With the start of the academic year, ICT University is experiencing an unprecedented surge in applications.
“We had thousands and thousands of applicants,” Professor Mbarika revealed.
“Unfortunately, we can only accommodate a certain number of students. What amazes me most is that we ended up admitting more girls than boys into our Software Engineering programme. This has always been a male-dominated domain, yet here we are seeing more and more women breaking barriers in ICT.” he said
He attributes this shift to changing mindsets and the growing confidence of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
“It’s no longer about what girls can’t do, it’s about the opportunities they now have. Some of our best programmers are women,” he said proudly.
For many education observers, ICT University represents the very embodiment of professionalised higher learning. Professor Mbarika credits the Cameroonian government’s progressive policy direction for this transformation.
“The Head of State and the Ministry of Higher Education have set a remarkable trend. Universities are now encouraged not only to professionalise but also to build businesses and entrepreneurial initiatives. ICT University has been doing this from the very beginning,” he explained.
Hands-on learning is central to the institution’s model.
“If a course is three credit hours, at least two are spent on practical activities,” Mbarika said.
“That is why most of our graduates prefer creating their own ICT-based businesses. We have students as young as 16 and 17 designing websites for professors in the United States and earning from it.” he noted
Global Recognition and Academic Excellence
In a world where many private universities struggle for recognition, ICT University has built a strong reputation both locally and internationally. The institution maintains mentoring partnerships with the University of Buea and the University of Dschang, fully approved by Cameroon’s Ministry of Higher Education.
“We got our approvals from the Prime Minister’s Office over 12 years ago,” Professor Mbarika clarified in response to online speculation adding "Our graduates are excelling globally one recently obtained his PhD from the University of Massachusetts. Others are studying in the U.S. and Europe, topping their classes. Recognition is not an issue; our record speaks for itself.”
This credibility has attracted visits and endorsements from notable figures such as former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and led to multiple international distinctions. In 2023, Professor Mbarika received the U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden, followed by the African Leadership Award at the House of Lords in London.
Perhaps the most exciting news from ICT University is the upcoming launch of its E-Agriculture Training Programme in January. The initiative aims to integrate information technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics into agriculture an ambitious step that could redefine the sector’s future in Sub-Saharan Africa.
“For my entire career, this is one of the most thrilling ventures I’ve undertaken,” Mbarika admitted.
“We are collaborating with Lavras University in Brazil, a world leader in agricultural technology. Imagine robots milking cows in Brazil! We’re bringing that same innovation home to Cameroon.”
What sets this programme apart is its scale and social vision. Professor Mbarika is personally investing 5 billion CFA francs into the project, which aims to create 10,000 jobs over the next five years. “We want at least 3,000 of those opportunities to benefit young people from the North West and South West Regions,” he said, underlining the project’s peacebuilding and youth empowerment dimension.
To ensure sustainability, the university is importing technology from Brazil and Turkey while insisting on local capacity-building.
“We don’t want to import machines we can’t maintain,” Prof Victor Mbarika emphasised.
“Our agreement includes training our young people to operate and service the technologies themselves.”
Partnerships with institutions like the University of Dschang will strengthen manpower development, while the collaboration with Brazil brings world-class expertise into Cameroon.
“We are not coming in as superiors. Dschang has the knowledge, and we have the technologies and together, we can create something powerful,” he explained.
The project already has government backing, with 1,000 hectares of land approved in Tibati and more being acquired in the Centre, North West, South West, and East Regions.
“Land is available,” Prof Victor Mbarika insisted.
“We just need to open access roads and make it work. Our students won’t be sitting in classrooms for three hours they’ll spend most of that time on the field.” he said
Innovation, Patriotism, and Hope
For Professor Mbarika, ICT University is more than an academic institution—it’s a national project rooted in patriotism and faith in Cameroon’s potential.
“It’s not the white man who will develop us; we must do it ourselves... We have great people in this country and a government that supports progress. Despite the detractors, I remain grateful and committed.” he said firmly
He concluded with a call to action for the Cameroonian diaspora and investors.
“We are building a new world of education—one that blends technology, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance. I invite others to join us in this vision for our beloved country.”
To learn more or apply for the upcoming E-Agriculture Programme, visit: www.ictuniversity.edu.cm
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Online
Email: hilltopvoicesnewspaper@gmail.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77
