IDM and Indiana University Strengthen Collaboration

The Institute of Development Management (IDM) recently hosted faculty from Indiana University (IU). Timothy Smith, Director of International Relations and Business Development at the Kelly School of Business (IU) and Rex Stockton, Chancellor’s Professor at IU were in Gaborone from 23rd – 28th January 2018 to strengthen collaboration between the two institutions, as well as enhance IDM’s programmes through capacity building activities and program review and design. 

Dr Onalenna Seitio-Kgokgwe, IDM Botswana  Country Director said the visit reaffirmed their  commitment and collaboration to a partnership  they have enjoyed over the years. “IDM continues to establish and maintain  solid relationships with international institutions  of repute to enhance our product offering  and learner experience.

Indiana University has  been our partner for many years and out of  this partnership we have seen collaborative  projects and programmes, and enhanced our  teaching-learning processes. We have further  strengthened our research capacity through  collaborative projects that generated evidence  that informed programs and policy decisions for  the betterment of our country,” she said.  For the past few years, IDM/IU partnership  has focused on strengthening public health  and entrepreneurship programs. In the area of  Public Health, the two institutions collaborated  in developing robust public health programs  which offer learners an exciting opportunity to  innovate, develop and implement concepts that  play a pivotal role in influencing positive change  in the Health and Wellness sector in Botswana.  In addition IDM/IU conducted a number  of research studies in the area of HIV/AIDS,  and disseminated the results through various  approaches including publishing. 

The Kelly School of Business in Indiana has  contributed significantly by supporting not only our teaching staff but also entrepreneurs in Botswana  “Our collaboration with IU and in particular  the Kelly School of Business also offers a window  of opportunity for the youth and women  entrepreneurs. We are beginning to see transfer  of skills that will enable entrepreneurs to improve  performance of their businesses.  While in  Botswana, IU faculty conducted coaching  and mentoring training for IDM core team that  is currently mentoring a group of 30 young  entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs also had a  golden opportunity to be trained by the Director  from the Kelly School of business. Their training  focused on the role of networking in building and  growing their business which I belief is critical in  development of these young people’s businesses.”  

These  activities  form  part  of  IDM’s  Entrepreneurship Incubation Hub which was born  out of the partnership with IU. Dr.  Kgokgwe  said  IDM  is  a  home-grown  institution  that  strives  to  develop  programmes  with a positive impact at national level, adding  that they continue to respond to the needs and  aspirations of government to maintain relevance  in the local market. For  his  part,  IDM  Coordinator,  Tebatso  Paul  said the recent increase in the number of non- communicable  diseases  has  the  public  health  programme so that more focus is done around  prevention  than  treatment.  Paul  said  IDM  has  a  strong  team  in  public  health,  with  highly  experienced  health  practitioners.  He  said  they  are proud of their achievements so far, adding  “there is the need for more research that is more  contextual in order to redefine our area in public  health  and  deal  with  other  challenges  that  Botswana encounters in regard to public health,”  IDM  also  offers  short  training  courses  including  Monitoring and Evaluation, Prevention of Mother  to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Counselling, Health  Care Leadership and Management and quality  improvement.