The UNESCO Chair on Sustainable Manufacturing & Innovation Technologies (UCoSMIT) team led by Associate Professor E. O. Olakanmi has hosted ten (10) young and talented African scholars through the Education for Laser-based Manufacturing (ELbM) initiative and BIUST Teaching Assistantship for the 2023/24 academic session. These scholars were awarded after undergoing rigorous competitive selective processes managed by leading academics and industrialists from across Africa including Botswana. This cohort comprises one (1) PhD scholar from Botswana and nine full-Masters degree seeking scholars from Uganda, Malawi, Nigeria, and Ethiopia. These scholars will be mentored by seasoned BIUST academics including Dr. R. Prasad, Dr. K. Setswalo, Dr. T. P. Leso, Dr. B. Matshediso and Associate Professor E. O. Olakanmi who had actively supported UCoSMIT fund raising initiative. The UCoSMIT team welcomes our scholars and wishes everyone success in their academic sojourn at BIUST.