By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The US-Cameroon cooperation in higher education is a “cornerstone” of the broad bilateral relationship between the two nations, according to the US Deputy Chief of Mission in Yaoundé, John G. Robinson.
Robinson made the remarks on January 7 at a “High-Level Policy and Partnership Dialogue” in the capital, which convened state officials, university leaders, and school founders to advance academic collaboration.
Opening the dialogue, Robinson emphasized that the partnership is fundamentally about investing in future leaders. “Ultimately, this dialogue is about people – students, educators, and leaders – who will shape the future of Cameroon and contribute to global progress,” he stated. “When we invest in universities, we invest in innovation, stability, and shared prosperity.”
He described the event as a step from exploration to action, noting the embassy’s goal to provide Cameroonian institutions with a “technical roadmap” and direct access to platforms for international academic cooperation. Linking the dialogue to the upcoming America@250 commemoration, Robinson said it reaffirmed a commitment to the values of “openness, innovation, and opportunity” that also underpin the bilateral partnership.
Representing the Minister of State for Higher Education, Professor Marcel Laurent Fouda Ndjodo acknowledged the well-established academic ties, citing the long-standing Fulbright Programme as a vital bridge for intellectual exchange.
He framed the dialogue within Cameroon’s wider higher education reforms, which treat education as an engine of national transformation. “Universities must become active partners in the intellectual sphere by developing home-grown strategies for conflict resolution and de-radicalization,” he stated.
On technology, Prof. Fouda Ndjodo argued that artificial intelligence is forcing a global pedagogical shift from rote memorization to critical thinking. “We intend to be a creator of context-specific artificial intelligence solutions, not just a consumer,” he declared. “We seek American partnership to help us build the infrastructure and ethical frameworks to make this possible.”
He urged participants to actively engage in the policy-driven panels to better understand the cooperation framework and to utilize the resources offered by the US Embassy.
The day’s sessions featured panel discussions on the ministry’s role in supporting international partnerships, alongside key topics such as degree recognition, academic equivalence, and structured networking to foster long-term collaboration.
Diverse group of attendees