By:Tshegofatso Teseletso
Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) recently launched a High-Performance Organization (HPO) framework and Culture Transformation project at the University Campus that is aimed at improving working practices and University growth.
The BIUST Vice-Chancellor Professor Otlogetswe Totolo expressed delight at the launch of the project when delivering the welcome remarks. He said Culture Transformation was a project so dear to his heart.
The Vice-Chancellor said that he was honoured to launch the transformational project that is aimed at bettering the university following reflections and introspections the institution undertook.
The savant leader delineated that the entire world had been bedevilled with an unfavourable culture, which is characterised by non-delivery and lack of accountability amongst other traits.
He highlighted that the adverse culture served as an impediment to the institution’s strategic aspirationsIt is a culture we all do not like, a culture that we all do not want to be associated with and it is for us to collectively transcend it,” Prof Totolo said, adding that this project was the solution that the institution so much needed to bring about a positive outlook to its future.
He defined the HPO and culture transformation project as a multi-faceted project that was paramount to transforming the culture that drives the university. It furthermore aims to catapult us into a High Performing University, another significant milestone that we need the most,” he said.
Having pointed out its shortcomings, BIUST has outrightly, through feedback from its staff and students outlined all the unfavourable attributes of its culture. The cons indicated during this process will be used as building blocks toward culture transformation and making strides towards an HPO.
Prof. Totolo implored the BIUST community to use their strengths to turn around these shortcomings.
He further indicated that the project’s key milestones were centred around a collective effort towards building the blueprint of the institution for transforming its culture and building toward an HPO, earnestly learning from the existing HPOs, assertively carrying out research on best practices for transforming culture, continuously assessing and testing the suitability of the built blueprint.
“This is necessary for us to remain with a tried and tested solution to our adverse situation, and align our policies, processes and capacity-building initiatives to this tailored solution,” he emphasised.This is a project that warrants a collective effort, pulling together is an essential ingredient to this project.
The Project Executive Sponsor is DVC-F&A, who will be leading the delivery of the
project and engagement of the BIUST community will be spearheaded by a collaborative team of HR and Institutional Planning.The University’s acting deputy vice chancellor finance and administration, Mr Davies Tele shared similar sentiments.
He said ensuring the institution moves towards high performance was a mammoth task that lay ahead of the BIUST community and thus required all hands on the deck.
In closing, he beseeched the BIUST community to embrace the transformational culture and work together towards the success of the HPO and Culture transformation project, and the overall performance of the institution.
At the end of the event, the acting director of Human resources Mrs. Keamogetse Mubu shared a brief enlightening presentation on the project key milestones and the project key scope that includes awareness training for staff, research and benchmarking.