The University of Botswana and the University of Pretoria have signed a five year Memorandum of Co-operation aimed at developing and nurturing new partnerships and to share human and material resources between them.

The signing ceremony was performed at the University of Pretoria in South Africa last week where the local university was represented by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Bojosi Otlhogile, and the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Professor Frank Youngman.

Signing for the University of Pretoria was its Vice Principal for Research and Postgraduate Studies, Professor Robin M. Crewe and Professor Antony Melck, Advisor to the Vice-Chancellor and Principal.

A communiqué from UB's communications department says the aim of the Memorandum of Co-operation is to promote international understanding as well as to contribute to the pool of global knowledge and to advance the development of Botswana and South Africa and the entire world.

"It is stated that the two parties acknowledge the similarities in the scholarly pursuits of the two institutions, and desire to promote inter-institutional co-operation, scientific and cultural exchange, and mutual understanding and respect between the citizens of the two countries."

The release says the Memorandum of Cooperation envisages that the two institutions will establish and encourage mutually beneficial scientific, technological, educational and other relations based on: exchange of academic staff members for the purpose of research, teaching and the presentation of special courses in their fields of specialization; establishment of joint research programmes; exchange of students (undergraduate and postgraduate) in respect of specific research projects or courses of interest and importance and, exchange of scientific and educational literature produced by either or both of the parties, as well as the exchange of material on the most relevant and topical research undertaken by researchers of both institutions.

The memorandum of agreement will also facilitate the smooth organisation of conferences, seminars and symphosia of matters of mutual interest to the institutions.

It is also said the signed agreement, among other significant conditions, will provide that exchange students will pay tuition at their home institution rather than at the host institution and credits earned will be transmitted back to the home institution at the end of the semester in question. The Memorandum of Co-operation became effective from April 22 2008.