Our History

In today’s global economy, graduates are presented with a wide range of academic programmes and diverse career pathways. Regardless of the professional direction one chooses, selecting the right tertiary Institution is critical to securing a competitive advantage. BA ISAGO positions itself as a preferred choice for tertiary education, offering credible, market-responsive and internationally recognised programmes that equip learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies required for success in the global labour market. 

 

BA ISAGO University was established in 2002 as BA ISAGO University College in Francistown, founded by Mr Odirile B. Gabasiane and Mrs Ruth T. Gabasiane.

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“We recognised the need for more institutions of higher learning in Botswana. BA ISAGO University College was therefore established in 2002, emerging from both significant challenges and compelling opportunities.”

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Odirile Gabasiane

Founder

#Timeline

A University with Full Stripes

In June 2015, BA ISAGO was awarded full university status after 13 years of dedicated progress as a University College. This pivotal achievement marked a new era of growth, with expanded campuses in Gaborone, Francistown, and Maun, and the establishment of four diverse faculties. Enhanced programs, international academic partnerships, and the creation of the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Professional Development (CEPD) empowered BA ISAGO to broaden its impact, serving more students across Botswana and reinforcing its reputation as a leading, citizen-owned higher education institution.

2002–2006

First Step Towards the Dream

BA ISAGO University was founded by Mr Odirile Gabasiane in 2002

The University began its journey as a University College and was registered by the Botswana Training Authority (now the Botswana Qualifications Authority) in June 2004. It was subsequently granted Institutional accreditation in 2006 by the Tertiary Education Council, now the Human Resource Development Council. At the time of its inception, tertiary education outside government institutions was not yet mainstream in Botswana. BA ISAGO University therefore commenced operations with humility and pioneering resolve, enrolling an initial cohort of approximately 50 students at its Francistown Campus.


The decision to establish a high-aspiration Institution of higher learning in Botswana’s second city, rather than the capital, Gaborone, was unconventional. However, for the Founder and Managing Director, this context served as a strategic catalyst rather than a constraint, shaping the University’s ethos of empowering learners, fostering inclusivity, and driving purpose-driven growth

2006

Early Challenges and Strategic Partnership

Peo Holdings partnered with BA ISAGO in a joint venture arrangement

In its formative years, BA ISAGO University faced two significant challenges. The first was securing premises that met the standards required of a University College. As a fledgling institution, BA ISAGO lacked the financial capacity to construct its own purpose-built facilities at inception.

The second challenge related to access to financial resources to support institutional growth, expansion, and the establishment of essential academic and administrative infrastructure. At the time, commercial banks were unwilling to extend credit to the Institution. The Government had not yet begun enrolling Government-sponsored students on a full-time basis in locally based private institutions of higher learning, leaving financial institutions reluctant to fund institutions that relied solely on privately sponsored students for cash flow. Reflecting on this period, the Founder and Managing Director, Odirile B. Gabasiane, recalls:
“Typical of all the banks, they were not willing to fund us. As a start-up Enterprise in education, we had an unproven concept and no track record to demonstrate.”

At a critical juncture, BA ISAGO received strategic support from Peo Holdings, an enterprise development and business loans advancement company jointly owned by De Beers and Debswana. Peo Holdings entered into a joint venture partnership with BA ISAGO, significantly strengthening the Institution’s financial sustainability and enabling it to establish the foundational infrastructure necessary for growth. In line with its operational model, Peo Holdings divested from the partnership in 2006, once BA ISAGO had attained financial stability and was able to operate independently.
Acknowledging this pivotal support, Mr Gabasiane notes:

“We will forever remain indebted to Peo Holdings for making it possible for us to grow and flourish. Without their partnership at a critical hour, we would not be where we are today. This challenge has often been the greatest obstacle faced by big-time dreamers and visionaries in this country.”

 

2007–2012

Reaching for the Stratosphere

Relocating to new campuses

In 2007, the Gaborone Campus relocated to Commerce Park, a move that coincided with the Government’s decision to begin sponsoring students in locally established private tertiary education institutions. This policy shift provided a significant boost to BA ISAGO, resulting in a sharp increase in enrolment, with the student population rising to approximately 890.
Up to this point, BA ISAGO had operated exclusively from rented premises. Recognising the need for long-term institutional stability and growth, Management resolved to establish a permanent home for the University. This vision was realised in April 2012, when the University relocated to its purpose-built campus in Block 7, Gaborone. The development of its own infrastructure enabled the University to more than treble its enrolment capacity, reaching a total student population of approximately 3,000, inclusive of the Francistown Campus.

The Block 7 campus infrastructure was designed for phased development. Phase I has been completed, while Phase II, which is currently approximately 60 percent complete, comprises a Convention Centre with a seating capacity of up to 3,000, a Pavilion accommodating approximately 300 people, recreational facilities and a planned six-storey building incorporating offices, laboratories, lecture rooms, and an auditorium. The total capital investment for the development is budgeted at P430 million. Upon completion of Phase II, BA ISAGO University will have the capacity to enrol up to 5,600 students in Gaborone alone, supported by a staff complement of approximately 400.

In support of its national expansion strategy, the University has acquired a 28-hectare plot at Gerald Estate in Francistown and an 11-hectare plot in Maun, earmarked for the development of future campuses.

Mr O. B. Gabasiane, acknowledges the pivotal role played by Government in enabling the growth of private tertiary education institutions in Botswana. Reflecting on this partnership, he notes:

“The advent of home-grown private tertiary education institutions has been of significant benefit to Batswana. We are committed to producing graduates who can compete globally while remaining grounded in an education relevant to Botswana’s context. We value our relationship with the Government, which sponsors students to pursue their studies at BA ISAGO University.”

2015

A University with Full Stripes

Conferred full university status

In June 2015, BA ISAGO, a wholly citizen-owned Institution, was conferred full University status after operating as a University College for 13 years. The University applied for University status in 2012, having met all the requisite criteria. Since then, the Institution has expanded and enhanced its physical infrastructure, human capital and research outputs. BA ISAGO currently operates three Campuses in Gaborone, Francistown and Maun, reflecting a deliberate strategy to widen access to higher education and reach prospective learners who are disadvantaged by the long distances to Gaborone.

BA ISAGO comprises four Faculties. Collectively, the four Faculties offer over 80 academic programmes, comprising a PhD, professional qualifications, master’s, postgraduate, undergraduate, diploma and certificate programmes. In addition, in October 2008, BA ISAGO established the Centre for Research, Entrepreneurship and Project Management (CREPM), which was reconstituted in 2016 as the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Professional Development (CPDC). The Centre offers over forty-five short-term learning programmes across a broad spectrum of disciplines, delivered through conferences, short-term training, seminars and workshops to corporate organisations, Government, parastatals, non-governmental organisations, civil society and private individuals.

#postgraduate studies

The Visionary Who Conceived It All

A brief bio highlighting Odirile Gabasiane’s educational and professional journey, his foundational values, and his transition from educator to entrepreneur.

Early Education & Professional Foundation

Mr Odirile B. Gabasiane attended the University of Botswana, where he graduated in 1986. After teaching History and English at Moeng College, his alma mater, where he and his wife Ruth both served as Departmental Heads, he joined the diplomatic service as an Education Attaché at the Botswana High Commission in London in 1990. His mandate at the High Commission was to place and support Batswana students in institutions of higher learning in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Europe, Australia and New Zealand who were pursuing programmes ranging from diplomas and first degrees to postgraduate studies. During the seven years he served in London, student enrolment increased significantly from just over 300 to more than 3,000.

 

 

In 1997, he was transferred to Pretoria, South Africa, to establish the Office of the Education Attaché following the country’s new democratic dispensation following the election of President Nelson Mandela in 1994. Once again, student numbers grew exponentially. Within two years, enrolment rose from approximately 300 to over 3,000. While in Pretoria, he placed both Government-sponsored and privately sponsored students. In 1999, the Government of Botswana terminated the Tirelo Sechaba Programme, which had required high school leavers to undertake one year of compulsory community service before proceeding to tertiary education. Recognising the opportunity presented by this policy shift, Gabasiane and his wife began exploring alternative pathways to support student placement.
 

They established BA ISAGO Institute between 1999 and 2001 to provide student placement services, career guidance and counselling for school leavers and tuition support for A-Level, IGCSE and BGCSE learners. The Institute also hosted Education Career Fairs that brought together institutions of higher learning from across the SADC region, creating platforms for students to engage with universities and explore diverse career pathways. The BA ISAGO initiative gained national recognition, with up to 57 regional institutions participating in its fairs, attracting thousands of prospective students. However, the Government later ceased using external placement agencies and assumed full responsibility for student placement services, both locally and abroad. This decision significantly affected the Institute’s operations and sustainability.

 

Despite this setback, Gabasiane and his wife resolved to reinvent BA ISAGO. Observing the growing demand for higher education opportunities within Botswana and the long-term limitations of exporting students, they established BA ISAGO University College in 2002. The Institution was born out of adversity and a deep commitment to expanding access to quality tertiary education. 


Gabasiane acknowledges the invaluable contribution of key stakeholders in the development of BA ISAGO as a reputable and viable Institution. These include his wife Ruth, who serves as Board Chairperson, the Shareholders who remained committed through challenging periods and regulatory and sector partners such as BQA and HRDC. He also recognises the support of Government, parents, employers and students whose trust and confidence have positioned BA ISAGO as a national vehicle for human capital development in Botswana and beyond.