The proximity between the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) and the Mahikeng Campus of the North-West University (NWU) in particular makes working together easy ─ it opens opportunities to take hands in mutually beneficial projects. This is the reason why a delegation from BUAN recently visited the NWU.
The team, headed by Prof Ketlhatlogile Mosepele, the vice-chancellor of BUAN, spent time at the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences (FNAS) at the Potchefstroom Campus of the NWU, where they were introduced to some of the faculty’s impressive projects. The visit between representatives from BUAN and the NWU’s management, represented by Prof Jeffrey Mphahlele, deputy vice-chancellor for Research and Innovation, Clement Manoko, the executive director for Corporate Relations and Marketing, Prof David Modise, the executive dean of the FNAS, and his deanery members aimed to kick-start collaborations. They believe the sharing of information will also assist both parties in their efforts to generate a third-stream income.
It was Prof Mosepele’s first official visit to the NWU. He was accompanied by a team comprising Prof Samodimo Ngwako, dean of Research and Postgraduate Studies, and Kealeboga Pifelo, director of Business Development, among others.
“This collaboration is long overdue, since we have a lot in common with Botswana,” says Prof Modise. “Being only about two hours apart means that one can easily visit each other and return within one day.
“The NWU is in the process of establishing a School of Veterinary Science and Botswana is a major producer of beef. There is a lot to gain for both universities, and we look forward to pursuing this collaboration.”
Signing of MOU in 2023
The most recent visit took place at the end of April and is building on a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that was signed in 2023.
The MOU resulted from the first visit by BUAN in October 2022. The purpose of that meeting was to determine mutual areas of interest and commonality.
NWU showcases a few of the FNAS’s finest
The BUAN team was introduced to the impressive work of the Research Area for Chemical Resource Beneficiation (CRB) and the Centre for Human Metabolomics.
Prof Manie Vosloo gave an overview of the research area, highlighting the groups that comprise the CRB. He introduced the BUAN delegation to, among other places, the Welgegund Supersite, a European integrated project on aerosol cloud climate and air quality interactions. He also showed them the specialised instruments the CRB uses in their research, for instance the Redox Flow Battery for renewable energy and energy storage, and the combinatorial evaporative sputtering and screening instrument.
The Centre for Human Metabolomics was another stop for the delegation. Here, Dr Ilse du Preez told them about the Newborn Screening Project through which rare diseases can be diagnosed in babies. Part of this is Nngwe – One Life Matters, an initiative that aims to unite South African clinicians and scientists in prioritising the interests of patients with rare diseases.
Prof Modise says they agreed during the visit that a delegation from the NWU will visit BUAN before the end of the year. “Meanwhile we encourage the NWU’s academics to explore collaborations with BUAN on a larger scale,” he concluded.
The delegation of the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (BUAN) was received by management representatives at the NWU.
