• UB leaders say economic growth, research investment and entrepreneurship are essential to creating opportunities for thousands of graduates entering the labour market

By Staff Writer
23 October 2026

The University of Botswana (UB) has wrapped up its 44th graduation ceremony with a strong call for graduates, industry and policymakers to rethink the relationship between higher education, employment and economic growth.

Speaking at the close of the three-day graduation ceremony, UB Vice-Chancellor Professor David Norris and University Council Chairman-cum-Chancellor Daniel Tau said graduate employability could not be separated from the broader performance of the economy and the willingness of industry to invest in innovation, research and entrepreneurship.

A total of 4,059 students were awarded qualifications, with both university leaders expressing delight at the turnout and the significance of President Duma Boko’s attendance on the last day of the graduation.

“We’re really honoured by the President’s appearance at this graduation; it made it memorable for the students,” Prof. Norris said. “This is a great day, and it made the graduation really excellent for these young people.”

Tau also praised the President’s ability to address graduands without a prepared speech, describing him as a spontaneous and engaging leader.

The University of Botswana conferred PhD/Doctoral, MPhil, Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates on 4,059 graduands during the 44th Graduation Ceremonies held on the 21st to the 23rd of October 2026 at the UB Campus Indoor Sports Centre.

According to UB, the number represents an increase of 520 graduands or approximately 14.7 per cent, from the 3,539 recorded at the University’s 43rd Graduation Ceremony in 2025.

The 2026 cohort comprises 34 Doctoral Degrees, seven (7) MPhil Degrees, 306 Master’s Degrees, 59 Postgraduate Diplomas and 3,653 undergraduate graduands receiving Bachelor’s Degrees, Diplomas and Certificates. The graduands represent 22 countries, reflecting the University’s international reach.

This year’s theme, “Building High-Performance Economies: From Local Excellence to Global Impact,” spotlighted the relationship between knowledge, institutional performance and economic progress.

While celebrating the growing number of graduates, Norris raised concerns about the country’s ability to absorb increasing numbers of educated young people into the labour market.

“The biggest challenge for the university is how we work with other partners to make sure we grow the economy,” Norris said. “If the economy doesn’t grow, this is frustrating for graduates. They come here, but where do they go?”

He argued that universities have a critical responsibility to produce graduates who are globally competitive and equipped with skills that match changing market demands.

“We don’t want them constrained by the local market,” he said.

To address evolving economic realities, UB has diversified its academic programmes and plans to embed Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies across more disciplines.

“If you hold on to degree programmes that the market does not need anymore, then you are really dumping these students,” Norris said.

Industry must invest in research

Norris challenged the private sector to do more to drive economic expansion and innovation, arguing that business growth remains the missing link in addressing graduate unemployment.

“The business must grow so that it can absorb these young people,” he said.

He called on companies to see universities as innovation partners, saying research investment should be viewed as a business growth strategy rather than a cost.

“Investing in research is not a waste of money; it pays off,” Norris said.

Drawing on international examples, he noted how major universities and researchers played leading roles in developing life-saving vaccines and technologies through partnerships with industry.

He said UB’s Innovation Centre and industrial design exhibitions regularly showcase commercially viable ideas, but lamented limited uptake from businesses that could help bring innovations to market.

“If industries can come, they can mass-produce four or five products and make money. If they don’t come, it is a lost opportunity for business people and for our students,” he said.

Norris also called for greater support for youth entrepreneurship, suggesting that agencies such as the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) should place more emphasis on knowledge and innovation than traditional collateral requirements.

“Collateral is their knowledge,” he said.

Rethinking graduate readiness

Both university leaders rejected the frequent criticism that graduates leave university unprepared for employment.

Tau described the notion that universities alone should produce market-ready graduates as simplistic and unfair.

“People expect universities to produce market-ready students, but that will never happen,” he said. “There has to be a role played by the market itself in contextualising the knowledge and skills.”

He argued that employers must share responsibility for developing graduates once they enter the workplace.

Tau also expressed concern about what he called the erosion of dialogue between key stakeholders in Botswana’s education sector.

He proposed the revival of an annual national education forum that would bring together academics, school leaders, policymakers and industry representatives to discuss the future of education.

“We need that forum,” he said.

Norris agreed, saying Botswana’s education system requires significant reform to better align learning outcomes with economic and social realities.

Entrepreneurship across all disciplines

A major theme emerging from the graduation discussions was the need to infuse entrepreneurship into every university programme.

Tau said graduates should leave UB not only academically qualified but also equipped to create economic opportunities for themselves.

“We should restructure the curriculum such that graduates are theoretically strong, have practical experience and understand the business side of every discipline,” he said.

Whether studying the sciences, humanities or languages, students should understand how their expertise can be converted into sustainable enterprises, he added.

Norris revealed that UB is exploring entrepreneurship and business training modules that would be embedded across all disciplines, alongside stronger internship programmes and greater participation by industry practitioners in classrooms.

“Every discipline can be a business,” he said.

Need for better graduate tracking

Norris acknowledged weaknesses in the university’s ability to systematically monitor graduate outcomes after completion of studies.

He said the institution needs more comprehensive graduate tracer studies to determine employment rates, career paths and entrepreneurial success among alumni.

“We are not doing it thoroughly, and I am not happy with that,” he said.

Graduate employment statistics, he noted, are increasingly important for international university rankings and influence students’ decisions on where to study.

Expanding online education

Looking ahead, Norris said UB is positioning itself to expand online learning and reach international students.

The university has applied to the African Development Bank for funding to strengthen its digital connectivity infrastructure.

While online courses are already offered on a limited scale, Norris said improved infrastructure would enable the institution to deliver programmes globally.

“We want international degree programmes to be taken externally,” he said. “It is critical.”

As UB’s 44th graduation ceremony came to a close, the message from university leaders was clear: producing employable graduates requires more than classroom learning. It demands a stronger economy, deeper industry collaboration, curriculum reform, and a renewed focus on entrepreneurship and innovation