Pan African University awards more than 2,500 scholarships from 2012 to 2021

The Pan African University Council is showing new commitment to beef up the institution's achievements while expanding its strategic prospects.

That much was made clear on Friday 29 July 2022, at the African Union Commission Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during the 7th ordinary session of the Pan African University Council.

And judging by what has been accomplished so far, for example, between 2012 and 2021, the University reached out to almost the entire continent, through the award of more than 2,500 scholarships, and tailored its teaching and research portfolio to key issues contained in African Union's Agenda 2063, the prospects of more success are very real.

And in giving an overview of the Pan African University, the President

of the PAU Council recalled that the Pan African University’s mandate

is double: producing world class human resources through high-quality

postgraduate education and instituting research as a pivotal force to

drive Africa’s growth.

Chaired by the PAU Council President, Prof. Kenneth Matengu, the

Session brought together in a hybrid format – through a physical and

virtual attendance – the almost 30 members of the Council, viz.

Prof. Amany El-Sharif, Vice-President of the PAU Council; Prof.

Mohammed Belhocine, Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology

and Innovation; Dr. Monica Masanza Musenero, Minister of Science,

Technology and Innovation of the Republic of Uganda and Chairperson of

the Specialized Technical Committee in Charge of Education, Science,

Technology and Innovation; high-level officials of Regional Economic

Communities; UNESCO; development partners; Directors of PAU

Institutes; Rectors of host universities; representatives of PAU staff

and students and academia.

Staging too was Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the

African Union Commission. Staff of the Department for Education,

Science, Technology and Innovation and the PAU Rectorate equally took

part in the Session, as they provided a sound assistance in its

organization.

Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union

Commission, officially opened the Session.

She made a strong statement on the importance of the flagship

programme of the African Union, and reaffirmed the Commission’s

commitment to ensure its sustainability. She underscored “the need to

make PAU an international reference and accredited university to the

benefit of the African youth”.

Prof. Mohammed Belhocine, AU Commissioner for Education, Science,

Technology and Innovation, acknowledged the great strides made by the

University in the last decade following its operationalization. He

saluted PAU officials and students for striving to contribute, through

their research works, to designing ground-breaking solutions in key

development areas, to the benefit of the continent.

Topical issues regarding the development and positioning of the Pan

African University across the continent and the world were discussed,

namely : state of the Pan African University; review of PAU budget

execution 2019 – 2021; mid-term report on 2022 execution budget;

presentation of 2021 audit report; implementation plan emanating from

the programme review report; report on key thematic partners

supporting PAU; report on 2023 budget session; presentation of 2022

graduation plan and 2023 academic calendar. Peculiar attention was

equally given to the recruitment of the PAU Rector and Vice-Rector,

whose ongoing process is currently at the short-listing phase.

Moreover, other presentations demonstrated the impressive financial

mobilization of member states in supporting the establishment and full

running of PAU Institutes; and underscored the need to strengthen the

university’s human capital, to achieve its strategic objectives, to

reinforce its financial procedures and to complement the richness and

uniqueness of study programmes to stand the competitiveness across the

world.

And at the end of the Session, Council members commended the

invaluable contributions of member states and key partners in the

development of the Pan African University. They outlined a number of

recommendations to address the pressing issues currently facing the

Pan African University. Globally, they pointed to the need of

improving the staffing structure of the Pan African University,

streamlining its administrative and financial management, furthering

discussions on the review of the PAU Statute, building its

international credence, reinforcing its partnership with academia and

the professional milieus within and above the continent.