SENEGAL

Accord with France to help expand higher education
An agreement with France to finance the construction and equipping of two higher institutes of professional education and a university specialising in agriculture is going ahead under a programme to expand higher education in Senegal.The agreement will be signed in the coming weeks between Senegal’s economic and finance ministry and the AFD, the French development agency, reported L’As of Dakar.
The two institutes of professional education will be in Bignona, in the southern region of Ziguinchor, and Richard Toll in the north-west. The cost of the projects is FCFA13 billion (US$22 million).
The institute in Bignona will cater for up to 3,000 students, and that in Richard Toll for 5,000 students, reported PressAfrik of Dakar.
A framework convention was signed on 27 June between the Senegalese higher education and research ministry and the French ministry of agriculture. The ceremony was presided over by Senegal’s Higher Education Minister Mary Teuw Niane and French ambassador Christophe Bigot.
Niane explained: “Within the enlargement programme the decision is to set up two new professional education institutes, as well as a university specialised in agricultural education and professional training,” reported PressAfrik.
“The aim is to develop common activities in institutional, technical and coordination fields to develop the skills and employability of young Senegalese graduates in key sectors of the economic plan, such as agriculture, livestock farming and agribusiness,” said Niane.
He did not specify where the university would be located.
* This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.