Official reopening of the 2020/2021 academic year

The Vice Chancellor sets the record straight

Dschang/UDs/SIC 22/11/2020.The Vice-Chancellor during official re-opening ceremony of the 2020/2021 academic year during his speech focused  on four key points; standards laid down by the Ministry of Higher Education ; Ensure technological development, Modernize and Professionalize Education, Structure and Valorize research as well as Support and Reinforce  the  MINMIDT

Academics –

Talking on the total number of students this present academic year-, the VC stated that the University counts a total of 30,032 students as against 29,613 last year with an improved level of student supervision; as the lecturer student ratio is 1: 47 students as against 1: 61 students last year thanks to the Head of State who ensured an increase in the recruitment of lecturers in the University.

The Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Science as well as the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences had a distinction with a ratio of 1:17 students and 1:30 students respectively. Noticeable is the fact that there is an increase in the number of foreign students which today stands at 1,396. The number of teaching staff of the University has increased with a total of 643 as against 492 last year, 618 for non-teaching staff as against 627. University of Dschang is present in 06 out of the 10 regions in Cameroon and for the first time has mentorship of an institution in Gabon.

International cooperation is concerned, the University of Dschang relates with about 135 higher institutions in Africa, 06 in Asia, 112 in Europe and 10 in the United States. The Head of the institution mentioned the challenges of this year especially in the face of the pandemic though UDs leads in the fight against the Covid 19… This was a collective struggle of the entire University community particularly the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science through sensitization on the reality of the pandemic and measures that helped in the combat of the disease… he stated.

On modernization and professionalization of Education, the focus was on the percentage of students trained professionally by all the State Universities within the country. The aim of the government was to have 29% of students trained professionally in 2019, 31% in 2020 and 33% in 2021. The results of the 2018 target were 24.7% as against 22% envisaged and 29% as against 25.7% envisaged in the year 2019. In the University of Dschang, the Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Science produced 709 professionals; the Institute of Fine Arts in Foumban had 73 while the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Science had 83 with IUT having  4,009.The University of Dschang had 4,867 professional graduates for 2019 and 5,978 from its annexes. Other Faculties like the Faculty of Law and Political Science had 760, Faculty of Letters and Social Sciences having1167. The Faculty of Economics and Management had 389. For the year 2020, the University of Dschang has produced 197 Ph.D. holders, 636 professional Masters holders, 1,552 research Master’s degree holders and 496 BTS.

Highlighting on was to structure and valorize research, he revealed the irregular use of the libraries by postgraduate students. There was a drop in the number of professional masters this year though the number is maintained at the level of Ph.D, 197. He empahsized that research in the University of Dschang is continuum as many scientific works are being produced such as the 446 articles this year. For the new students this year UDs has 10,379 as compared to 8,000 last year.

Finally, he raised the idea of effective governance like living condition of students, lecturers non-teaching staff welfare. Making reference to the pandemic, he stated that a team mobilized by the University community conducted about 500 tests on COVID-19, 12 lecturers were infected, 04 students and 06 non-teaching staff, all of whom  were later treated .Although he regretted the fact that one visiting lecturer passed away as a result of the pandemic. The Vice Chancellor however, frowned at the behaviour of some lecturers as well as students that abuse the use of the social media. He called on them to be more responsible for a collective dynamism that will enhance growth of the University. On the insurance policy scheme provided by UDs, the boss of the institution stressed that it is a continuous endeavor as it betters the living condition of members of the University community. He called on every one to continue in the fight against COVID 19. He stated that the University of Dschang has so far distributed 37,052 computers in a bid to facilitate studies. Of particular importance, the VC revealed the ongoing projects at UDs like the construction and extension of Campus G, roads, football fields, and incubators just to name few. At the end of it all, everyone was satisfied as the VC called on the University community to work synergy with the spirit of collective dynamism in a bid to ensure a successful academic year. LD