Cape Verde/2nd edition of the Regional Conference of Rectors of AUF member institutions - West Africa

From July 3 to 4, the University of Cabo Verde hosted the 2nd edition of the Regional Conference of Rectors of member institutions of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) in West Africa. The event brought together over 100 presidents, rectors and directors of institutions from 12 countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.

Opening speeches were given by Prof. José Arlindo Barreto, Rector of the Universidade de Cabo Verde, Prof. Jean-François Kobiané, President of the Université Joseph KI-ZERBO and of the Conférence Recteurs, and Prof. Slim KHALBOUS, Rector of the AUF. Jean-François Kobiané, President of the Université Joseph KI-ZERBO and of the Conférence des Recteurs, and Prof. Slim KHALBOUS, Rector of the AUF. HEM Olavo Avelino Garcia Correia, Deputy Prime Minister of Cabo Verde, officially launched the conference with a stirring speech on Africa's potential and the role of universities as engines of development.

The event was also an opportunity to present the long-standing work of C2R bodies (board, commissions, think tanks, etc.) on several major themes for our region:

• Programme International de Mobilité et d'Employabilité Francophone (PIMEF):

Following a presentation of the PIMEF program by AUF Rector Prof. Slim KHALBOUS, a careful reading was given by Prof. Jean François KOBIANE, President of AUF. Prof. Jean François KOBIANE, President of C2R and President of Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, following the work of the C2R think tank dedicated to the issue of student mobility.

• Employability and entrepreneurship

Prof. Fadel NIANG presented the commission's recommendations, including greater deployment of franchised Employability Centers (CEF+) and specific support for university incubators. Following this, Dr. Driss SAYAH, advisor to the AUF Rector, gave an overview of the AUF's various initiatives in the field of Employability and Entrepreneurship.

• Research and Innovation

Prof. Adama KPODAR, President of the University of Lomé, reported on the work of the Research and Innovation Commission. He reviewed the current state of research and innovation in West Africa, and put forward concrete recommendations to enhance the value of research and turn it into a lever for economic and social development. Mr. Alioune FAYE, Deputy Regional Director for Projects, AUF West Africa, showed that networking, setting up technology transfer offices and pooling equipment were key to success, as demonstrated by the experience of the VaRRIWA project.

• Pedagogical Innovation and Digital Transition

Prof. Tiemoman KONE Tiemoman KONE, President of the Université Virtuelle de Côte d'Ivoire, presented the challenges and opportunities of digital integration in higher education.He pointed out that the RéFUV network (Réseau Francophone des Universités Virtuelles) is a leading source of expertise in West Africa for promoting pedagogical innovations in the digital domain. Prof. Lassaâd Mezghani, Director of IFIC (an AUF institute dedicated to distance learning), spoke of the key role played by universities in Africa.the key role of West African universities, which lead the AUF regions in terms of both training provision and student enrolment.

Alongside these sessions, a special sequence was dedicated, in the emblematic country of Cape Verde, to the Contribution of Diasporas to the Promotion of Science and the Development of Universities by Prof. Dana MOHLER-FARIA. Dana MOHLER-FARIA, eminent American-Cape Verdean personality and President Emeritus of Bridgewater State University (USA).

The closing ceremony, presided over by HEM Olavo Avelino Garcia CORREIA, underlined the importance of the work carried out. He expressed his gratitude to the organizers and called for enhanced collaboration in the fields of research, entrepreneurship and digital transition to promote the future of African youth.

This conference follows on from the 1st edition held in July 2023 in Dakar, Senegal. This year, the conference was held in Praia, in the Portuguese-speaking country of Cape Verde, and goes beyond the question of language diversity to embrace the principle of pan-African unity, resolutely affirmed and united.

Source: www.auf.org/