Exchange Students drilled on Basics of studying Abroad

The University of Botswana Office of International Education and Partnerships (OIEP) in collaboration with Botswana Investment Trade Centre (BITC) on December 2, 2016 drilled 10 UB study exchange programme students on the basics of studying abroad. The students will be abroad for the spring semester (January to May 2017) and were selected from various disciplines based on their academic performance. They will be studying in different universities in the United States of America. At the end of their study, the students are expected to have broadened their academic horizons and gained experience of different cultures and learning environments. OIEP Study Abroad Coordinator, Ms Buzwani Charity Mocheregwa, said the students were selected on merit, all having attained a GPA above 4.5. Ms Mocheregwa advised the students to maintain the same academic record because they were not only representing themselves but UB and Botswana as a whole. She also explained that the study abroad programme was a full scholarship from OIEP and the Botswana Government. The students, said Mocheregwa, would receive US$500 book allowance and a monthly US$400 living allowance for the duration of their stay. “You are not going to spend anything for your going abroad. All the expenses will be handled by OIEP. That means your tuition, housing, meals, air tickets, living allowance and medical insurance,” she said. OIEP Deputy Director, Ms Kaboyaone Hiri-Khudu, congratulated the students for having been selected for the programme and reminded them that they were going out there to represent UB and Botswana. Therefore, she impressed upon them to be in their best behaviour as well as to market Botswana well. Ms Hiri-Khudu also encouraged the students to take their traditional attire with them, and anything that could sell Botswana and UB in case they were asked to showcase their cultures. “Always remember where you come from and see to it that you earn a good name fairly,” said OIEP Acting Director, Dr Gangappa Kuruba. He advised the students to interact with peer groups and network with other people for it would also be rewarding academically. However, he reminded them to authentically represent Botswana culture and heritage in whatever they would be doing. BITC Brand Botswana Manager, Mr Thuso Palai, said the aim of Brand Botswana was to galvanise Batswana around a single identity. Mr Palai said it was also to stimulate stronger communities, culture and heritage to instil a greater sense of pride and community engagement in the country, as well as to position Botswana internationally as an attractive place to visit, work and invest. Consequently, he advised the students to tell a positive story of their country to the world, and lure people to come to Botswana because they had a responsibility to achieve such through whatever they would communicate which reflected their place of origin. “We have been working with the Embassy of United State of America, the British High Commission, and UB included, for the past two years because they have a lot of exchange programmes and you are the ones who will be our marketing agents to promote our country so that people get to know about us and to come and invest in our country,” he said.