The CEMU’s expertise in pedagogical engineering at the service of an international partnership project.

In May 2024, the relations between the University of Caen Normandy and Mauritania were further strengthened with the launch of a project to create and implement a university teaching center in Nouakchott, in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS), supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the French Embassy in Mauritania through the Fonds Equipe France (FEF).

This center will eventually serve as the pedagogical support structure for all higher education institutions in Mauritania. Over a two-year period, the CEMU and the development unit of the Carré International will support the MESRS in structuring the center, defining needs, and training the team in educational engineering tasks.

The missions of the future education centre include

• Teacher professional development
• Fostering educational innovation
• Educational advice and assistance
• Developing distance learning systems
• Evaluating teaching methods

The challenges of the project

• Assisting in the establishment of the university teaching center
• Empowering an initial operational team in educational engineering
• Training teachers to provide pedagogical support in higher education
• Developing a community of teaching practice

A three-stage initiative

2024: formal creation of the new structure

To facilitate the creation of the university teaching center, a working group has been established to prepare a comprehensive dossier covering legal, political, educational, and administrative aspects. This group comprises 6 members, representing both the MESRS and educators from different Mauritanian higher education institutions.

Once the center has been officially established, the working group, supported by the CEMU, will concentrate on equipping it and recruiting an initial operational team, as well as a network of mentor teachers who will play a role in disseminating practices in their respective schools.

The working group will attend a seminar at the CEMU in May 2024 to learn about the teacher support services offered by the CEMU and participate in the RUNED24 conference, aiming to connect with researchers and practitioners from French-speaking higher education.

2025: skill enhancement and action plan for educational transformation

Over the course of 2025, the centre’s operational team and network of reference teachers will undergo training in various aspects of pedagogical engineering and teaching in higher education. This training will be customized to meet the specific needs of each individual, with support from educational engineers and experts from the CEMU. Its hybrid format will include asynchronous and synchronous distance learning activities, as well as two seminars held in Caen and Nouakchott.

The common thread of the year will be the collaborative drafting of an action plan for the pedagogical transformation of Mauritanian higher education, which can subsequently be submitted to the MESRS.

2026: initial support initiatives

The Mauritanian university teaching centre, operating autonomously, will be able to launch its first teaching support initiatives, with guidance in their implementation, if needed, from the CEMU: training workshops, awareness-raising events, creation, and provision of teaching resources, etc.

The project will be enriched by the organization of a regional conference of practitioners in Nouakchott in May 2026. The objective is to foster the center’s community of practices and interactions, and to establish connections with individuals engaged in university teaching in neighboring countries.

Genuine interest evidenced by a ministerial visit

On May 24, 2024, the University of Caen Normandie had the privilege of hosting a visit from His Excellency Mr Niang Mamoudou, the Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. Welcomed by the President of the University of Caen Normandie, he expressed his particular interest in this collaborative project, aligning with his objectives of consolidating the success of Mauritanian students.