining programs and research, and we hope that will make us as highly competitive and recognised as Akita University is,' he said.  The agreement also entails exchange of professors, students and collaboration. To this effect the two institutions have drafted a joint proposal to be submitted to the Japan International Cooperative Agency for funding.

Though Bentil acknowledged delays pertaining to construction of the first phase of the university, he said there is progress in the human resources aspect. For instance, the institute has hired a deputy vice chancellor, Dr Julia Saurazas as well as all directors, with deans of engineering and technology to be engaged in June and August respectively.

'We have decided to do it in this manner so that the top staff can help in recruitment of the teaching staff,' he said. Director of the International Centre for Research and Education on Mineral and Energy Resources (ICEMER) at Akita University, Toshio Mizuta said this agreement will be very resourceful to his institution as well, as they will be able to send their professors and students for practical training in mining fields in Botswana mines.

'We will also help in areas of research, collaboration and making of the curricula,' he said.

ICEMER, aims to be a centre of education and research on resources. It also responds to requests from resource producing countries for the establishment of universities and research institutes in the fields of resources, technical cooperation and human resources development.

BIUST has also signed agreements with the National Food Technology Research Centre for cooperation in food security and Florida University in areas of food, agriculture and science.

The institution, set to bridge the widening gap in local human resources particularly in the fields of engineering and technology will be partitioned into four main colleges; namely Engineering, College of Sciences, College of Technology and College of Business and Education.