African experts in Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences as well as staff of the Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology (HRST) and the Pan African University (PAU) have concluded a four-day curriculum validation workshop at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The workshop was the culmination of efforts to review existing curricula and develop new ones for the PAU Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS) in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The exercise covered Masters and PhD programs in Governance and Regional Integration, Translation and Interpreting as well as Gender and Human Rights, and History of Africa, both mandatory courses for all PAU students. The curriculum exercise was underpinned by the need to align PAU curricular with the highest standards of global practice and ensure congruence between learning outcomes of Masters and successive PhD courses. It was also inspired by the drive to infuse PAU curricula with the African perspective and embed the University’s programs with relevant courses that reflect the continent’s objective realities.

Speaking at the opening of the workshop, the Acting Director of Human Resources, Science and Technology, Dr. Mahama Ouedraogo, described the curriculum exercise as a process fundamental to revitalizing programs of the Pan African University, which has the crucial mandate to provide essential training to the new generation of African leaders in areas critical to the continent’s future development. Dr. Mahama said Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences are core concerns of Agenda 2063, and that the range of programs offered at PAU is a reflection of the intent to position the University as a driver of educational innovation and a contributor to the realization of Africa’s development aspirations.

The President of the PAU Council, Professor Tolly S. Mbwette, said the workshop is important for fostering the vision and actualizing the mandate of the Pan African University to nurture quality and exemplify excellence in African higher education. He posited that the workshop has come at a time when the University is undergoing a transformative process, to implement its policy, governance and institutional architecture.

PAU programs are designed to be an expression of African renaissance and contribute to strengthening Africa’s position not only as a consumer, but also as a generator of global knowledge and culture. The academic programs will enable African students to develop research opportunities and skills, obtain postgraduate degrees, and participate in robust thematic research, addressing the AU ideals of good governance, peace, security and development, as well as strengthening the inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary research capacity of the next generation of African scholars.