Innovative planning education for 21st Century in Botswana

Abstract

Planning education is relatively young in Botswana having only commenced as an undergraduate programme in the early 1990 at the University of Botswana. The main features of the programme is that it combines theory, design and practice in order to produce a holistic planner who can work in different types of environments; It also produces critical thinkers and professionals; it is flexible and adaptable to global changes in the field of spatial planning and it has strong links with industry. By and large the programme is well resourced both in terms of qualified academic staff, equipment for studio and library resources. There are plans to commence graduate planning studies and start intakes into a Ph.D. programme soon. The main challenges facing it however, are low student numbers and lack of space for now. All the same it can be said that the programme is facing a bright future in providing solutions to Botswana’s developmental challenges.