Challenges and opportunities in integrating artificial intelligence education at the university of Botswana: addressing infrastructure and educational priorities for a knowledge-based society.

Abstract

Botswana, ranked 64th in economic performance and productivity according to the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2024, sincince joing it has has made significant improvement in enhancing its skilled workforce and educational systems .Despite increasing awareness, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education remains limited. AI, which automates tasks, holds significant potential for preparing engineers in a knowledge-based society. This study examines why the University of Botswana has not established robust AI programs and explores factors contributing to the absence of a dedicated AI degree. Key challenges investigated include inadequate infrastructure for fast connectivity, though efforts are underway with a fiber optic project from Namibia aimed at improving internet speeds. Significant investment is needed to modernize network capabilities and enhance economic competitiveness. While the Faculty of Computer Science offers related courses such as data structures, algorithms, and data mining, they focus more on theoretical and practical computing applications than standalone AI disciplines. Similarly, AI concepts in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering are integrated within broader engineering disciplines. Addressing these challenges requires understanding educational priorities and resource allocations necessary to develop comprehensive AI programs aligned with industry demands. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, and found that , the current AI-related courses are misaligned with industry demands and technological advancements, largely due to outdated content, insufficient faculty expertise, and inadequate infrastructure with Stakeholders expressing a strong need for the curriculum to evolve in order to better prepare students for the dynamic field of artificial intelligence and to keep up with technogical changes.