Ata Nchomba
Bamemda, Cameroon
The University of Bamenda is in its 2nd year since its launch in 2011. This institution of higher learning is located in the former campus of Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology (CCAST), Bambili.
While CCAST has been relocated to an adjacent campus, the new Univesity of Bamenda and its different colleges include School of Higher Teachers Training College, Higher Technical Teachers Training College, Higher Institute of Commerce and Management (HICM), Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Science and College of Technology. All these faculties are located over 112 hectares of land donated by Bambui and Bambili people of Mezam Division.
University of Bamenda
The university, so far, has 8,065 students and about 150 permanent lectures, and it is headed by a Vice Chancellor (VC) Tafah Edokat — a Professor of Economics.
University of Bamenda is an accredited state university, and it is the last of 8 state universities in Cameroon. These eight universities, according to VC Edokat, supervise the accreditation of private universities in Cameroon.
Professor Tafah Edokat, Vice Chancellor, University of Bamenda
As a full accredited university, students who complete courses are awarded diplomas as follows: Higher Teachers Training and Higher Teachers Technical Training Colleges award diploma for Teachers of Secondary Education 1st Circle and the Diplomas for Teachers of Secondary Education 2nd Circle.
Students who complete courses from the Faculty of Science are awarded Bachelor of Science degrees. Students from HICM are awarded Bachelor of Science in Management, Accounting, Marketing and Insurance respectively.
Professor Tafah Edokat hands over a contract to Dr Takang William to assume duty at the University
Students who have completed studies under the Faculty of Medicine are awarded Bachelor of Science in Medicine, Nursing, Medical Laboratory or in Health Sciences respectively.
Students from the College of Technology will receive Bachelor of Technology in their respective fields of study.
Vice Chancellor Edokat told iCameroon that the university is in the process of establishing post graduate schools that will graduate students in Masters and PhD degrees levels.
University of Bamenda is the youngest of the eighth Cameroon State universities. When iCameroon asked Vice Chancellor Edokat where is he sees the university in the next five to ten years, the VC responded by saying that the university is poised be the leading institution of higher learning because of the high caliber of professors and lecturers they are hiring. One of those lecturers is Dr Takang William who came into the VC’s office to sign a contract to assume duty at the University. Dr Takang will teach at the Faculty of Health Sciences. He is an MD with 22 years experience and a consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist with particular interest in Gynecologic oncology. He is currently the Head of the Gynecologic oncology unit of the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital.
The VC believes that with the human capacity and the availability of land from Mezam and surrounding divisions will enable them to build campuses that will accommodate different faculties, students, lecturers and staff of the university – hence making the University of Bamenda a leading institution of higher learning in years ahead.
