The Minister of Higher Education who doubles as Chancellor of Academic Orders, Professor. Jacques Fame Ndongo on March 30 held talks with the Director of the African Union in the Republic of Uganda, Juliet Semambo Kalemba. Discussions centred on how Uganda can tap from the Cameroonian experience in training diplomats in view of the creation of an International Relations Institute in Uganda, similar to Cameroon’s International Relations Institute (IRIC).
Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo briefed Juliet Semambo Kalemba on IRIC, saying the institution is placed under the double tutelage of the Ministries of Higher Education for academic purposes and that of External Relations for professionalism. He explained that such an institution needs to be equally placed under a University for an efficient follow-up of programmes like the Bachelor’s-Masters-Doctorate (BMD) that has been proven professional and cost effective. He explained to the Ugandan diplomat how IRIC trains nationals and non-nationals in diverse domains. This diversity in training, he said, is what makes the school unique. The guest was also told that besides diplomacy, IRIC trains in International Communication, Regional Integration among other allied disciplines.
Before parting company with Juliet Semambo Kalemba, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo invited her to check into budgetary allocations and admission conditions for the better functioning of such an institution. Juliet Semambo Kalemba expressed the wish for a future partnership between IRIC and the imminent International Relations Institute of Uganda.
