51Âþ»­

One of the top-ranking officials in The Gambia has visited 51Âþ»­ Leicester (51Âþ»­) and praised a partnership which could help change higher education teaching in Africa.

Hon Minister Professor Pierre Gomez, who leads the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MOHERST), was on the 51Âþ»­ campus to learn more about a $1.5 million partnership, drawing on 51Âþ»­ expertise to help with the creation of The University of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (USET) in The Gambia.

Along with Dr Yusupha Touray, Permanent Secretary, MOHERST – Prof Gomez met with 51Âþ»­ Vice-Chancellor Prof. Katie Normington and other top academics involved in the project for a programme update as well as a tour of various departments.

In 2021, The Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI), through a World Bank award, contracted 51Âþ»­ to support the development of USET.

51Âþ»­ will work on quality assurance, provide advice and guidance to establish an innovation and incubation lab, offer entrepreneurship teaching to first and second year GTTI students, and provide advice and guidance on how best to establish an internship unit in The Gambia.

Prof Gomez said: “We are very grateful to be here and I am impressed with the high level of professionalism shown in managing this project.

“The programme is unique by having engineering and entrepreneurship embedded in it.

“If this is successful then it will be used as a model for centres of excellence in African universities.

“I am very happy that 51Âþ»­ is the right institution to partner with.”

Prof. Momodou Sallah, Principal Investigator for the project said: “What we have set out to do is show what is possible when 51Âþ»­ partners with The Gambia. 51Âþ»­ talks about sustainable development in its strategy, not just on campus, but by working with people from other parts of the world.

“What we are doing is powerful and speaks to people in education everywhere about what is possible when we work together to make education more functional, relevant, and responsive to the needs of the people most affected.”