Month: June 2024

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AACSB Sets Direction for Business Schools to Lead in AI

AACSB uses new report and global events to set strategic direction for business schools to advance education and lead boldly in AI.

TAMPA, Fla., June 28, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AACSB International (AACSB) is leading the way for business schools to utilize and innovate with AI. With a recently released report that explores how business schools can better understand and embrace the capabilities of generative AI (GenAI), in addition to its first AI conference in the U.S., AACSB is excited to announce renowned AI thought leader Ethan Mollick as a keynote speaker at its Deans Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada in February 2025.

Ethan Mollick is an Associate Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, where he studies and teaches innovation and entrepreneurship, and examines the effects of artificial intelligence on work and education. He also leads Wharton Interactive, an effort to democratize education using games, simulations, and AI. Prior to his time in academia, Ethan co-founded a startup company, and currently advises a number of startups and organizations.

This news comes shortly after AACSB hosted its first AI Conference in Santa Clara, California. This conference focused on the intersection of AI in business education and applied business, the importance of the capabilities of AI, and how AI improves efficiencies without replacing the soft skills; an important focus of business education. AACSB also plans to host a similar AI conference in Paris on October 9 and 10.

This work builds off of AACSB’s recently released report Building Future-Ready Business Schools With Generative AI, which takes an in-depth look at potential threats and opportunities for business education, outlining ways that schools can efficiently use GenAI in their curriculum and learner experiences, while achieving institutional goals.

The impacts of AI are just beginning to unfold in education, business, and society, and these efforts serve as a catalyst to further explore, discuss, and study the dynamics of this evolving digital technology.

About AACSB International

Established in 1916, AACSB International (AACSB) is the world’s largest business education alliance, connecting educators, learners, and business to create the next generation of great leaders. With members in over 100 countries and territories, AACSB fosters engagement, accelerates innovation, and amplifies impact in business education. Learn how AACSB and business schools from around the world are leading boldly in business education at aacsb.edu.

For More Information Contact:
Leah McBride
1+813.367.5238
[email protected]

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9170636

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Nangombe urges caution amid Mpox outbreak in SA


WINDHOEK: Ministry of Health and Social Services Executive Director, Ben Nangombe has advised members of the public to exercise caution after cases of monkeypox (Mpox) were reported in South Africa.

Nangombe in an interview with Nampa indicated that although there is no cause for alarm as no Mpox cases have been reported in Namibia, it is cause for concern not only for Namibia, but globally, whenever there is a confirmed outbreak of a disease.

‘The Mpox outbreak in a neighbouring country is a concern because the disease can spread due to international travel. Today it’s in South Africa but the following day it can be across the Atlantic or the pacific, so it is a situation that should be of concern to everyone,’ Nangombe said.

He further indicated that the ministry is closely monitoring the situation in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations in terms of how countries should position themselves in the event of disease outbreak.

‘Given the outbreaks in our neighbourhood, our healthcare wo
rkers are advised to act with a high index of suspicion,’ Nangombe remarked.

He further said the ministry has surveillance systems in place to monitor outbreaks, saying the epidemiology division is primed to monitor and assess potential outbreaks.

‘We do have mechanisms in place that help us to monitor a situation and to be able to respond appropriately in terms of taking the necessary actions. We also have ports of entry officials at our border posts who also monitor the movements of people coming into the country by air, land borders or by sea,’ he stated.

South Africa has reported 16 cases of Mpox since May this year. Two of the cases were confirmed in Gauteng and three in KwaZulu-Natal.

On 26 June, South Africa’s National Department of Health confirmed that the death toll in the ongoing outbreak has risen to three.

Nangombe called on members of the public to continue exercising caution by practicing hand hygiene, wearing masks, practicing cough etiquette and avoiding crowded places.

‘These are lesso
ns we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic,’ the executive director said.

Mpox common symptoms include a skin rash, fever, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

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MTC to host inaugural Tech Hub Conference


ONGWEDIVA: Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC) has announced that it will host the inaugural MTC Tech Hub Conference during the Annual Ongwediva Annual Trade Fair in August.

MTC’s Corporate Affairs Manager, John Ekongo made the announcement during a press conference held at Ongwediva on Friday.

The inaugural conference will take place on 28 August 2024, at the OATF, which will be held from 23 to 28 August.

According to Ekongo, the conference aim to showcase cutting-edge technologies with a specific focus on enhancing digital inclusivity in the country.

Ekongo indicated that the conference will be held as a pilot project and is expected to host about 100 people from enterprises, the agriculture sector, the directorate of education and the general public.

‘Our goal is to demonstrate how technological advancements contribute to digital inclusivity,’ he said.

He added that they will also provide free wireless internet for users during the trade fair.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

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MEFT will never award concessions that disadvantage tour operators: Shifeta


WINDHOEK: The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) will never award concessions that have detrimental effects on Namibian tour operators.

The ministry’s goal is to improve service delivery and make Namibia one of the best and most inexpensive tourist destinations.

This was stated by Minister Pohamba Shifeta in answer to queries posed on Thursday by Member of Parliament Utaara Mootu on the issue of tourism concessions in protected regions.

According to Mootu, concessions are intended to assist the grassroots economy, but they can also benefit individuals through tender bids.

She asked the minister which is more impactful: concessions offered as a tender or to communities.

For this reason, the minister stated that MEFT awards concessions directly to communities living within or next to protected areas, bypassing the competition procedure.

‘In all our protected areas, namely Etosha, Namib Naukluft, Skeleton Coast, Dorob and Bwabwata national parks, there are concessions awarded directly to
communities,’ he said.

Shifeta stated that all concessions must go through a tender process in order to become operational, which involves either finding an investor for a specific neighbourhood, or appointing an operator.

The impact is equal since all concessions produce jobs in local communities, and there are additional social duties that come with being a concession holder, he explained.

‘In all recent concessions given, communities receive 75 per cent of the concession fees while the government receives 25 per cent, therefore the benefits are equal whether the concession is awarded to a local community or a commercial enterprise,’ the minister said.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

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Govt enlists private trucks to expedite drought relief distribution


RUNDU: The government has enlisted the services of private trucks in all 14 regions of the country to expedite the distribution of drought relief items.

Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila stated this in the National Assembly recently in response to Popular Democratic Movement member Diederik Vries, who asked what urgent interventions government has implemented since the announcement of the state of emergency on drought last month.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said through the Namibia Vulnerable Assessment Committee, it amongst others identified the shortage of transport as one of the factors hampering the distribution of drought relief food items.

‘Other needs identified include insufficient warehouses to store food items in, as well as a lack of sufficient manpower,’ she said.

The prime minister said several shortcomings in the drought relief programme are being addressed.

‘Government is hard at work to acquire private warehouses in the regions to augment the shortage, and also recruiting additional pers
onnel to assist the regional disaster field coordinators with more beneficiaries,’ Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said.

She further said food assistance to vulnerable households has been extended to 25 June 2025.

Seeds and horticulture provision, as well as livestock support programmes, have also been extended until 31 March 2025.

Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the nationwide drought relief programme is estimated to cost government N.dollars 1.3 billion and the government, through the treasury, has allocated N.dollars 825 million to the programme.

‘There is a funding gap of more than N.dollars 400 million for which government has appealed for assistance upon the declaration of the state of emergency,’ she stated.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency

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Onakankuzi residents demand water from regional council


ONAKANKUZI: Residents of Onakankuzi village in the Omuthiya Constituency of the Oshikoto Region have expressed concern about water difficulties in their village.

A total of 97 residents from 94 households attended a village meeting on Thursday where they discussed challenges they face with various directorates of the Oshikoto Regional Council.

The village’s headman, Leevi Nangolo explained that they have a critical challenge of water and urged NamWater to extend their pipelines to their village because people currently depend on traditional wells.

Nangolo said residents from his community depend on salty and smelly water from traditional wells and thus called on the regional council to construct an earth dam for their animals.

‘People are also using drugs, fighting and committing crimes such as stock theft,’ added Nangolo.

He said they lack recreational facilities, sanitation and electricity.

The directorate of water supply and sanitation representative at the meeting, Asser Iimbondi urged the community
to follow the procedures put in place to acquire a pipeline.

‘You should write a letter specifying how many households and animals will depend on this water and the distance it will cover in kilometres to the regional council and the directorate of rural water supply,’ said Iimbondi.

He added that people should stop complaining that they do not have water in their houses and act so they can acquire water.

‘We need to step up, people should come and remind us at our offices that they need water,’ said Iimbondi.

Iimbondi further said people have a tendency to take things for granted once they do get water and in such cases stop paying their water bills.

‘If you do not pay your water bills then we will cut your water,’ he said.

Iimbondi further said that if the community wants water tankers they should organise themselves and go to NamWater and pay to get water.

Oshikoto Regional Council chairperson, Samuel Shivute was accompanied by various directorates from the regional council such as the directorate o
f gender equality, poverty eradication and social welfare, directorate of water supply, sanitation and coordination and the Ministry of Home Affairs and Social Services.

Shivute encouraged the residents of Onakankuzi to refrain from criminal activities.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency