Botho University spreads its wings

MASERU – BOTHO University has opened a distance learning campus in Nigeria, as the institution spreads its wings outside southern Africa where it already has a strong presence.
Botho University describes itself as one of Africa’s leading educational institutions. It offers accredited Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the faculties of Business and Accounting, Computing, Hospitality and Sustainable Tourism, Engineering and Applied Sciences and Health and Education.
The institution also offers a six-month internship and option of on-site classes in Botswana.
The growing independent distance learning institution already boasts four campuses in Maseru (Lesotho), Windhoek (Namibia) and Gaborone and Francistown (Botswana).

A campus is set to be opened in eSwatini (formerly Swaziland), said Vice-Chancellor Sheela Raja Ram.
“After establishing our brand in the SADC region, where we continue to set high educational standards, the time is perfect to spread our wings across Africa,” Raja Ram said.
“Our experience in the south of the continent offers us a lot of knowledge and expertise to expand our African footprint, where we anticipate being warmly welcomed,” she said.
The mission is to produce well-rounded, entrepreneurial, and globally-employable graduates with the attitude, knowledge, skills and competencies to create value and drive productivity which is needed to catalyse sustainable economic growth, said Raja Ram.

She encouraged Nigerians to take up the opportunities offered by the university to upgrade their academic status and learn how to fulfil their working or entrepreneurial dreams.
The distance learning campus is targeting youths, higher education students, employed personnel who want to pursue higher studies, corporate staff who want to advance career growth, home makers and other specific target groups, she said.

“We are confident of our Nigerian venture as our research shows that the online learning market is a rapidly growing market in that part of Africa, where thousands are turning to proven and alternative means of attaining university degrees,” added Raja Ram.
“Education is highly valued in Nigeria, with online and distance learning increasingly gaining acceptability,” she said.
“Distance learning is a viable option for those who need to upgrade their status, keep earning a living or doing whatever they like while they study.”

Nigeria sends the highest number of people abroad for university education than any other country in Africa.
Outbound mobility numbers are growing at a rapid pace as seen from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS) data.
Botho University has realised this potential, hence its entry into the West African market.
Botho University draws its diversified students and staff complement from around 15 countries.
Its formative years are in Botswana in 1997, from where it has rapidly evolved over the years to become a top-notch multidisciplinary high-quality tertiary education provider in the SADC region and beyond.
The university enjoys strong international partnerships with various universities around the world.

Botho University conducts an annual international research conference (BUIRC) in emerging themes on Higher Education Management and Methodologies, which attracts participation from local and international delegates.
Community involvement and engagement is an intrinsic part of life at Botho University, with some notable initiatives such as Public Private Partnership initiative with BOTUSA and Ministry of Health – where it has set up village health clinics in remote parts of Botswana.

The university was the first local tertiary institution in Botswana to be accredited by the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC) and by BQA in 2018 as both education and training provider and Awarding Body under the new BQA regulations.
The University is also fully approved by the Council of Higher Education Lesotho (CHE), registered by National Council of Higher Education (NCHE), Namibia, and the first to receive a BOS ISO 9001:2015 certification in 2018.

Furthermore, Botho University has to date received the following awards: good rating for its programmes by African Quality Rating Mechanism (AQRM) and being selected to validate the process of establishing the Pan African Quality Assurance and Accreditation Framework and the “Golden Arrow Award” for Excellence by PMR Africa for Best Higher Education/Tertiary Institution, Botswana in 2014.
It also has bagged the accolade of being the AAT International Training Provider of the Year 2014 & 2018, received ACCA Gold Status in 2014 and the only Prometric Academic Centre and Android Training Centre in Botswana.

Tokase Mphutlane