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UNIVERSITY OF BURAO

 

UNIVERSITY OF BURAO

 

Burao

 

Tel. (252) 7312647

 

Universityburao@hotmail.com

 

www.buraouniversity.co

 

Business Pl

 

June 2004


CONTENTS

 

 

 

I. Background………………………………………………………...3

 

 

II.University of Burao……………………………………………..5

A. Mission ..……………………..…………………………………...5

 

B.    Program………………………………………………………....…6

1.      Department of Veterinary Medicine…………………….6

2.      Department of Education………………………………..6

3.      Department of Business and Finance…………………....7

4.      Department of Continuing Education…………………...7

 

C.   Accreditation…………………………………………………….9

 

D.   Academic Year…………………………………………………..9

 

E.    Human Resources………………………………………………9

 

F.    Campus…………………………………………………………..10

 

G.   Organisational Structure………………………….…………11

 

H.   Need………………………………………………….……………11

 

I.       Budget…………………………………………….……………....13

 

 

Appendices

 

1.    Public and Private Primary Schools by Region for 2003/2004…………...14

2.   University of Burao: Campus Plan………………………………………...15

3.   University of Burao: Rehabilitation Valuation…………………………….16

4.   University of Burao: Organisational Structure…………………………….17

5.   University of Burao: Council Members………………………………...….18

6.   University of Burao: International Co-ordination Committee……………..19

7.   University of Burao: Profile………………………………………………..20


I. Background

 

Burao is the second largest city in Somaliland. It has a population of 250,000 to 300,000 people, and covers an area of about 36 square kilometres (it is about 6kms across from east to west and north and south). It is an important commercial centre. It has the largest livestock market in the Somali peninsula, and brings together traders from all parts of the Somali territories, from as far away as Bosaso in the East, Luq, on the Kenyan boundary in the South, and Djibouti in the West.

 

Like many other cities in the region, it had previously suffered from destruction and internal displacement due to a prolonged civil war in the 1980s. In 1988, almost all its residents were forced to flee for their lives. The majority of them ended up in refugee camps in Ethiopia. When they finally came back home in 1991, they returned to a ghost town striped of every thing of value that could be moved or removed.  Almost all the dwellings in the city were either roofless or without windows, or both. Many of them were left in ruins, and the streets were conquered by natural vegetation in the absence of human population for nearly three years. Public facilities, including schools, were not spared either from destruction. Before the civil war, the town boasted itself of having a well-known and best-regarded technical school, a vocational school for range management, both of them national institutions, and two secondary schools (Sh. Bashir, and Sh. Osman Nur). All of them were completely looted and extensively damaged.

 

Reconstruction started in earnest, however, as soon as people returned to the city in 1991. Restoration of schools also began around the same time, though ever so slowly at the beginning. Primary and pre-primary schools were first repaired. The process of rehabilitation was, however, unfortunately twice interrupted by local conflicts, first in 1992, then in 1994, which did not only stop the reconstruction activities underway but also led to:

1.      Another exodus of the city’s own intellectuals, investors and business community; and

2.      Abandonment by international relief organizations, and development agencies due to perceived threat to their security.

 

The situation was then exasperated by the ban on livestock exports to the Middle East in 2000. As the principle livestock market in the country, this had a disproportionate effect on the economy of Burao, and caused its recovery to lag behind that of other main cities.  Cities such as Borama and Hargeisa, which had suffered less from internal strife, were able to rebuild their primary and secondary schools much faster than Burao could.  They were even able to establish their own universities by the year 2000.

 

But things are now changing in Burao for the better. The people of Burao seem to have learnt from their past predicament: the city has been now enjoying almost nine years of fairly uninterrupted peace; there is also a strong feeling of communal association and a sense of determination on the local population’s part to rebuild the city. This has already created an environment much more conducive to investment and regeneration. As a result, the city of Burao is now going through an age of Renaissance in her own right, as it is enjoying a sustained period of an unprecedented expansion in its history, in terms of spatial development and intellectual capacity building. On the education front, the majority of the city’s primary and secondary schools have been already rebuilt, renovated or restored. According to the statistics of the Somaliland Ministry of Education, there are currently 31 public and private primary schools in Burao, in which 11,627 students are enrolled and 2 secondary schools with 500 students. The region, Togdheer, as a whole has 73 primary schools, and three secondary schools with a total student population of 16,529 pupils (see Appendix 1)

 

 

Table 1. Public and Private Primary Schools in Togdheer for the Scholastic Year 2003/2004

 

District

No. Schools

No. Classes

Students

% Female

Teachers

Graduates

Burao

31

269

11627

29

284

47

Buhodle

10

62

1965

37

68

0

Odweine

17

57

1242

25

59

0

Sh. H. Gele

7

21

467

22

23

2

Duruqsi

4

16

246

33

15

0

Qoryale

4

16

444

24

17

2

Total

73

441

15991

30

466

51

Source: Ministry of Education

 

Table 2 Public and Private Secondary Schools in Togdheer and the surrounding regions with no institution of higher education

 

Region

School

Classes

Enrolment

Teachers

Togdheer

3

15

438

30

Sahil

3

15

531

32

Sool

1

8

213

12

Sanag

5

20

552

30

Total

12

58

1734

104

Source: Ministry of Education

 

Table 3. Public and Private Secondary Schools in Burao June 2004

 

School

Year

No. of classes

Students

Candle light

1

2

120

 

2

1

48

 

3

1

26

 

4

1

28

Sh. Bashir

1

4

148

 

2

2

50

 

3

1

25

 

4

2

35

Total

 

14

500

Source: Interviews with teacher

 

The figures in the tables above indicate a growing secondary school student population. The first wave of new graduates from Burao secondary schools finished school in 2003. A second group will soon be graduating in this year, and more students will follow suit in the coming years. So the problem that is already facing parents and educators in the region is what to do with these new graduates. They face the daunting task of finding for them opportunities to further their educational opportunities and build careers. As there are no scholarships on offer, the only option that is left to them is to either send their kids abroad to study in places like Pakistan, India and Malaysia, or to enrol them in the local universities in other parts of the country such as Hargeisa and Amoud. But these alternatives are beyond their economic means. So the only viable option that remains for the parents, and the region as a whole, is to bring the institutions of higher learning closer to home, which is the reason why the people of Burao have decided to set up their own University.

 

II. University of Burao

 

The history of the University of Burao harks back to 1998 when the University of Hargeisa was still at its initial planning stage.  The intention then was to concurrently establish both Veterinary Science Department and a Centre for Arid Land and Rural Development Studies in Burao, which would be part of the University of Hargeisa. The Mayor of Burao at the time was keen on the idea, as he was fully committed to facilitate the establishment of the new University of Hargeisa campus at Burao. But this initial plan somehow did not materialise for reasons due largely to some intervening socio-economic and political circumstances on the ground at the time. However, the University of Burao was finally inaugurated in June 19th, 2004, as an independent institution of higher education.

  

A. Mission

 

The University of Burao is a multi-purpose institution in its function. In addition to preparing competent professionals for the nation, it also aims to be a community learning centre, a place for intellectual discourses, a vocal point for practical and theoretical research, and an institution of higher learning which serves as an engine for development and growth that effects change in the real life of the people in the region right away. Its mission is to:

 

1.      Provide opportunities for further education to secondary school graduates from Burao, its neighbouring regions and the country at large;

2.      Play a major role in the development of the city, and the country;

3.      Prepare much needed professionals such as doctors, teachers, managers and engineers for the nation;

4.      Provide technical trainings to the community in order to raise the level of professional skills for people in the private, public and non-profit making sectors;

5.      Engage in both theoretical and practical research activities through its departments research centres and institutes;

6.      Organise and host seminars, workshops and conferences for the community;

7.      Provide an intellectual space for debate and discussion on the important issues of the day;

8.      Provide a link with other universities and research institutions around the world, and hence become a channel for inward transfer of technology;

9.      Make efficient use of the existing pool of knowledge and skills within the city and its surrounding regions;

10.  Attract and retain highly educated people for the city and the region; and

11.  Provide opportunities to professionals and scholars from the Diaspora, who may want to go back and contribute to the development of the city and the country as volunteers.

 

B. Program

 

The University of Burao is a teaching, research and examining institution committed to providing both quality and flexible education in order to meet individual, as well as national skill development needs.

 

1st Stage

 

The university program will be developed in stages. In the first academic year of 2004/5, UB will be offering three degree courses and a non-degree program in four departments, i.e.:

§         The Department of Veterinary Medicine

§         The Department of Education

§         The Department of Business and Finance

§         The Department of continuing education

 

1.  Department of Veterinary Medicine 

 

Livestock is the backbone of Somaliland’s national economy. About 50-60% of the population are classified as being pastoralists, and another 20% as agro-pastoralists. The 1997 official government statistics estimate total livestock population in the country at around 23.5 million heads. Yet, there are only about three dozen qualified veterinarians in the whole of the country, which means a doctor/stock ratio of about     1: 653,000. The situation is likely to get even worse as there are no training institutions to support such an important economic sector. The aim of this department is, therefore, to prepare qualified professionals in the field of animal health and husbandry, to provide essential services for the sector, and carry out much needed research.

 

2. Department of Education

 

Education is the key to the socio-economic development of any nation. No progress can take place without an educated elite and skilled workforce. According to the Ministry of Education statistics, (please see appendix 1), a total of 106,480 students are enrolled in both public and private schools in the current Scholastic Year of 2003/4.  The number of teachers serving is 2,590, out of whom only 241 have university degrees. This means that the Somaliland’s teacher/student ratio currently stands at 1:41, and a graduate teacher/student ratio of only 1:442. Both these ratios are extremely low, and, therefore, unacceptable. Even if we want to achieve a very modest graduate teacher/student ratio of 1:100,  (i.e. one university graduate teacher for every three classes), we would need to train 824 teachers immediately. The reason why there is such a small number of university graduate teachers is that the only college, Lafoole (i.e., the education college at the Somali National University), which used to train our school teachers had been closed for the past 13 years due to the civil war in the South. The aim of the department of education is, therefore, to fill this gap and produce the qualified teachers that we need today and tomorrow.

 

3. Department of Business and Finance

 

The private business sector is the driving force of the country’s economic recovery. It has become all the more important in the past fourteen years. It is now the sole or the main provider of vital services such as communication, air transport, electricity, and banking which were dominated by public sector monopolies before. But in spite of its phenomenal success, it faces many challenges including a chronic shortage of skilled workforce. The Department is set up to assist the sector meet such challenges.

 

It aims to:

1.   Prepare a new corps of professionals in business and finance

2.   Nurture entrepreneurship

3.   Play a leading role in the development of financial institutions

4.   Carry out business research

5.   Provide technical support for the business community

6.   Organise business seminars and conferences and exhibitions in collaboration with business associations and chambers of commerce

 

4. Department of Continuing education

 

The university’s aim is not just to provide higher education and professional training for young secondary school graduates; it is also meant to be a training ground for the ordinary citizens, who may want to develop their skills. The Department of continuing education is set up specifically for this purpose. Its main objective is to provide flexible, appropriate, accredited, as well as, non-accredited training to:

a)      Public sector workers;

b)      Private sector entrepreneurs and employees; 

c)      Voluntary sector staff or volunteers; as well as, the

d)      Unemployed.

 

It will offer a wide range of courses including:

§         Public administration

§         Business administration

§         Professional writing and journalism

§         Literature (English, Arabic and Somali)

§         Book-keeping/accounting

§         Information technology, etc

 

 

The university will be, in addition, home to several research institutions. The first one being:

 

The Institute of Rural Development and Range Management (IRDRM)

The significance of this centre derives from the fact that approximately two-thirds of the country’s population live either in rural or semi-rural setting, where their livelihood is increasingly under threat due to environmental degradation, as well as recent climatic changes. Large tracks of grazing land and forests have been already lost due to:
§         Population pressure

§         Overgrazing

§         Deforestation

§         Frequent droughts and

§         Lack of proper land management

 

 In spite of the importance of this sector to the national economy, there are no institutions, at the present time, dedicated to monitoring, studying or improving the deteriorating rural environment and economy. The IRDRM institute has been, therefore, set up to take the lead in this field. Among its fundamental aims are:

a)      To carry out practical research into the causes of environmental degradation;

b)      To monitor environmental degradation and the effects of such degradation on the lives of rural pastoral communities;

c)      To raise national and international awareness about the environmental problems facing the nation and the rural community in particular;

d)      To carry out a national survey of the flora and the fauna stock of the country;

e)      To build and maintain a data bank on rural ecosystems;

f)        To publish and promote research results;

g)      To promote good range land and forestry management practices

h)      To train rural development professionals, as well as, members of the rural pastoral community; and

i)         To link up with similar research institutions worldwide.

 

 

2nd stage

 

Upon the completion of the goals set for the 1st stage, the university plans to expand its program gradually and to offer the following degree courses within the coming 10 years (or by 2014):

a)      Forestry, range and wild life management

b)      Information technology

c)      Engineering

d)      Geology and hydrology

e)      Medicine science and nursing

f)        Islamic law and jurisprudence

g)      Social Sciences

 

It will be also home to a number of other research institutions, including:

 

a)      The Institute of Public Policy and Political Studies (IPPPS);

b)      Dry Land Farming Research Centre (DLRC); and

c)      Tropical Disease Research Centre (TDRC).

C. Accreditation

 

a)      Bachelor: The University shall initially offer Bachelor degree courses. Students will be required to complete successfully 126 semester credit hours of course work, which includes 6 research credit hours for a thesis, in order to graduate. But the medical degree will require 135 credit hours, including 15 credits for six months of clinical attachment and a thesis.

 

b)      Diploma of Higher Education (DHE): undergraduate students will be eligible for the award of the Diploma of Higher Education if they accumulate at least 90 credit hours.

 

c)      Certificate of Higher Education (CHE): Undergraduate students will be also eligible for the award of Certificate of Higher Education if they achieve at least 60 credits.

d)      Certificate/Diploma of Professional Studies (CPS/DPS): Will be awarded to students who have undertaken professional and vocational training and have achieved set standards on completion.

 

The University will offer degree and non-degree long distance courses, as well, in collaboration with other universities, and will recognise learning procedures outside formal institutions by awarding credits, certificates and diplomas to those individuals after passing competence tests.

 

D. Academic Year

 

The academic year will consist of two 20-week semesters separated by a 2-week winter break, and a 10-week summer break. The first semester will normally begin within the first two weeks of September and end in the second half of January. The Second semester will start in the first half of February and will end in the last half of June. One or two 4 to 8-week summer sessions will be offered during the long summer break. 

 

E. Human resources

 

The quality of education offered by the university, and for that matter, by any other institution of higher learning will depend largely on the quality of the teaching staff. Ideally, lecturers and professors should be highly qualified people who have attained at least a second degree (Msc. or MA) in their respective prfessions. But after fifteen years of civil conflict and absence of international recognition we are far from such an ideal situation. We still have to make the best use out of the human resources available to us. That is what has been done before in the case of both Amoud University and the University of Hargeisa.

 

Fortunately, Burao is not in a short supply of people who have the basic qualifications and the experience required to teach undergraduate courses. An informal survey based on individual and group interviews, and an examination of the records of the regional office of the Ministry of Education have revealed the presence of a good number of graduates from different fields. The following Table provides the number of professionals available in each.

Table 4.  Graduates by field

 

Subject

Number

Medicine

10

Veterinary

  4

Engineering

  6

Hydrology

  2

Agriculture

  4

Economy/business/accounts

  6

Islamic studies

  4

Politics

  1

Education

44

Total

81

Source: survey June 2004

 

The list is by no means a comprehensive. There are probably many more people in the city, particularly in the private sector, who are not accounted for in this largely unscientific survey. So the university will draw on this pool of local talents for the delivery of its program. It will also seek to recruit nationally in order to hire the best and the brightest teachers in the country. At the same time, it will be linking up with other universities outside the country so as to attract visiting professors, lecturers, and researchers in the near future.

 

 E. Campus

 

The university campus will be the seat of former Forestry, and Range Management School, located in the north western suburbs (Shacab), which is approximately two Kilometres away from the centre of the city. The school was built in 1974 and covers an area of about 17 hectares (see appendix 2). It consists of 13 structures including:

§         A sports ground

§         A lecture hall

§         Classes

§         Offices

§         Dinning Hall

§         Dormitories and

§         Washing and toilet facilities

 

All the buildings currently stand without roofs and windows, and some of them have been badly damaged. They need to be repaired, rebuilt and reinforced so that more floors could be added to them to make room for new classrooms, laboratories and offices. This is important as the campus area is limited and there is not much space left for future expansion. The reconstruction work that needs to be done has been estimated to cost about US$ 212,400 (see appendix 3).

 

Since the campus still needs to be rebuilt, the university will be temporarily located at the Burao regional office of the Ministry of Rural Development and Environment. Two classrooms, two offices, and library room have been already made available to the university. They have been all refurbished recently, and are ready for use for the first September classes.

 

F. Organisational Structure  

 

The University has a Charter and statutes that define its organisational structure, policies and procedures. At the top of its organisational pyramid, is the Council, which is the decision-making body. The Council is ultimately responsible for the university, from the courses it offers to the social welfare of the students and staff—not to mention the financial health of the institution itself.

 

The Council appoints a Vice-Chancellor, who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the university and for carrying out its decisions. Working with the vice-chancellor, is the University Senate, who is responsible for academic matters in relation to teaching, research and discipline. The Senate consists of Department heads and senior staff. Each department will be headed by a Dean supported by departmental board. The Deans will be responsible for their respective departments and will be accountable to the Vice-Chancellor. The University will have, in addition, a Research and Enterprise unit, charged with the coordination of research carried out by the University’s own departments and institutes and by its International Research Associates network (See Appendix 4.).

 

For fundraising and technical support, the University will have country representatives in all the countries in the West and the Middle East with strong Somali presence. These country chapters will be co-ordinated by an international committee.

 

 A 15-member Council has already been chosen. They consist of prominent members of the community, such as: businessmen, professionals and public officials (see appendix 5). The current chairman is Mohamoud Adan Dheri, former governor of Togdheer Region. Mohamed Hussein Adan, the former Mayor of Burao, is the Treasurer, and the Secretary is Dr. Issa Nur Liban.

 

G. The Need

 

The university’s needs are many and multi-layered. It needs books, equipment, furniture, buildings and people. Some of its needs are however immediate, while others are long-term.

 

Immediate Needs in July – September 2004:

1.      Text books for the first semester education, veterinary and business courses

2.      Reference books

3.      Photocopying machines/duplicate facilities

4.      Computers & Servers

5.      Printers & scanner

6.      A Fax machine

7.      Stationery

8.      Financial help with administrative costs

9.      A mini-bus

 

 

Short-term Needs in October 2004 – March 2005:

1.      Rehabilitation of:

§         Classrooms (six classrooms)

§         Office block

§         Library (dinning hall)

§         Computer lab

§         Generator room

§         Toilets

2.      Refurbishment of classes, offices, library and computer room

3.      Generator

4.      Books

 

Medium-term in April 2005 – September 2005:

1.      Rehabilitation and building of:

§         Lecture hall

§         Classrooms and laboratories (former dormitories)

§         Toilets

§         Mosque

§         Fencing and landscaping

2.      Refurbishment of classrooms and mosque

3.      Laboratory equipment

4.      Books

 


H. Budget

 

July – September 2004

 

Description

Quantity

Amount (US$)

Text books

20

1000

Reference books (container transport)

3000

3000

Computers

13

8000

Printers

4

2000

Photocopying/duplicate machine

2

4500

Fax machine

1

  300

Stationery

 

1000

Transport (mini bus)

1

8000

Toilets

4

1000

Salary supplement

 

1000

 

 

29,800

 

October 2004 – March 2005

 

Description

Quantity

Amount (US$)

Rehabilitation of buildings

 

 

                Classrooms

6

39,200

                Office

4

17,800

                Library and computer room

2

19,000

                Generator room

1

  3,000

                Toilets

 

  4,400

                Generator and storage room

1

  6,400

Refurbishment

 

 

                Classrooms

6

  6,000

                Offices

4

  1,000

                Library and computer room

2

  2,500

Total

 

74,500

 

Medium term (April 2005 – September 2005)

Description

Quantity

Amount

Rehabilitation of Buildings

 

 

                  Classrooms and laboratories

8

57,200

                   Lecture Hall

1

17,800

                   Mosque

1

  5,000

                    Stores

3

10,000

                    Toilets

 

10,300

                    Fence

 

25,000

Refurbishment

 

 

                    Classrooms and laboratories

8

  8,000

                    Lecture hall

1

  2,000

                     Mosque

1

  1,500

Laboratory equipment

2

30,000

Total

 

166,800


Appendix 1

 

Public and Private Primary Schools by Region for the Scholastic Year 2003/2004

 

District

No. Schools

No. Classes

Students

% Female

Teachers

Graduates

Awdal

55

317

13,052

34

341

57

Hargeisa

139

1,233

54,601

34

1,156

97

Sahil

34

126

5,245

31

130

5

Togdheer

73

441

15,991

30

466

51

Sool

47

256

9,435

41

238

20

Sanag

40

252

8,156

35

259

11

Total

385

2,625

106,480

33

2,590

241

§         Source: Ministry of Education

 

Public and Private Secondary Schools by Region for the Scholastic Year 2003/2004

 

District

No. schools

No. Classes

Students

Teachers

Awdal

4

34

1576

57

Hargeisa

14

133

7363

197

Sahil

3

15

531

32

Togdheer

3

15

438

30

Sool

1

8

213

12

Sanag

5

20

552

30

Total

30

225

10773

258

§         Source: Ministry of Education

 


Appendix 2

 

University of Burao: Campus

 


 

 

Appendix 4

 

 

University of Burao: Organisational Structure

 

 

 

 

 


                                                                                                                        

 

International

Support committee

 
 

 

 

 

 

Department Deans

 

    Senate

 

Department Boards

 
                          

                                                                           

 

ration

 

Business  

 

Research & Enterprise

 

Continuing Education

 

Education

 

Veterinary

 
                   

                                   

 

Registry and administ

                                           

 

IRDRM

Institute

 
                                                                                                                                                                               

 


Appendix 3

 

University of Burao; Rehabilitation of the campus

 

 

G.I.SHEETS ROOF

CONCRETE ROOF

SPACE

DIM

AREA

m2

RATE

($/m2)

ESTIMATE ($)

RATE

($/m2)

ESTIMATE ($)

Hall

23.35*10.1

235.84

70.00

16,508.45

100.00

23,583.50

Class

21.6*7.05

152.28

70.00

10,659.60

100.00

15,228.00

Porch

21.6*2

43.20

40.00

1,728.00

60.00

2,592.00

Class

18.2*6.6

120.12

70.00

8,408.40

100.00

12,012.00

Porch

9.25*2

18.50

40.00

740.00

60.00

1,111.00

Class

18.05*6.6

119.13

70.00

8339.10

100.00

11,913.00

Porch

17.7*2

35.40

40.00

1,416.00

60.00

2,124.00

Class

22.3*6.2

138.26

70.00

9,678.20

100.00

13,826.00

Porch

22.3*2

44.60

40.00

1,784.00

60.00

2,676.00

Class

22.25*6.2

137.95

70.00

9,656.50

100.00

13,795.00

Porch

22.3*2

44.60

40.00

1,784.00

60.00

2,676.00

Class

22.3*6.2

138.26

70.00

9,678.20

100.00

13,826.00

Porch

22.3*2

44.60

40.00

1,784.00

60.00

2,676.00

Labs

22.25*6.2

137.95

70.00

9,656.50

100.00

13,795.00

Porch

22.3*2

44.60

40.00

1,784.00

60.00

2,676.00

Library

19.1*7.05

134.66

70.00

9,425.85