AU's 4-yr-old institution gets governing council

fuad lawal

June 26, 2015 1:49 PM

A 28-member governing council has been inaugurated for the four-year-old Pan-African University (PAU) which runs 54 tertiary education institutions across the continent, with campuses in Nairobi, Kenya and Ibadan, Nigeria, and a planned headquarters in Yaunde, Cameroon.

Pan-African University

A 28-member governing council has been inaugurated for the four-year-old Pan-African University (PAU).

The African Union (AU) on Thursday inaugurated the university’s highest governing body at a ceremony at its headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, World Bulletin reports.

AU commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, Martial De Paul Ikounga, PAU President, Tolly S. Mbwette and PAU Vice-President, Paulo de Carvalho, were at the event.

The council members, who were drawn from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including representatives of the AU Commission; AU member states; regional economic blocs; PAU administration, staff and students; host universities; partners; academics; the private sector; the African diaspora; and civil society, will sit for a three-year term.

The university President called the inauguration of the “a historic, revolutionary step".

“[We] pledge to deploy our utmost energy, experience and know-how to execute the functions expected of the PAU council as the university’s highest governing body,” Mbwette said.

Mbwette also told Anadolu Agency that the PAU must work towards raising public awareness.

“We have to work hard to make sure we publicize this project,” he said.

"Without publicizing it, people who may benefit in Africa may not even know about the PAU.”

PAU runs 54 tertiary education institutions across the continent, with campuses in Nairobi, Kenya and Ibadan, Nigeria, and a planned headquarters in Yaunde, Cameroon.

fuad lawal