This morning, Tuesday, in Nouakchott, the project to establish the University Pedagogy Center was launched.
This center will serve teachers and students to achieve a sustainable transformation in higher education, within the framework of the national strategy for higher education up to 2030.
Funded by French cooperation and the University of Caen Normandie with an amount of 524,000 euros over two years, the center will address gaps resulting from dropout in the first year due to insufficient supervision, methodological and linguistic difficulties, as well as the lack of initial and continuous training in university pedagogy for teachers in general.
In his speech on the occasion, His Excellency the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Yaqoub Ould Amin, emphasized the importance of this project and its role in improving the higher education system and raising its level through the trainings and programs that the project will implement for the benefit of both teachers and students.
He stated that the official launch of the project to establish the University Pedagogy Center represents a pioneering initiative reflecting the firm commitment to modernizing national higher education, strengthening its quality and effectiveness, in implementation of the ambitions of His Excellency the President of the Republic, Mr. Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, for the sector, and his determination to position it as an essential driver of national development.
He added that the center also reflects the strength of the relations binding the Islamic Republic of Mauritania to France, particularly in the fields of higher education and scientific research, serving as a showcase for joint cooperation by targeting activities with direct impact on the effectiveness of the teaching system and the quality of outcomes.
His Excellency the Minister explained that this project falls within the implementation of the program of His Excellency the President of the Republic “Taamoudi lil Watan” (My Ambition for the Nation), which has made higher education one of the main national priorities. It also embodies the sector’s ambition to build a modern educational system based on improving the quality of training, strengthening capacities, and pedagogical innovation.
The minister highlighted the major challenges facing the higher education sector in Mauritania, most notably the steady increase in student numbers and the need to diversify their academic pathways, driven by the rapid evolution of labor market requirements and the imperatives of keeping pace with accelerating scientific and technological progress. In recent years, this has required strengthening the capacities of higher education institutions, diversifying training offerings, and expanding teacher recruitments to ensure the quality of training and its alignment with national economic needs.
His Excellency the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research expressed his thanks and gratitude to the French Republic for its ongoing support to his sector, whether through the funding of this project or through backing other strategic initiatives, reflecting the excellence of cooperation relations between the two countries in higher education and scientific research. He also thanked the University of Caen Normandie, which will contribute its expertise and technical support to ensure the development and sustainability of the University Pedagogy Center, thereby achieving international academic standards in teaching and learning quality.
Earlier, the Director of Planning, Strategies, and Evaluation, Mr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Mouloud, delivered a speech in which he noted that the patronage of this event by the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, along with the distinguished official presence, demonstrates the attention given by His Excellency the President of the Republic to developing the higher education and scientific research sector, enhancing its effectiveness and the quality of its outputs, so that it can fulfill its role as a key driver of national development and elevate our higher education system to keep pace with the era’s advancements.
On behalf of the technical committee that worked on preparing the project, he thanked the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research for accompanying the team at every stage of work and preparation, which was a decisive factor in turning this ambitious initiative into tangible reality. He also expressed sincere thanks and appreciation to French cooperation, represented by His Excellency the French Ambassador, for the technical and financial support to the project, and to the partners at the University of Caen Normandie, who contributed their valuable expertise and steadfast commitment throughout all phases of this process to the preparation and establishment of the University Pedagogy Center.
For his part, the French Ambassador accredited to Mauritania, His Excellency Mr. Alexandre Garcia, expressed his joy and satisfaction at attending the official launch of this project, which adds another building block to the edifice of existing cooperation between France and Mauritania, especially in higher education and scientific research.
He stated that this promising project demonstrates the growing strength of cooperation relations between the higher education and scientific research sector and the French Embassy in Mauritania.
His Excellency the Ambassador pointed out that the national strategy for higher education adopted by the ministry has highlighted many realities, such as supervision that still needs improvement, the difficulties students face in adapting to academic requirements, insufficient success rates, and dropout rates recorded by higher education institutions.
On his side, the Vice-President of the University of Caen Normandie, Mr. Éric Leroy Cordonnier, commended this ceremony, which marks the actual start of the project to establish the University Pedagogy Center, offering numerous expertises in higher education to teachers and students to assist them in their noble missions.
He said that this project is the fruit of the partnership between his university and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in the field of university pedagogy.
The ceremony took place in the presence of the Secretary General of the Ministry, Mr. Anouy Cheikh Obeidi, and officials from higher education institutions in Mauritania.
