April 2023 West African Regional TVET Conference

The Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA), was born out of a resolution of the General Assembly of Heads of Member Institutions of the Commonwealth Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA) taken on 29th of August 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda. This decision was ratified by the Ministers of Education from AU member states at the Third Ordinary Session of the Specialized Committee on Education, Science and Technology (STC – EST III) on December 13, 2019 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The African Union’s STC – EST III resolved to encourage Technical Universities and Polytechnics in their countries to join this continental Association. The mandate of the Pan-African Association is to support professional and skill development amongst members drawn from TVET institutions in Africa.

In order to stimulate exchanges of experience and ideas, the Association regularly organizes and provides forums for discussion of matters of common interests to members and stakeholders.  This year’s conference theme « Contribution of Research and Technical Vocational Training to the Development of agro-industry » is relevant for sustainable food self-sufficiency in the African continent particularly in West Africa.

TVET can be developed for a variety of different skillsets leading to self-employment and development of small and medium-sized enterprises. This ensures students develop knowledge and skills that are relevant to the current needs of our economies, which is critical to achieving development. This should be a solution for the growing disparity between the skills that are taught and the skills that are in demand.

Regional TVET Conference

The African continent requires skilled workforce in the agro-industry sector to make it  technically viable and economically less dependent on importation of agricultural products. Therefore, TVET institutions in collaboration with governments and the private sector have a key role to play in the development of  core skills  in the sector.  This would provide the young people with skills needed to access employment or start their business.

It is against this background that the Association of Technical Universities and Polytechnics in Africa (ATUPA) in partnership with relevant stakeholders have decided to hold the 2023 West African Regional TVET Conference on:  « Contribution of research and technical and vocational training to the development of agro-industry » in Saly, Sénégal on 25 – 27 April 2023.