A Gambian university delegation was received in Bamako by Malian higher education authorities on Thursday as part of a project to establish a university in The Gambia.
Led by the Institute of Political Science, International Relations and Communication (ISPRIC), the Gambian university mission to Bamako aimed to learn from the Malian model in higher education, university cooperation, and academic mobility.
Talks focused on the upcoming creation of a university in The Gambia, with the objective of developing scientific research, higher education programs, and academic pathways between Mali and The Gambia.
According to the Malian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, this initiative is part of a broader sub-regional academic integration strategy.
It specifically plans to strengthen English language learning for Malian students and French language learning for Gambian students in order to reduce language barriers within West Africa.
Already active in higher education in Mali, ISPRIC intends to leverage its experience to develop structured partnerships between Bamako and Banjul.
Authorities note that the Malian university system continues to face significant demographic pressure. According to UNESCO data published in 2024, Mali had over 132,000 students in just 16 higher education institutions, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 81.
The envisaged cooperation could focus on joint programs, educational exchanges, scientific research, language training, and institutional capacity building.
Following the meeting, both parties agreed to continue discussions on the Gambian university project, with a particular emphasis on student mobility and cooperation between higher education institutions.
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