AUF calls for professionalisation of univ. courses

AUF signed on Tuesday in Yaounde, a convention with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of France to help the countries lacking in this area.

The university Agency of francophonie (AUF) and the French ministry of the Foreign Affairs and the international Development (MAEDI) represented by the embassy of France signed a partnership Tuesday in Yaounde.

Henceforth, the two parts will coordinate their actions for the modernisation of the educational systems in universities of central Africa and the great lakes.

This modernization integrates the professionalisation of courses, in order to meet the needs for the labour market, because "the higher education in Africa has a dominating role to play in research for development especially when one considers the competitiveness of the world economy", underlined Christine Robichon, the ambassador of France in Cameroon who signed for the MAEDI.

It is in these universities that executives are formed which later become the actors in the construction of their respective countries. It thus becomes imperative to do best to form these executives ready with employment able to impel development.

Bernard Cerquiglini, vice-chancellor of AUF who made displacement for this purpose explained that, the partnership with the MAEDI will be pressed on four pillars to help the African universities members of their network: formation, research, the radiation and the university gouvernance.

Before the signature of convention, Jacques Fame Ndongo, Minister of Higher education (who took part in the signing ceremony) had a private conversation with Bernard Cerquiglini in his cabinet.

This last came with a plea: the creation of a network of women university heads of institutions with the AUF and the standardisation of the universities.

In the same way, the multiplication of the masters and doctorates professional took part in the professionalisation of the higher education. The signing ceremony of the partnership agreement took place at the head office at AUF in Yaounde.

Several representatives of university, public and private institutions took part. AUF gathered approximately 800 university establishments throughout the world.