VUSSC/Mauritius BC/News/Modesto

Botswana is pleased to be on board the VUSSC Project which is in tandem with the moto for the Botswana College of Distance and open learning (BOCODOL), namely: "To Bridge the education Gap".

Travelling to Mauritius was an experience filled with anxieties about the nature of the project, the meaning of sharing learning, the IT to be used in developing the course, and capacity to come to terms with such technology.

All the anxieties were dispelled when the Bootcamp kicked off. Paul and Wayne (from COL) did a fantastic job of easing anxieties through their user-friendly elucidation of a range of issues in context.

Soon a chemistry among participants was evident, and we in the Entrepreneurship group pooled our expertise together to come up with an amalgam of course curriculum, that drew on several sources such as the UNESCO and small business courses offered in different countries represented by participants.

Two out of eight units took shape, and the remainder will be written when we go back to our respective countries. Botswana will be challenged to continue with the writing in the next two years, and to also team-lead the Entrepreneurship course.

As we unpitch the camp, an aura of confidence and hopefulness pervades one's mind as one gloats over how amazing it is to bring professionals together with such ease.Thanks to the sponsor for the funding. Thanks to the COL for the co-ordination. Thanks to the governments of the small states of the commonwealth for supporting the idea. Last but not least, thanks to the participants whose expertise will contribute in no small measure to the commonwealth of knowledge and increase accessibility to quality education.Henceforth, Commonwealth countries, great and small will have easy access to quality courses in the areas of Entrepreneurship and Tourism.Incredible!! The experience in Mauritius reminds one of the following words:

"Perceptions are like windows. The more we open, the more can see of the world."