Ba Isago Launches Marketing And Branding Day
Ba Isago University is a testament to resilient growth and a success story of a 100% Motswana owned higher learning institution. The university marked its first annual Branding and Marketing Day last Friday at the main campus and was joined virtually by two other campuses, held under the theme ‘Marketing Is Everything’.
Ba Isago’s director of admissions, marketing and communications, Gugulethu Ndebele said the university aligns itself with the Vision 2036’s pillar of Human and Social Development having graduated over 15,000 students in the last 19 years.
When speaking on the intention of the event, she said they interface with their clients and external stakeholders through marketing. She said, hence, the event is in a way to showcase their brand, marketing collateral and paraphernalia.
“We are very confident of our brand as I have said because with 15,000 graduates who have been employed and those who have started their own businesses,” Ndebele said. “We believe that we have contributed immensely to the National Imperatives of human capital development.”
As part of the celebrations various paraphernalia was unveiled. These included rebranded T-shirts, revamped website, badges, branded wall along with the marketing videos placed on both Btv and DStv amongst others. Ba Isago will in February next year mark 20 years of existence.
Speaking at the event, managing director, Odirile Gabasiane highlighted that marketing is about everyone involved, in their case every employee of the university and its students. He said the COVID-19 pandemic had barred them from marketing their programmes for the upcoming intake as the HRDC Fair was not held for prospective students.
He gave detailed insight into the growth of the university from when it started back in 2002 with six instructors and about 50 or 60 students to currently having over 250 members of staff and over 3,000 students. The university set out to develop programmes not offered by other local institutions based on the needs of the various industry stakeholders, he said.
Gabasiane highlighted some of the achievements they have had over the course of the university’s existence. Such include changing the mindset of Batswana of expecting good quality products and services to be propelled by the outside.
Moving into the future Gabasiane said they would like to complete the Grand Master plan, which needs P500 million and will entail the completion of the infrastructure at the main campus, allow the Francistown and Maun campuses to move to their own plots instead of renting out premises. He said they will also introduce two Phd programmes in the near future.