The International University of Bamenda, IUB, Belo campus in Boyo division on Feb 2. matriculated its pioneer batch of students for the 2014/2015 academic year.

The matriculation ceremony took place in the presence of founder and President of the advisory council of the university, Professor Patrick Fusi Chefu.

Fusi said the creation of the university in 1990 when the law on private education had not gone into effect in Cameroon, was motivated by the ambition to make his own contribution to the development of Cameroon through education after returning from the USA where he had served in the private sector the 16 years.

He reminded the 42 freshmen at the Belo campus of the need to shine the light, be exemplary and to shun attitudes that do not portray them as university students.

IUB according Fusi, is fulfilling its mission of an international university.

“We have five operations in Cameroon in the towns of Bamenda, Kumbo, Ndop, Tombel and of recent Belo. Four operations in Nigeria where we are thinking of moving our headquarter because the people have embraced us so much. We also have one operation each in Benin and Gambia. Our university has affiliations in China and USA and we are planning to extend our roots to many more African Countries.” Fusi said.

Presenting an academic discourse on the theme “University education and development,” Professor Chia Emmanuel of the Protestant University Bali, said, intellectual growth, research promotion and environmental transformation especially through poverty alleviation are the three key things university education seeks to achieve.

“I want to think that if you don’t put this in mind and spend time in the bars, then the presence of a university like this one in your community is of no use” he told the students.

Presenting the Belo campus of IUB which went operational in October 2014 at the premises of the Council, its coordinator Tanko George said the quest for more knowledge especially by the increasing number of High School students brought the university closer to them. He disclosed that the university has already acquired land for its permanent site at Kitchu where architects have already designed a campus of international standards with all the facilities to make learning conducive.

The university has created an entrepreneurship department where teaming youths shall be trained on vocational skills and how to set up business of their own and be self-employed to reduce the burden on the Cameroon government.

Machang Nicholas, second assistant SDO for Boyo said the creation and functioning of IUB with a campus in Boyo is proof of the government private sector partnership to promote education. He told the students to be humble and committed to their studies as one of the highest trade mark of a learned person is humility.

Mayor Tosam Bernard of Belo said the coming of the university is the best thing that has ever happened to a Belo man and the Boyo person in general because it is the first higher institution of learning to exist in the division.

He reminded the parents that they need to seize the opportunity of a university at their doorsteps to enroll their children, rather than thinking that they must go to universities in Yaoundé, Bamenda, Buea, Dschang and others when they cannot afford the cost.

The freshmen who took the matriculation oath pledged to respect the rules and regulations governing the university.

IUB ranked the first in Africa during a recent world ranking of universities that prepare students for HND in all fields conducted by the Ministry of Higher Education in Cameroon and recorded a 97% pass at the 2013/2015 HND results.