Walter Wilson Nana
Buea, Cameroon
The professionalisation of the higher education sector in Cameroon via the establishment of permanent partnership between the Universities and Business Enterprises is a preoccupying issue. Recently, the University of Buea, UB hosted The University – Business World Partnership Forum, initiated by the Ministry of Higher Education. At the close of the forum, UB’s Vice Chancellor, Dr. Nalova Lyonga found the forum worthy, timely and relevant for the development of the country. She also looked at other aspects of the partnership in this interview granted iCameroon.com
Dr Nalova Lyonga, UB VC and the representative from the Ministry of Higher Education in a chat after the forum in UB
Excerpts:
What is UB picking out of the University – Business World Partnership Forum?
UB stands to benefit a lot as well as all the universities in Cameroon. What we are talking about is a change of approach. Before now, the teacher of the university used to be as a breed apart; someone who knew so much, without the others knowing. And so university people were too far apart from the community. Now,
A family picture after the forum in University of Buea
there had to be a change. The university cannot continue like this. The university have to be close to the people, the community and that is what we are picking out of this partnership. People now know the university and the university knows the community. We have taken the BMP – Bachelor – Master – PhD system from Europe and made it Cameroonian. Our country is benefiting from that.
What is the way forward after the forum in UB?
We are going to do more professional programmes in the University of Buea and other universities across the country. The community factor is extremely important in the way we tailor our programmes. UB is doing great with the fisheries project. We are now training experts from the field, from various communities to do fishing and integrated farming; poultry, piggery and more. We are not limited to people in the UB community of Molyko, we have people coming from Muyuka and subsequently extend as much as we can. When we have people who are trained to do all these, then our economy will blossom.
Tell us more about your new strategy of selecting students to go for internships in companies and institutions in and out of Cameroon.
What happens is that there is fatigue. When you have too many people following a few goods, they get tired. When you send same people to CDC, SONARA, Les Brasseries Du Cameroun and more, those companies also get tired. It is not everybody who is suited to go into the factory. There must be a deep sense of responsibility in what we do and sending people to the industry. Those are the people who sustain our economy. And so, we must be responsible in the people we choose. We are sending people to go there and innovate, help to correct some of the problems in the industry. We are not just going there that are students should be taken. Students are going there to see the problems already existing in the industries and bring out solutions, the solutions must be a collegial action from the university students, dons and those in the industries.
What has been the feedback from your students?
They are enthusiastic, you saw them and warming up for new challenges. The students need the opportunities and it is also relevant to have new people come on board. When the market is saturated and you do not select, then there is need to do self-selection.
Interviewed by Walter Wilson Nana
