Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become the cornerstone for development in every spheres of life. One of Africa’s voice and foremost experts on Information and Communications Technology, Cameroon-born American Professor, Victor Mbarika, in 2010, founded an ICT University. The setting up of this US-based curriculum ICT University was aimed at providing a premier destination for research, innovation and training of scholars relevant for the context of developing economies. In a bid to shade more light on the peculiarity of this University and its programmes, The SUN caught up with Professor Victor Mbarika, who first started by explaining what the ICT University is.
The ICT University operates a purely US-based curriculum to provide quality ICT and Managerial Human Capacity Development specially targeted for Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean and Asia. The ICT University is a vibrant institution which aims at imposing itself as premier destination for research, innovation and training of scholars relevant for the context of developing economies. The ICT University DOES NOT only offer degrees in ICTs rather; the institution imparts knowledge of ICTs in all academic disciplines it offers. For example, a business administration (marketing) student at ICT University will graduate with a very strong expertise on how to build state-of-the-art e-commerce and other online business websites.
Founded in 2010, the ICT University (The American curriculum-based university serving developing nations), has multiple campuses of The ICT University Foundation, USA. All ICT University Foundation campuses are based in developing countries.
Why must a student choose ICT University?
At the ICT University, you earn an international degree while in Cameroon. No matter your chosen field, you are exposed to the rapidly growing system in Information and Communication Technology so you can better fit in the society. You are given both Academic training (Scientific Research Based) and Professional training (hands on and technical skills). You have the opportunity to meet people of different nationalities, cultures and background from your program mates and lecturers.
What are your training offers?
Having two main schools; the school of Information Technology and school of Business Management, we offer ICT, ISN, SEN, CS, REN, AIT, BMS, BNF, ACC, IMBA, which run from Bachelor’s level through Masters to PhD. There is also MPH/PHD in Public Health and Epidemiology.
How different is ICT University from other higher private institutions of learning?
Our goal is transferring technology to developing countries. Also we train students from scratch ignoring their background and focusing on what they can offer. Also it is an American Curriculum based, giving both national and international Knowledge. The school has a hybrid system of online and onsite studies with a special build software and Moodle platform to facilitate this.
What is the particularity of the academic year to start in March ?
New programs such as the MPH/PHD in Public Health and the Executive MBA programs starts effectively this semester, with lots of other exciting articles which you are encouraged to visit the campus to discover.
What are your ambitions?
They are and not limited to, producing the best students, nationwide and worldwide, in the fields of technology and business. Also to build big brains for the future of tomorrow.
Who is Professor Victor Mbarika?
Prof. Victor Mbarika is an American professor from Cameroon. He is the founder of The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) University. Professor Mbarika serves as the President, Board of Trustees of the ICT University. He is currently a full and endowed professor of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at Southern University, USA. He is one of Africa’s voice and foremost experts on Information and Communications Technology. He takes the lead in academic research on ICT implementation in Africa and has evolved a theoretically informed framework for understanding the diffusion, adoption, acceptance and use of ICTs in less-developed countries. He has published extensively on technology transfer frameworks and models in sub-Sahara Africa in peer-reviewed journals which have enjoyed wide citation. He holds a Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate Degree in Management information system from U.S International University, Kenya, University of Illinois, Chicago, and Auburn University, USA, respectively.
Mbarika is also the founder of the International Center for Information Technology and Development (ICITD), Southern University, Baton Rouge, which focuses on advancing IT training and development in Sub Saharan Africa especially on e-health, e-education and e-democracy. The center has won numerous research grants from National Science Foundation (NSF), NASA, KPMG, Microsoft, Fulbright, Fulbright-MCMC, the Louisiana Board of Regents and several other private and public donors.
Mbarika’s other initiatives include The ICT for Africa conference series (ICT4 Africa), African Journal of Information Systems (AJIS), The ICT University Foundation and Cameroon Youths for Jesus (CYJ).