University of the Gambia

Public university based in Kanifing, The Gambia

13°27′26″N 16°41′08″W / 13.45722222°N 16.68555556°W / 13.45722222; -16.68555556

The University of the Gambia
Latin: Universities in the Gambia
Motto in English	Knowledge Truth Development
Type	Public
Established	1999
Chancellor	President Adama Barrow^[1]
Academic staff	313 (2017)
Students	6000 approx (in September 2017)^[2]
Location	Sere Kunda , The Gambia
Campus	Kal Jawara Memorial Block (MDI), Kanifing South, Sere Kunda) Royal Victoria Teaching Hospital (Banjul) Gambia College (Brikama)
Affiliations	St. Mary's College of Maryland^[3] Alliance française^[4] Saint Mary's University (Halifax)^[5]
Website	www.utg.edu.gm

The University of the Gambia (UTG) is an institution of higher education located in Sere Kunda, the largest city in the Gambia.

History

The campus was founded in 1998 in Kotu-Kanifing, a suburb of Sere Kunda. It was not until March 1999 that the UTG started to offer courses, following a law passed by the National Assembly of the Gambia.^[6] In 1999, 300 students are reported to have been enrolled. As of 2002, the number of academic staff was 44. In 2006, nearly 2000 students were enrolled.^[7] The Gambian government has planned to create a new campus at Faraba Banta.^[8]

Schools

The UTG is composed of several schools (or faculties)^[9] :

School of Agriculture and Environment Sciences, Brikama
School of Arts and Sciences, Faraba
School of Business and Public Administration
School of Education
Faculty of Law
School of Journalism and Digital Media, Kanifing
School of Engineering and Architecture
School of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences
School of Information Technology and Communications
School of Graduate Studies and Research
UTG Digital Campus
UTG North Bank Campus, Farafenni

Degrees

The qualifications that can be attained include^[10] :

Bachelor in Education
Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Christian Religious Studies
Bachelor of Law (LLB)
Bachelor of Medicine / Surgery (MBChB)
Bachelor of Science in Accounting
Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
Bachelor of Science in Biology
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry
Bachelor of Science in Communications & Media
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Bachelor of Science in Economics
Bachelor of Science in Environment Science
Bachelor of Science in Information Systems
Bachelor of Science in Management
Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Midwifery
Bachelor of Science in Physics
Bachelor of Science in Planning and Design
Bachelor of Science in Political Science
Bachelor of Science in Public Health
Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications & Wireless Technologies
Master of Arts in African History
Master of Arts in French
Master of Law (LLM)^[11]
Master of Science in Climate Change and Education (WASCAL Master Research Program)^[12]
Master of Science in Public Health

Academic staff

Notable past and present lecturers at the UTG include the following:

Prof. Herbert Robinson, Vice Chancellor of the University of the Gambia
Dr. Momodou Lamin Tarro, Registrar of the university of the gambia
Dr. Aidara, Human Resource Director
Dr. Habibatou Drammeh, Director of Student Affairs
Mr. Mbakeh Camara Director of International Relations
Dr. Lamin B. Ceesay, Acting Head of School of Business & Public Administration
Dr. Sidat Yaffa, Director of WASCAL

PaSara Drammeh, IT Manager
Alhaji Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof, lecturer of history.^[13]
Musu Bakoto Sawo, lecturer in international human rights law and winner of the "2020 African of the Year Award" from Daily Trust.^[14]
Bukhari M.S. Sillah, lecturer of economics.^[15]
Saja Taal, lecturer in political science.^[16]

Role in public health

On October 11, 2012, it was reported that the university has started two master's degree programs in public health in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Springfield and the University of Iowa. According to Vaccine News Daily: "Rex Kuye, the head of the public health department, said that the two programs were conceived of locally to address growing health concerns in the Gambia. The Gambia has made many public health strides in the last two decades. The nation was certified as polio free in 2004 and has had no confirmed polio cases since that time. The success in the battle against polio resulted from high political commitment and routine polio immunization coverage of more than 90 percent since 1990, according to the Foroyaa Newspaper."^[17]

References

^ State House, Gambia
^ (in French) Partenariats Universitaires en Coopération et Développement Première université en Gambie Archived 2012-04-17 at the Wayback Machine
^ St. Mary's College of Maryland Archived 2013-01-09 at the Wayback Machine
^ The Point Newspaper "Alliance Franco Gambienne: The Mother of French Learning
^ State House, Gambia
^ "UTG". Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
^ (in French) Partenariats Universitaires en Coopération et Développement Première université en Gambie Archived 2012-04-17 at the Wayback Machine
^ State House, Gambia
^ "UTG". Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
^ "UTG Program of Studies". Archived from the original on 2012-02-11. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
^ "Faculty of Law". UTG Law Faculty. 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
^ "WASCAL :: Climate Change and Education". Archived from the original on 2015-11-19. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
^ Foroyaa : Alhaji A.E. Cham Joof's exclusive interview with Foroyaa Panorama Archived 2011-10-03 at the Wayback Machine
^ "Africa: Musu Bakoto Sawo Emerges 2020 Daily Trust African of the Year". allAfrica.com. Daily Trust. 17 January 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
^ GDN Working Paper Series. Micro-Financing as a Means of Reducing Extreme Poverty: The Case of Senegal and the Gambia. By Aloysius Ajab Amin and Tharcisse Ntilivamunda. (October 2009). p iii (p 3) [1] and Mr Sillah's C.V. (see also UTG Faculty [2]
^ Gillen, Ebrima (April 3, 2014). "Dr. Saja Taal Passes Away". The Point. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
^ Paul Tinder, "University of The Gambia launches public health masters programs", Vaccine News Daily, 11 Oct 2012