Interview: “We Have Set Our Sights On Full BMD System Integration”

The Pan-African Institute for Development, PAID-WA, on January 30, 2026 holds a joint convocation ceremony for its 54th and 55th batches. How many students are concerned per level of training in this convocation (Diploma, Degree, Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s...)?
The joint convocation ceremony of January 30, 2026, which brings together the 54th and 55th graduating batches of the Pan-African Institute for Development, West Africa (PAID-WA), concerns over 200 students from multiple levels of professional and academic training.
The graduating cohorts reflect PAID-WA’s multi-tier training mandate, with the majority of graduates drawn from Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes, followed by Postgraduate Diploma and professional Diploma programmes. The precise numerical breakdown per level is contained in the official graduation booklet and reflects healthy enrolment growth across all programmes.

Apart from the main PAID-WA campus in Buea, from which study/learning centres do the graduating students come from?
In addition to the main campus in Buea, graduating students come from several approved PAID-WA learning centres across Cameroon. These centres are established to promote accessibility, decentralization of training, and national coverage. Graduates for this convocation come from learning centres located in Yaounde, Douala, Bamenda and other authorized outreach centres operating under PAID-WA’s academic supervision.
This wide geographical representation highlights PAID-WA’s commitment to bringing development-focused higher education closer to communities across Cameroon.

Are there any peculiarities with these graduating batches?
Yes, the 54th and 55th batches are particularly significant. First, they represent post-COVID recovery cohorts, whose academic journeys required exceptional resilience, adaptability, and commitment in the face of global and national disruptions.
Second, they include a diverse student population, comprising fresh graduates, working professionals, civil servants, NGO practitioners, and development actors, reinforcing PAID-WA’s identity as a practice-oriented institution.

Why does PAID-WA organize joint convocation ceremonies – long after the students left school - instead of every year?
PAID-WA organizes joint convocation ceremonies primarily for academic, administrative, and logistical efficiency. As a specialized professional institute operating with multiple partner universities and decentralized learning centres, PAID-WA aligns graduation ceremonies with the harmonization of academic calendars, validation of results by supervising State universities, and financial and organizational sustainability.
This approach ensures that every convocation ceremony is well-prepared, dignified, inclusive, and compliant with national higher education regulations, while also allowing graduates to receive their credentials in a ceremony that reflects the Institute’s Pan-African prestige.

Now, let's talk about PAID-WA work in Cameroon in general.  What is the current enrolment of PAID-WA this academic year?
For the 2025/2026 academic year, PAID-WA records a strong and steadily growing student population, with enrolment running into the several hundreds across all programmes and centres.
This enrolment spans Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma programmes, Bachelor’s degree programmes, and Master’s degree programmes.
The current enrolment figures reflect renewed confidence in PAID-WA’s programmes, increased demand for development-oriented training, and the relevance of its curricula to Cameroon’s socio-economic priorities.

PAID-WA began as a trainer of low- and middle-level development workers. But has since transitioned to training Bachelor’s and Master’s degree holders. How smooth has this transition been? Which are the State-owned universities overseeing this higher level training?
The transition has been progressive, well-managed, and largely successful. PAID-WA leveraged its long-standing experience in professional training to upgrade curricula to university standards; strengthen academi...