Africa: AUC Launches the Pan African University Steering Committee

By Staff Writer

ADDIS ABABA,— The Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, Professor Jean-Pierre Ezin. on 13 October 2012, inaugurated the Pan African University Steering Committee at Addis ababa , Ethiopia.

The Steering Committee is a precursor of the PAU Council and consists of representatives from key stakeholders including PAU host governments, host universities, Regional Economic Communities, Youth and Women’s organisations, the Association of African Universities, Private Sector and Civil Society. The Steering Committee is to oversee the process towards opening the first three PAU Thematic Institutes in November 2012. These are the PAU Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation in Kenya; PAU Institute for Life and Earth Sciences in Nigeria and the PAU Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences in Cameroon.

 In his inaugural speech, Professor Ezin recalled to the members of the steering committee that the Assembly of the AU at its Eighteenth Ordinary Session held from 29 – 30 January 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia requested the African Union Commission to operationalize the Pan African University in collaboration with Member States, Regional Economic Communities and relevant partners, launch calls for Member States to host PAU Centres, the establishment of the PAU Rectorate; the appointment of the PAU Council and Senate, as well as recruitment of staff and registration of students in accordance with the PAU Statutes, to ensure that the first PAU students are admitted by October 2012.

“You represent the stakeholders of PAU and are expected to set the stage and processes for ensuring that all concerned African stakeholders and sectors of society sectors are involved in the implementation of PAU”, he underlined.

The Commissioner explained that the creation of the Pan African University (PAU) was proposed by the African Union Commission (AUC) in 2008 with the prospect of revitalizing higher education and research in Africa, through collective efforts by member states. The PAU thus provides opportunity for all member states to mobilise resources for the support of a number of high quality institutions that will serve the whole continent in areas of study that are essential to Africa’s social, economic and human development.