Prof. Theesan Bahorun
MRIC is working to make Mauritius a global hub for innovation and research.
Dr. Keith Robert Thomas
The island has always been a place of sugar plantations and high-quality tourism. Each of these developments has had a devastating impact on the ecosystem of the island. It is, therefore, a challenge for a small island state like Mauritius to adapt its economy and adapt to these sustainability challenges. However, there is a lot of expertise here and a lot of knowledge about the issue. Now it is a question of turning that into more visible actions. I think that is the stage we are at, it is time for more swift action. It is time to move on from talk and take action on sustainability.
Prof Dhanjay Jhurry
The COVID pandemic has shown us the need to reimagine the role of universities. We cannot just rely on universities to respond to the need of building human and intellectual capital but also business capital. We also cannot forego social capital.
The triple helix method of innovation doesn't hold if the community is not involved sufficiently.
We have different organizations in Africa that do a lot but we still come short when it comes to partnerships. I believe we have to start big in this instance. We can begin from our large economic formations such as SADC and COMESA and cascade down.
Universities can also take the agency through different initiatives such as our entrepreneurial drive that led to the establishment of the Agritech Park. We want to groom entrepreneurs to invest in modern agriculture.
TAN Chee Peng
Preceding each Industrial Revolution, there was a big event, a game-changer. Starting with 1IR (1st Industrial Revolution) which was driven by capitalism to 4IR.
2019 saw a once-in-a-lifetime, hopefully, mega Covid-19 event which resulted in a still-spiralling global pandemic. Two drivers shaped the emergence of the 5th Industrial Revolution: resilience and sustainability.
University of Technology Mauritius
The University of Technology, Mauritius (UTM) was created in year 2000 by Act of Parliament as the Government implemented its plan to have a second University which would focus towards development of oriented sectors in particular. Two state institutions namely the Mauritius Institute of Public Administration and Management (MIPAM) and the State Information Training Centre (SITRAC Ltd) were merged to form the University of Technology, Mauritius.
This historic step in the field of higher education was prompted mainly by the need to cater more vigorously for the increasing demand for ICT and Management professionals in a country which is seriously committed to accelerate, by all means, the realization of its ambition to become a major service provider in the field of Information Technology, Management and Finance, Sustainable Development and allied areas. The University started operation by the end of year 2000. The Board of Governors (B.O.G), was in place and in year 2001, created its senior management personnel.
Arvind Bundhun
Africa is increasingly important. Previously we had focused mainly on South Africa and maybe neglected other parts of the continent, but since last year Kenya Airways has come in with five flights per week. With Kenya Airways and Air Mauritius flying from the continent, we are developing various strategies for growth.
Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority
Mauritius is firmly established as a favoured destination for South African travellers, and now the Indian Ocean island is attracting visitors from Kenya and East Africa with daily direct flights from Nairobi.
Intra-African tourism is increasingly attractive for Africa’s emerging middle class and increasingly important for African economies. The type of connectivity created by Kenya Airways flight schedule between Nairobi and Mauritius is a game-changer for the tourism industry. Africa currently only earns 3% of global tourism revenues. Improved connectivity between premium African tourism destinations is a significant step towards growing that figure.
Challenges ahead to make Africa's new free trade area succeed
At a time when the global trade regime is under attack, the African Union (AU) is celebrating the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which came into effect on 30 May. After being ratified by the required minimum 22 nations, all the member states of the AU are now legally bound to allow African goods to be traded without restraint throughout the continent.
Suren Surat
Innovation and education will be the building blocks of continued development in Africa’s agribusiness industry. How can you bring about culture change in an industry like farming where family businesses have their way of doing things set for generations now? Often the private sector will find solutions where governments struggle.
Dr Das Mootanah
Like many Mauritians, CEO of Metro Express Dr Das Mootanah moved overseas to pursue a career which has seen him work in the UK and Australia and gain experience in high profile projects. How high profile? They don’t come much bigger than planning for transport at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Dr Mootanah talks to AfricaLive about returning to Mauritius and the importance of international collaboration in delivering infrastructure projects to an initially sceptical public.
