AWAU - Ilorin Declaration

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We, the Universities of West Africa, hereby, state our intentions as follows:

1. to develop a world class university system relevant to the societal needs of the sub-region;

2. to strengthen and develop the leadership of the University Education System in West Africa, so as to make the institutions more responsive to the various development – related challenges confronting the sub- region;

3. to empower the leadership of the University Education System in West Africa to formulate a viable sub- regional Agenda for University Education, which shall contribute to national, sub-regional, continental and global development;

4. to provide an effective forum for the leadership of the West African University Education System to engage in regular brainstorming over development – related issues;

5. to continue to work and relate with other agencies in the continent such as the Association of African Universities (AAU), Southern Africa Regional Universities Association (SARUA), Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), the Middle East and North Africa Association for Institutional Research (MENA-AIR), Conseil Africainet Malgache Pour L’enseignement Superieur (CAMES)-African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education and other similar agencies.

6. to create an effective platform for dialogue, bilateral, and multilateral linkages among the leadership of the West African Education System through the:

• organization of regular meetings to promote bilateral and multilateral linkages among members,

• identification of core niche areas for research endeavours, and development of centres of excellence

• promotion of knowledge acquisition and capacity building of University Education leadership in West Africa, and

• development of a unique identity for the West African University Education system which shall reflect the diversity of the region.

 

Consequently, we hereby, on this 10th day of January, 2011, at the University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria, declare as follows:  that

1. We establish the Association of West Africa Universities (AWAU) as a sub-regional body to coordinate and promote the ideals of University education in West Africa.

2. AWAU shall strengthen and develop the leadership of the University Education System in West Africa, so as to make the institutions more responsive to the various development – related challenges confronting the region.

3. AWAU shall empower the leadership of the University Education System in West Africa to formulate a viable sub-regional Agenda for University Education, which shall contribute to national, regional, continental and global development.

4. AWAU shall provide an effective forum for the leadership of the West African University Education System to engage in regular brainstorming over development – related issues.

5. AWAU shall work in collaboration with the AU, AAU, CAMES, ECOWAS and other related bodies in order to create an effective platform for dialogue, bilateral, and multilateral linkages among the leadership of the West African University Education System through the:

   1. organization of regular meetings to promote bilateral and multilateral linkages among members,

   2. identification of the core niche areas for research endeavours and development of centres of excellence.

   3. promotion of knowledge acquisition and capacity building of University Education leadership in West Africa, and

   4. development of a unique identity for the West African University Education system which shall reflect the diversity of the region.