GITEGA April 11th (ABP) – The head of the national office of the French-speaking university Agency in Burundi “AUF”, Prof Fulgence Nahayo visited on Wednesday April 5, 2023, the polytechnic university of Gitega “UPG” and the Higher Paramedical Institute of Gitega “ISPG”, in order to contact the authorities of these universities.
It was also a question of revitalizing the members, of reminding them of their rights and duties, and of promoting the integration into the associative life of non-member establishments, encouraging them to apply for membership, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
Mr. Nahayo indicated that currently the AUF has more than 1200 member universities worldwide. To this end, he indicated that he would like the ISPG to also be a member of the AUF to benefit from the various opportunities offered by this agency to member universities.
He indicated that from the year 2021 until 2025, the French-speaking University Agency is implementing five strategic axes, namely digital transformation and university governance, employability, entrepreneurship, networking and international cooperation, training of trainers and educational innovation, as well as the promotion of research programs and scientific events. The AUF also intends to set up leading clubs for French-speaking students, training of trainers at all levels, the digital library, a project writing team as well as a major project centered on education and culture in the objective of restoring the French image.
The Rector of the Polytechnic University of Gitega, Dr. Silas Sayumwe declared that this institution has gained a lot since signing the partnership with the AUF. For example, Dr. Sayumwe pointed out that thanks to the AUF, the UPG has already made partnerships with other universities in the world and exchanges between students and teachers have been made to ensure better training.
He also indicated that the French-speaking University Agency has already trained the university staff on the new technology and has promised to help them in the search for professors for the second cycle of graduate studies (master).
Dr.Sayumwe took the opportunity to challenge students to join French-speaking clubs to improve the French language in order to participate in competitions with other students from all over the world.
On behalf of the higher paramedical institute of Gitega, the rector of that institute Dr. Célestin Sakubu affirmed that they will continue the steps to join the AUF. He also pointed out that they will soon set up dynamic French-speaking clubs in order to improve the knowledge of their students.
Note that Mr. Fulgence Nahayo is the first Burundian to have held the position of head of the national office of the French-speaking university Agency in Burundi since the creation of this agency 60 years ago.