Authorities of the University of Botswana on Friday said undergraduate and graduate students from Nigeria will pay low fees compared to other international students.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor David Norris, made the pledge at a press conference on the university’s forthcoming career fair exhibition between June 24th and 25th in Abuja.
He said the university aspires to be a leading centre of academic excellence in Africa and the world through educating students from all over the continent for the global marked.
To this end, he said the university would admit more students from Nigeria and that prospective candidates would pay in-state tuition rates paid by the locals instead of exorbitant rates paid by international students. Also, all Nigerian students would have their accommodations on campus.
According to him, the institution would promote collaborative research among academic scholars in the Nigerian universities as well as staff and students exchange.
He said, “The university will promote dual programs and supervision of postgraduate students, cultural and other bilateral Unions.”
He said the university realizes that in the context of globalization, it is important to create a highly diversified student and staff population for effective training of graduates who would serve not only the needs of Africa, but the world as a whole. He said with the full capacity of 20,000 students, the university has 12,000 students from 34 countries.
Earlier, the Botswanan High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Pule Mphothwe, stated that Nigeria had a played significant role in the independence of most South African countries and indeed, in human resource development in his country.