Chapter 17 - Of the University

The University and the Cameroonian Context

The university is an institution of higher education; it plays a vital role in the development of human capital, research, and progress across all fields. The problems faced by Cameroonian universities—problems that require political solutions—are tied to difficulties in fulfilling their missions and to poor governance.

Theme 1 – The Missions of the University

In Cameroon, the university has several key missions, the most important of which are research and teaching.

Sub-theme 1 – University Research

University research encompasses all actions undertaken to produce and advance scientific knowledge. However, university research in Cameroon is faced with challenges that must be addressed.

Problems

No one can deny that Cameroonian academics conduct scientific research. They publish in prestigious international journals and are known and recognized globally for their research work. Yet, this research is often conducted without the involvement of the Cameroonian university system they are supposed to serve. These teacher-researchers frequently collaborate with foreign university laboratories and participate in research programs designed abroad—programs that do not address Cameroon's specific research needs.

As a result, neither Cameroonian universities nor the country itself benefits significantly from this research. This situation is largely due to the lack of a conducive working environment for researchers within Cameroonian universities. Research programs are virtually nonexistent; university leaders are more focused on administrative management than on academic advancement.

Solutions

The diagnosis of research-related issues naturally leads to solutions. Cameroonian universities must develop internal research programs focused on national issues. Research should take place in well-constructed and properly equipped laboratories, supported by libraries regularly updated with new books and scientific journals.

Research efforts should target Cameroon’s real-world problems to find solutions that promote development and improve citizens’ quality of life. Therefore, research should not be limited to basic or theoretical knowledge—it must be aimed at practical, useful outcomes.

Cameroonian universities must break out of their academic isolation. They should demonstrate their usefulness to society by reaching out to public and private enterprises to present new products and services developed through research. Universities must also engage with social actors to share insights on systemic issues and suggest improvements for the benefit of the population. In this way, universities will become centers of expertise on national issues.

Research collaborations with foreign universities should also be encouraged. Cameroonian teacher-researchers should travel the world seeking new knowledge to bring back home. Mobility programs for researchers must be funded by the public sector.

University research should not rely solely on public funding. Institutions should work toward financial independence by conducting commissioned research for private organizations and companies. These private entities would then fund the research themselves. Agreements can be established to manage the use and benefits of the research outcomes.

Sub-theme 2 – University Teaching

Teaching is one of the university's fundamental missions. It aims to transmit knowledge and skills—both theoretical and practical—to students or any other audience.

University teachers are expected to teach not only what they learned as students but also the knowledge they continue to acquire through their own research. Unfortunately, university teaching in Cameroon also faces numerous challenges.

Problems

The issues already diagnosed in research equally affect teaching. How can students receive proper scientific training in universities that lack laboratories? Teaching is largely theoretical. Professors dictate chemical or mathematical formulas to students, who memorize them merely to pass exams—often without understanding their real-world applications.

Lessons are taken from outdated personal collections or from university libraries that resemble museums of obsolete books. Due to lack of funding, universities cannot subscribe to recent scientific journals. Internet access is virtually nonexistent on campus.

Some teachers share the results of their individual research, but such work is usually disconnected from Cameroon’s realities. This is because there are no university-driven research programs that could inform teaching content and make it relevant to national concerns.

As a result, students graduate from university as uninformed about Cameroon’s issues as they were when they entered—if not more disoriented. This explains why university graduates often struggle to solve their own problems, let alone contribute to resolving societal issues.

Solutions

To improve the quality of teaching, universities must establish research programs tailored to national needs. The State should invest in well-equipped laboratories and libraries.

Universities should also establish their own publishing houses to produce textbooks written by Cameroonian professors, tailored to the local context, and used to train students effectively.

Theme 2 – University Governance

University governance refers to the framework through which an institution pursues its mission, goals, and policies in an orderly and coherent manner. Many problems faced by Cameroonian universities are due to poor governance, which requires urgent solutions.

Problem

Universities in Cameroon are public institutions plagued by the same management issues that affect most public entities: nepotism, favoritism, corruption, embezzlement of funds, and other forms of mismanagement.

University rectors—appointed as heads of institutions—focus primarily on administrative matters, neglecting academic activities. Often, they prioritize their personal comfort over the university’s actual needs. It’s not uncommon to see rectors becoming billionaires (in CFA francs) shortly after their appointment.

Administrative roles, which offer better pay and perks, are far more attractive than academic ones. As a result, teacher-researchers compete for administrative posts in hopes of achieving the comfort that teaching and research alone cannot provide.

A university lecturer without an administrative title may have no office, no chair, no desk. Between lectures, they wander the campus. When it’s hot, they seek shade under trees—where they might even meet with students they’re supervising.

This situation explains why even full professors aspire to low-level administrative roles like office manager, just to gain access to better working conditions.

Moreover, political influence worsens university governance. Administrative positions are awarded not based on merit but on political loyalty. Those who praise the President are rewarded. Those who criticize the regime—even through academic work—are ostracized. Young, inexperienced lecturers may be appointed heads of departments or faculties, becoming the administrative superiors of the most senior professors.

In recruitment, the best-qualified candidates are often rejected due to their political views. Instead, individuals who lack the required qualifications are hired simply because they pledge loyalty to the ruling regime.

Today, because of poor governance, Cameroonian universities are in a state of decline. The best researchers are leaving for better opportunities abroad or in other sectors within the country. Those who remain are more focused on climbing the administrative ladder than on advancing research or teaching. Academic promotions are often sought only to increase chances of getting appointed to high-level administrative positions.

Solutions

To restore effective governance, universities must refocus solely on their core missions: research and teaching. The rector’s role should be exclusively academic. Universities should no longer be responsible for student housing or catering—those duties should be transferred to local government bodies.

If the State still wishes to assist with these matters, it should create separate institutions, independent of universities, to manage student welfare services.

A functional university requires a support administration to facilitate its academic mission. University administration should be handled by professional university administrators responsible for logistics, financial management, and property. These administrators would also oversee non-academic staff.

University administrators should be appointed based on proposals from the rector—who should be elected by fellow academics—and must be selected through transparent and merit-based processes, free of political interference.