University of B’da Partners with private universities

By Njodzefe Nestor in Bamenda 

The University of Bamenda popularly known as the University of the Future has, signed two Memoranda of Understanding, MOUs and two Specific Partnership Agreements, SPAs with some higher education institutions in Cameroon.
     The MOUs were signed with the Protestant University of Central Africa, PUCA, Yaounde and the Institut Universitaire Siantou, IUS, Yaounde. The SPAs were signed with the Catholic University of Central Africa, CATUC and the Higher Institute of Management Studies, HIMS, Buea.
    The signing ceremony October 1st at its main campus in Bambili took place in the Auditoruim of the University of Bamenda in the presence of the Representative of the Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Jean Marie Essono, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Bamenda, the Deputy Vice Chancellors, the Registrar, the Directors of the different Schools, other Directors of the Central Administration and Proprietors and Promoters of Partner Institutions of Higher Learning.

    Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Bamenda, Prof. Tafah Edokat O. Edward, thanked the Minister of Higher Education ‘who has not only been endorsing their MoUs and SPAs as soon as they arrive on his desk, but, has decided to be represented at every signing ceremony’.
     He said that his representative at the ceremony was testimony of his unalloyed support to ensure that UBa’s partnership agreements are done in keeping with the principles and texts in force.
    The Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, UBa signed with the Protestant University of Central Africa, PUCA and Institut Universitaire Siantou, forms just the intention to collaborate.         The MoU is nothing more than a declaration of intentions to cooperate and such cooperation only becomes concrete with the signing of a Specific Partnership Agreement which is the translation of such intentions.
    He reminded the partners that the purpose of their partnership is the quest of academic excellence for mutual benefits and fruitful academic and professional initiatives in teaching, research, outreach services and good university governance.
    ‘To succeed in our pursuit, collective action, institutional collaboration and exchanges amongst partners have to be prioritized. It is in keeping with these objectives that the first UBa partners unanimously constituted themselves into a UBa Partnership Forum (UBPF) on October 23, 2012’. He added.