*Inauguration of the University of Botswana On the 15th Octol::er, 1982, the university of Botswana was formally inaugurated though it had actually been constituted a university ~ Act of Parliament on the 1.st July, 1982. At the sane time the university of Swaziland \\hich had previously been linkerl with it as the university of Botswana and Swauland also achieved full university status. This develop- rrent had been plannerl for several years. The new universities will inherit a long tradition, dating back to 1946, \\hen the Roman Cath::>lic Pius XII COllege was openerl at Ibma Lesoth::>,with five students and four priest-lecturers. In 1950 it \raS taken over by the Oblates of Mary Inmaculate, and by 1963 there ~re 180 men and 1r.Otlen students from a variety of countries. The courses ~re taught and examin- erl under a special relationship entererl into in 1955 with the university of South Africa, a distance teaching university, which awarderl students its degrees and diplomas in arts, science, COOJrerceand education. As the costs of running a growing university-level institution increased and difficulties arose over the relationship with the University uf South Africa in the changing p:>litical clilnate, it became clear that a new solu- tion to the provision of higher education \\Ould have to be found. Follo ....... ing a detailed study, an agreement was reached between the Oblates of Mary Inrna.culate and the then High Carmission Territories, a sum of noney was made available ~ the British g:>vernrrent and the Ford Foundation for the transfer of the assets of Pius XII COllege and the independent University of Basutoland, the Bechuanaland Protectorate and Swaziland cane into exis- tence on 1st January 1964. This in turn became the university of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland as the fomer High Carmission Territories achieverl their independence. By 1970 the 188 students in 1964 had gram to 402 with an international mlti-racial student body and an academic staff of 78 dram fran many coun- tries. All the degree teaching was undertaken at Forna, J::ut the SWaziland l\gricultural COllege becane associated with the university and was handed over to it in 1970 ~ the Swaziland g:>vernrrent. In Botswana the first uni- versi ty wilding was a srort-rourse centre opened in 1969. After the initial period of consolidation it was seen to be desirable that the university, which was financed by all three g:>vernments, srould under- take sane of its teaching in Botswana and Swaziland as ~ll as in Lesoth::>, and J::uilding began on sites in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, and Kwaluseni in Swaziland, and the teaching of Part I of the degree in th::>se countries was started in 1971. Unfortunately, the orderly dewlution of the university was disrupted in 1975, \\hen Lesoth::>withdrew fran the partnership and cons ti tu ted the Foma Carrpus as the National university of Lesoth::>. Students fran Botswana and Swaziland ~e withdram, their teaching resUIllErlon the Gatorone and Kwaluseni camp..lsesand the University of Botswana and Swaziland was crea- ted ~ awropriate university Acts in the u..o countries. Since then Botswana and Swaziland have \'.Orked together harnoniously in the develQIlllE!lt of higher education. *This article incorporates material contributed to the A.C.U. Bulletin of Current Documenta- tion, No.55, October 1982. p.21-22. 79 No central administrative structure was created for the new University. Instead the administration of each of the COlleges provide;J the adminis- trative services required by the university as a \ years alternately by His Majesty the King of Swaziland and His Excellency the President of Botswana, while the rectors of the constituent COlleges chaired Senate on an annual basis. There was a Q:>verningCOnrnittee for the University as a wl"x:>le, hlt each COllege also had its COuncil, which had the responsibility for the finan- cial affairs of its own COllege. This provided a remarkably efficient yet ecoJ1OlTlical fonn of organisation which allowed each country to develop its 1t.Orkin ways rrost beneficial to its own country, and~t to have many of the advantages of a single univer- sity structure. The sarre factors rrade it very easy to plan the separation of the COlleges into tw:> independent universities when it was clear that the balance of advantage was in fawur of such a step. What of the future? Both universities intend to ensure that the close oonsul tation which has marked their relationship for many years will oon- tinue and that whenever it is helpful there will be academic o:>operation. It is inoonceivable that the ties of 1t.Orkand friendship which have been forged over many years will now be severed. Both uni versi ties will in future be 1t.Orkingwithin the wide frame1t.Orkof SADCC(5althern African Develotmmt COordination Conference) and will take into the larger organi- sation patterns of o:>operation which sh:>uld make a valuable contrihltion to it. They are firmly ccmnitted to the ooncept of regional o:>operation and intend to oontinue to develop new ventures together and to strengthen exis ting links. Each of them will also ro'M:!verhave to develop its own progrannes in acoordance with the needs of its country. The firs t major develOtmmt in Botswana will be the creation of the Faculty of Agriculture. In UBSAgriculture was taught at the Swaziland COllege and students from Botswana \ countries, ~ver, and therefore the types of agriculture which can properly be practised there, are so different that it is surprising that teaching in Agriculture had not been at least partially undertaken in Botswana earlier. The Faculty is to be started by the amalgamation with the University of the Botswana Agricultural COllege, which has a long tradition, at Sebele al:out tvJelve kilaretres from the main University Canp..1s. The University will continue the certificate oourse which has been taught there for many years, will strengthen the diploma progr~ and will inaugurate degree level teach- ing. The amalgamation will add al:out 350 students to the 1100 existing University population. In planning the progr~ the University is intending to establish a tw:> stage degree, The first stage will be a three year diploma progranme after which the students will normally enter 1t.Ork. After some years practical experience they will return to the University to take a further tw:> years, as Part II of the degree programne. In this way it is roped that the agricul ture graduates will be people wI"x:> have a th:>rough practical train- ing and valuable experience in the field as 'M:!ll as achieving an appropria- te acadanic level. This systan of a full degree programne consisting of a three year diploma followed by a tw:> year Part II programne wi th the possibili ty of a practical experience between than is a very useful and practicable one which the University will rope to develop in a number of fields. In Education for gO ex.mrple it is b:>ped that a new three year diplana progrcmne in Secondary Education to be taught at the new M:>lepolole Tead1er Training Q:)llege due to open in 1985 will be planned jointly with the university in such a way that it can serve as Part I of the five year B.Ed. degree. Oiscussioos are also in train al:out the possibility of instituting similar prograrmes in other practically oriented subjected. There are of co.rrse dangers in undertaking a new venture of this kind. TOOse\\h) are concerned with the enployment of professional teachers or agriculturists etc. naturally value their ability to undertake fran the beginning of their srployrrent the practical duties of their profession and are afraid that if such training is undertaken by Universities the practi- cal element will be devalued and an excessively theoretical aw:roach acbp- ted. on the University side, on the other hand, many are fearful that such p:rogr~ will place an undue enphasis on practical ability and will underrate the inp:>rtance of the theoretical, and thus fall srort of the appropriate standard at degree level. It is only by being sensitive to this potential conflict that it will be !X)ssible to ensure that l:x:ltherrpha- ses are given proper and not undue attentiOn. The development of university prograrrmes of this kind is one exanple of attatpts to neet problems which are not likely to arise in longer estloyers including indus try and cxmnerce \J1ich are also att.elllting to localise their senior administrative cadre. The seoood reature is that the ootpJ.t of secondary education is not sufficiently high to neet the needs of the university and of the many other insti tutions which require a sch:lOl certificate as the basis for further training. The consequence is. that the university is oot able to develop as rapidly as it srould while many of its llOst able products will be attrac- ted away from university teaching into llOre lucrative fields. In order to try to solve this problem the University of Botswana has adOpted a vigorous Staff Deve1q:ment prograrrme. It currently has forty Staff Develo~t Fellows the ll'ajority of wlnn are studying in other univer- si ties either for their Masters or for their Doctoral degrees. Several of them have already joined the University staff and are giving valuable ser", vice to their departments. It is 00ped that the size of the prograrrme will grow during the next acadenic year. Such a prograrrme, alth::lugh essential, is undoubtedly expensive. Fortunate- ly a numberof countries recognise the inpJrtant.'e of this training and make scrolarships available which enable SOFs to equip themselves for their 1f.Ork. NOr will the prograrrme be quickly terminated, since, even when the Univer- sity is staffed predaninantly by Batswana, it will still be necessary to make provision for them to take Doctoral as well as Masters degrees. cne can foresee therefore a need for a substantial Staff Develq:ment prograrrme for many years to cane. unfortunately 00 arcount of training is able to convey experience. The pro- vision of soond leadership will remain a continUal problem. Every depart- nent benefits fran having experienced sch::llars wW can place the fruits of 81 their experience at the disposal of toth staff and students. Yet such experience can only re gained over time. There is 00 doubt that career patterns within the university of Botswana, as in many similar nniversi- ties, will remain uncertain for sore time. In sane repartrnents the :route to prorrotion may re blocked for a long periOd because of the appointment to senior fX)sts of young men and \\CI11eI1. This will cause frustration arrongst their jnniors wOOsee little prospect of prarotion with the University and no chance of !lOVing to any other University in the same rountry. Fortunately we can anticipate that the University will continue to grow for sore time which will at least in part ameliorate these diffi- culties. Senior scholars will, it is h:>ped, continue to be provided by sh:>rt-term secondments from other Universities, with the help of Fulbright. and other similar prograrrmes of international assistance. The future size of the university is difficult to prophesy at the present time. There is 00 doubt that as the pop.llation grows and as secondary education irrproves there will be an increasing demand for nniversi ty places fran the ~blic. It is iI1so reasonably certain that at least for a mnn- her of years the demandfor university graduates will outstrip supply. Indeed a recently ~blished manfX)werforecast anticipates that there will be a continuing sh:>rtfall of al:out 800 graduates in Botswana for at least the next ten years. As far as subject areas are concernoo the Tho rrost pressing needs v..hich remain are probably Applioo Science and Engineering and Medical Science. At the rrorrent h:>weverthe university is fully occupied in developing its newly acquired WJrk in Agriculture. The University is currently WJrking on its Develq:ment Plan for the next five year periOd from 1986-90. It has h:>weveralso been developing a Master Plan for the physical developrent of the University Carrp..lsto the year 2000 by v..hich time it is anticipated there may be 4,500 to 5,000 stu- dents in the university. To provide the main source of high level manfX)werfor the wOOlenation is a challenging and intimidating task. It is also a fascinating one which staff of the university are eager to fulfil. JOHN D TURNER Vice-