As the 2014/2015 academic year kicks off nationwide, the educational arena is being fortified to meet up with the expectations of academic excellence projected for the year. In its bid in propelling a rejuvenated spirit of education, the University of Dschang, Faculty of law has introduced a professional master's programme titled local governance, decentralization and development, to the array of existing programmes in the Faculty. This programme will go a long way to build the capacity of existing and new administrators in the public and private sector; suffering from different kinds of problems in governance and development. It is against this backdrop that the University of Dschang under the auspices of the coordinator Prof. Andre TCHOUPIE of the Faculty of Law structured such a programme.
“It is imperative to have such a discipline because the idea of decentralization and local governance depends entirely on the grassroots”, Prof TCHOUPIE added.
The objective of such a professional programme in the faculty of Law in the University of Dschang is to build a suitable environment for students of diverse disciplines (public law, private law, sciences, letters, and management etc.) to obtain professional knowledge which would guide them in their various careers.
It is also aimed at solving the growing demand for personnel capable of piloting and evaluating projects of development at the public and private administrative level, decentralization of local communities among others. This master's programme issupported by partners such as Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF)
Centre international d'Etude pour le Développement local (CIEDL), Université Catholique de Lyon.
Commission National Anti Corruption (CONAC), Election Cameroon (ELECAM), GIZ (Angence Allemande de la cooperation international), and IRAD among others to help it train better candidates with adequate professional skills.
The programme is meant for the local inhabitants, administrative authorities, personnel of the public para- public and the private sector. Members and personnel of developmental organs, NGO's and students desiring professional training.
Admission in to this programme is based on the study of documents deposited. Eligibility for application into the programme at master 1 includes candidates with a first degree in any option judged equivalent. Candidates with professional knowledge have an added advantage. For admission into master II, candidates with a Master I in local Governance, Decentralization and Development. Master I or maitrise in social Sciences, Agronomy, Management will be admitted. It is obvious that such giant stride would definitely add to the wealth of knowledge in the country and promote development at the grassroots level nationwide.