The four established campuses are in Maseru (Lesotho), Windhoek (Namibia) and Gaborone and Francistown (Botswana). Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) is projected to join soon.
Vice-chancellor and managing director of Botho University, Sheela Raja Ram, says: “After establishing our brand in the SADC region, the time is perfect to spread our wings across Africa. Our experience in the south of the continent offers us a lot of knowledge and expertise to expand our African footprint.
“We are confident of our Nigerian venture as our research shows that the online learning market is a rapidly growing market in that part of Africa, where thousands are turning to proven and alternative means of attaining university degrees.”
The distance learning programmes are targeted at youths, higher education students, employed personnel who want to pursue higher studies, corporate staff who want to advance career growth, homemakers and other specific target groups.
At present, Nigeria is the number one country of origin for international students from Africa, sending the most students abroad and to other countries on the African continent. Outbound mobility numbers are growing at a rapid pace as seen from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) Institute of Statistics (UIS) data. Botho University realised this potential, hence the timely entry into the West African market.
Botho University offers accredited Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from five faculties of business and accounting, computing, hospitality and sustainable tourism, engineering and applied sciences and health and education. The institution also has available a six-month internship and option of on-site classes in Botswana.
