Ngaoundéré-Bremen Blog

New website of University of Ngaoundéré

hartmut — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:44:38 +0000

Check it out!

Installation of a ReviTec® site at the University of Ngaoundéré

hartmut — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:17:53 +0000

The cooperation of the University Bremen (UHB) in Germany with the University Ngaoundéré (UNG) in Cameroon has been successfully developed since more than 10 years. Current projects are: (1) improvement of teaching in environmental sciences (SRP-DAAD), (2) qualifying for an occupational perspective as software engineer (BMBF) and (3) a centre for language and other key competences at the University of Ngaoundere (DIES-DAAD).
Within the framework of the project (1), a new Master of Ecology has been developed at UNG in 2012 with focus on the Sudano-Sahelian ecoregion, including soil degradation and desertification, and a ReviTec® demonstration, teaching and research site was established.
ReviTec® is an innovative and adaptable approach to combat soil degradation and deserti¬fication, developed by soil and vegetation ecologists of the KeKo partnership (Bremen) and the Centre of Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology (UFT) at the University of Bremen. Locally available soil amendments and organisms stabilize the water and nutrient supply in the soil and retard erosion. Bioactivated and water retaining substrates are filled in coffee bags, seeded with plants and laid out in the field as islands, bunds or half moons to initiate and accelerate ecological succession. By this, ecosystem services are re-established such as erosion control, water retention and soil fertility. From the structures, the development and colonization is spreading to the whole target area. On the other hand, they serve as microcatchments for water and are highly attractive for organisms. In ecological afforestation and woodland restoration the ReviTec® islands are nurse biotopes for target and greenery species.
With support of GIZ and UNG, a ReviTec® demonstration, teaching and research site was installed on the premises of the University in April 2012, similar to that at the University of Bremen. It will be part of UNG’s new Master of Ecology programme. The inclusion of trees in the ReviTec® structures on the Ngaoundéré site is intended to contribute to the National Forest Program in Cameroon of the GIZ (ProPSFE).
The site will provide incentives and scientific background for the rehabilitation of savannah and forest biotopes. Also, it is intended to attract interested parties, stake¬holders, NGOs, scientists and policy-makers to discuss and develop adaptations and implementations of the approach, including agro-forestry and forest restoration.

KeKo – Kesel, Koehler & Partners – Biologists, Bremen

ReviTec_Ngaoundere-fotos

Dear Colleagues and everybody who is interested in the partnership between the universities Bremen and Ngaoundéré.

Thomas_Buse — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:13:47 +0000

I’ve never written a blog before in my life. But now I’m a member of this Cameroon-Blog. I like to say thanks to the organizers for last journey to the University of Ngaoundéré and the good organization of the conference about our Partnership there. I think it was a rich in content trip, with interesting talks and discussions. And nothing is so important than a personal contact to learn more about from each other. I hope the current projects (languages, life sciences with computer science, ReviTec) will go forward and spread out to involved new members…

Nice greetings to Cameroon and Bonjour et Au revoir!

Thomas

March 2012: conference and DIES kick-off

hartmut — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:42:56 +0000

As a showcase of our partnership, the Université de Ngaoundéré hosted a great three day international conference with distinguished guests and scientists. In their welcome adresses, distinguished speakers highlighted the importance of international education. Among them the German Ambassador H. E. Mr. Buchholz, the rector (interim) of the University of Ngaoundéré Prof. Kayem, the délégue du Gouvernement at Ngaoundéré, the Dean of the Faculuty of Sciences Prof. Ngounouno, the vice rector of the University of Bremen Mrs. Prof. Karakasoglu, the head of the DAAD information centre Yaoundé Mrs. Katja Buchecker. The challenges and the success of our partnership became evident in detailed presentations on the subject related partnership (SRP, DAAD) and the computer science project (BMBF). Thematic blocks on the Ecology of Sudano Guinea Savannah, Combating Soil Degradation and Mobile Solutions For Africa were scheduled for the second day. The third day was deserved for several workshops, including one by students for students (with participation of DAAD). An exciting excursion to sites of geological, ecological, cultural and sustainability interest was organized for the fourth day. The magnificient cultural evening was vibrant with the sounds and dances of Cameroon, presented by student groups of the University of Ngaoundéré.

Not to forget the wonderful cultural evening, where students of the University of Ngaoundéré displayed the diversity of Cameroonian dances and songs and presented a delightful sketch in German language. Another highlight was the opening of the ReviTec-site, the establishment of which was supported by GIZ.

The conference was preceded by a two days’ kick-off meeting of the new DAAD-DIES project: Quality assurance and competitiveness: support for the University of Ngaoundéré to establish a Centre of Key Competences focussing on teaching methodology, language and internationalisation (responsible Dr. Annette Lang, annette.lang@vw.uni-bremen.de). With this project, our partnership is now based on three columns: Subject related partnership (DAAD, Prof. Koehler, hartmut.koehler@uni-bremen.de), mobile solutions for Africa (BMBF, Prof. Rödiger, roediger@informatik.uni-bremen.de) and the new DIES project. Funds were secured of almost half a million euros!

See report in DAAD NL, p.4

1204-IC-Newsletter April 2012

Some pictures of the March 2012 event in Ngaoundéré:

Africa is also in Bremen!

hartmut — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:42:39 +0000

Organized by GIZ and the African Community in Bremen, more than 90 exhibitors show their projects and activities in Sub-Sahara Africa. The one day event is embedded in the HanseLIFE, a big fair in the Bremen exhibition halls.

In four posters and some info- material, the University of Bremen presents its (1) Internationalisation Strategy, (2) the subject related partnership with the University of Ngaoundéré, (3) the e-learning project of the computer science of Bremen and Ngaoundéré and (4) the parasitology project with the University of Zaria (Nigeria).

Visit of German Ambassador

hartmut — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 11:51:15 +0000

The Cameroonian Ambassador of Germany visits our University and the UFT

We were honored by his Excellency Mr. Buchholz who came for an afternoon full of information to the University of Bremen and to the UFT. It was his wish to see the German partner of the University of Ngaoundéré which he visited in March this year.

After a warm welcome by our Vice President for Intercultural and International Affairs, Prof. Dr. Yasemin Karakaşoğlu, general issues of the internationalisation strategy of the University of Bremen were discussed, highlighting the importance of our partnership with the University of Ngaoundéré, Cameroon. Main topic was the Subject Related Partnership with this university, focussing on the improvement of teaching of environmental sciences. Additional new research projects as well as the broadening of the partnership, including economy, language and intercultural key competences were presented.

Prof. Thöming, director of the UFT, introduced to the concept of the Central Scientific Unit. The Cameroon activities focussing on ecology and the ReviTec-concept to combat soil degradation are an essential cornerstone of the UFT’s international activities. A large group of Cameroonian students found its way to the UFT to ask pressing questions to the ambassador who readily entered even into controverse discussions. The intensive and inspiring afternoon ended with a visit to our ReviTal10 site. The ambassador was very interested in the approach and expressed his high recognition of our project. He suggested to make the partnership and its additional projects visible in a larger conference, organized at the University of Ngaoundéré next spring at the opening of the Ngaoundéré ReviTec research site.

left: Vice President for Intercultural and International Affairs, Prof. Dr. Yasemin Karakaşoğlu (ctr) welcomes his Excellency Mr. Buchholz.
from left to right: Prof. Haasis (economy and sustainable managment), Prof. Koehler (IO/UFT, responsible for the partnership), Dr. Annette Lang (IO), Mr. Buchholz, Paul Dayang, Prof. Yasemin Karakaşoğlu (VP), Prof. Rödiger (computer science), Dr. Bärbel Kühn (FZHB), Prof. Heyser (em. UFT), Christine Rodewald

right: The ambassador discusses with Cameroonina students of the University of Bremen and members of the Caneroonian Community Bremen (ccb) in the seminar room of the UFT..

Exchange April/May 2011

hartmut — Mon, 16 May 2011 17:12:05 +0000

The delegation from Bremen listed in the previous post had a superb programme at the University of Ngaoundere, working on first contacts of the new track of the partnership in the field of Economy, discussing how to establish new language facilities and how to further improve the teaching of Ecology, including e-learning and a ReviTec-research and demonstration site on Ngaoundere Campus.

Dr. Albert Ngakou and Dr. Jean Michel Nlong are now here at the University of Bremen, working hard on many topics of ecology, microbiology, e-learning and computer science. There will be an e-lecture on Cameroon soon under egs.uni-bremen.de!

Language Exchange Programm and E-Learning-Framework: a delegation from Bremen will go to Ngaoundere early April

eric — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:10:38 +0000

A delegation from Bremen will go to Ngaoundere early April 2011 to perform work on linguistic exchanges (German and Englich) and E-Learning-Framework project. The delegation will consist of three persons:

Prof. Dr. Hartmut Koehler,
Christine Rodewald,
Major Poungom, PhD student of economics

after this visit, a delegation of Ngaoundere will come to bremen on 29 April 2011 for work sessions on the same theme

Winter visit to Bremen

eric — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 14:59:06 +0000

Dr. Jean Michel Nlong II (computer science) and Sanda Mazi (PhD student ecology) is visiting the University of Bremen from 10.12. – 24.12.2010.

The Dean of the Faculty of Science of the Université de Ngaoundéré, Prof. Ngounouno, is visiting the University of Bremen from 17.12. – 24.12.2010.

The group is involved in a tigth program of many activities and consultations, concerning, among others, the establishment of a Master of Ecology at the Université de Ngaoundéré, the future support for building capacities for teaching English and German, scientific cooperation both in Computer Science and Ecology.

A three months’ experience: the report

eric — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:32:33 +0000

Wojtek Sczygiol, student of computer science at the Uni Bremen, shares with you his experiences from his stay at the University of Ngaoundere from March to June 2010. You will find many important information on our project and on living in Cameron there, enriched with beautiful pictures. You are welcomed to contact the project to get involved also!