Prospects for the Establishment of an Education Hub: The Case of Botswana

Trade in services generally is viewed as a potentially viable option to contribute to the much needed economic diversification in Botswana. This study is informed by the ongoing policy discussions about the need to develop an educational hub in Botswana. It is intended to be a constructive contribution to these policy discussions. We analyse trends in tertiary education trade. Both exports and imports of tertiary education are discussed. The study does an audit of the policies, regulations and institutions in the education sector with the view to assess their readiness to support the establishment and maintenance of an education hub. The data we use are obtained mainly from the Government of Botswana, which grants most of the scholarships to citizens studying in different countries across the globe. Other information is obtained from the local tertiary institutions, which offer education mainly to citizens but do enrol a few foreign students. Also, the study discusses the trade arrangements that Botswana is party to and makes an assessment of how they can assist (or inhibit) Botswana's endeavours to develop and education hub. The study is intended for policy makers and it is hoped that it will promote productive policy direction.