BIUST, LEA promote entrepreneurship – The Patriot on Sunday

We are gathered here to witness a milestone in our common journey of collaboration between public institutions. BIUST is a research-intensive university and the only specialized higher education institution in our country. LEA is a 100% government owned company, specifically formed to develop business skills, badist entrepreneurs and diversify Botswana's economy through various forms of entrepreneurship.

BIUST and LEA intend to make Canada a knowledge-based society with knowledge, skills, products and services that enhance the lives of our citizens and contribute to the wealth and well-being of our people. country. As a result, BIUST and LEA complement each other. Our synergies are our strengths and our collaboration is the reason for the huge investment our employees have made in us. I am very happy to attend this event of the signing of the agreement protocol between BIUST and LEA. This memorandum of understanding cemented the collaboration that BIUST and LEA seek to have.

Through this MoU, BIUST and LEA seek to deepen their mutual commitment and strengthen our core missions of research, innovation and application. In fact, through this MoU, we will collaborate in the following specific areas: Facilitate the placement of BIUST students in LEA-badisted small and medium-sized enterprises and microenterprises, and their attachment Identify and provide appropriate entrepreneurship and skills training for potential entrepreneurs at BIUST; Facilitate the sharing of equipment, workshops and BIUST / LEA machines; Selection of BIUST graduates and development of these through different programs; Facilitate the organization of awareness campaigns in the spirit of business through seminars and joint workshops especially for BIUST students.

Our two entities are committed to ensuring that we achieve the objectives of this Memorandum of Understanding. We are also pleased to note that the government, which is our common principle, blesses this cooperation and actively encourages it so that we can complement each other and avoid duplication with the use of resources.

I want to stress our common desire to push the limits of research and innovation and their application to the extreme, and to work tirelessly to realize what our citizens expect of us.

* Professor O. Totolo is the Vice Chancellor of BIUST

Signature of the agreement protocol

*Dr Racious Moatshe

The implementation and implementation of the MOU is paramount and must take off immediately. The success of this collaboration will be measured by the impact achieved on the ground. LEA and BIUST Team, from today, show in the implementation plan the rapid gains of this partnership, medium and long term projects; Indicate the deliverables, timelines and resources required to carry out the activities that will guide our collaboration.

Develop robust monitoring and evaluation tools to continuously badess the performance and added value of initiatives, as well as their relevance and impact on the target market that we have set ourselves to serve.

This country needs strategic alliances such as this one, in which institutions work together to complement each other's mandates and collectively facilitate effective initiatives. In our case, we strive to transform and connect entrepreneurship with technology and innovation, creating innovative solutions that can remain competitive and sustainable in the marketplace.

Ladies and gentlemen, the opportunities are endless, innovation and technology around the world are the main drivers of growth and development of economies. Countries like China, Singapore and even the third world – Rwanda – are good examples of how to imitate and customize solutions to meet our needs here in Botswana. As LEA and BIUST, let's lead Botswana in this regard. Our government, and indeed the SMEs that we have the mandate to serve, expect that from us.

I am convinced that the team is able to carry out the projects resulting from this collaboration, which will largely contribute to the real growth of entrepreneurs whose innovative ideas have been conceptualized here at BIUST and marketed by Local Enterprise. . Authority.

LEA is very grateful to have partnered with BIUST. From the first day we came here to discuss the possibility of working together, you and your team have shown great positive energy, and this enthusiasm has pushed the technical committee to exercise even more. 39 efforts in thinking about this alliance.

* Dr. Moatshe is the Executive Director of the Local Enterprise Authority.

Scope of the EP

The participants jointly decided to cooperate in the following areas:

1. facilitate the placement of final year students in BIUST in small, medium and micro enterprises badisted by the LEA;

2. Identify and provide appropriate entrepreneurship and skills training to potential BIUST entrepreneurs;

3. facilitate the sharing of participants' equipment, workshops and machines;

4. develop and evaluate best practices in entrepreneurship and development, innovation and management of small and medium-sized enterprises;

5. Conduct a needs badessment for joint programs, among other things, instilling business spirit in BIUST students;

6. facilitate the transfer of business and technology skills to SMEs and BIUST students;

7. select BIUST graduates and develop them through various programs;

8. facilitate the conduct of corporate awareness campaigns through seminars and / or joint workshops for BIUST students;

Responsibilities of the LEA

1. Identify potential entrepreneurs with business ideas that can be funded for commercialization and incubation, where they will be monitored and nurtured to become competitive and sustainable businesses;

2. Organize regular awareness workshops for BIUST students to encourage entrepreneurship.

3. Facilitate the liaison of BIUST students with SMEs / SMIs badisted by LEA during the holidays;

4. Facilitate the use of equipment, facilities such as laboratories and machinery;

5. Share with BIUST the relevant research findings to strengthen this partnership;

6. Identify and facilitate the implementation of mutually beneficial projects from time to time.

BIUST Responsibilities

1. Recommend potential entrepreneurs with business ideas that can be funded by a Marketing Enrollment Fund in the LEA Incubation Program;

2 Recommend to potential entrepreneurs with business ideas badistance with business support consulting services, including: business plan development, marketing and monitoring services;

3 facilitate tailor-made courses that promote the entrepreneurial spirit;

4 Have facilities such as soil testing laboratories by SMEs;

5 Share relevant LEA research findings to strengthen this partnership;

6 identify and facilitate the implementation of mutually beneficial projects from time to time.