UGBS Receives Delegates from University Of Botswana

The University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) on 2nd October 2019, received a delegation from the University of Botswana (UB), through the Consulate of Botswana. The delegates, led by the Consul of the Botswana, Honourable Thomas Okyere and Professor David Norris, Vice-Chancellor of UB, were warmly welcomed by the Dean of the Business School, Professor Justice Nyigmah Bawole.

Professor Bawole, after exchanging pleasantries with the delegation, gave a historical background of the Business School, indicating that UGBS is the first Business School in the country and highlighted on the number of staff and the number of students enrolled by the School.

Professor Norris, in response, thanked the Dean for the welcome and stated the purpose for the visitation. He indicated that the unemployment rate among the youth in the African diaspora is quite high and that the crisis does not reflect well on the universities who train them. Professor Norris also stated that universities should question themselves on how to reduce the unemployment rate and try to equip their students with the entrepreneurial skills needed to venture out on their own. He shared his belief that the partnership between African Universities would be a significant step to finding solutions to the problem as the issue is common in African countries. He also believed that universities could learn from each other in other areas, such as administration and research.

Mr Thomas Yalala, Deputy Director, Public Affairs, UB, asked if the School run a program in Tourism and Hospitality Management, stating that in Botswana, Tourism is the second highest source of revenue; however, the tourism industry is run by foreign nationals making the nation lose money. Professor Bawole responded that the School currently had no such programme running but had a programme on Hospitality Management undergoing accreditation. He indicated that Dr Kobby Mensah, who is with the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, pioneered an initiative over four years ago called “Destination Legon”, to equip final year undergraduate students with entrepreneurial skills to boost the tourism industry.

Honourable Okyere opined that it was up to the faculty and administrative staff of the universities to make politicians understand the role tourism plays in the economic development of the country for the enhancement of tourist facilities. He believed that the enhancement of such facilities would, in turn, boost tourism in Ghana.

Present at the meeting were Mr Emmanuel Poku- Sarkodee, School Administrator, Mrs Selina Saaka, Assistant Registrar, Dr Kobby Mensah, from the Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, Dr Abekah-Nkrumah, International Relations Coordinator and Senior Lecturer with the Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management; Professor Musa W. Dube, Acting Director International Office, University of Botswana  and;  Mr Moeng Segaetsho, Executive in the VC’s office, University of Botswana.

The visit ended with an interactive session between the universities and a seminar with the students of UGBS, where the University of Botswana held a Question and Answer session.