The Universidade do Planalto Central de Angola (Angola Central Highlands University or simply Angola University) will change lives and a country
A private University will be established in war ravaged Bié Province, Angola. Universidade do Planalto Central, or Angola Central Highlands University in English, will increase the availability and accessibility of higher education for Bié province and throughout Angola. This University will contribute to Angola’s future through the education and research it will provide. Economic development and individual self-reliance will be promoted. And, it will advance human rights by ensuring women and other currently underserved groups receive an education previously denied them.
The need is great
Angola recently emerged from nearly three decades of a civil war that left its devastating mark on the development of the country and its educational system. Nowhere in Angola has the effect of war been felt more than in the Bié province. All infrastructures, including schools were destroyed. After the end of the civil war, the government of Bié rebuilt most of its infrastructure including elementary and secondary education schools. Today, Bié is the only Angola province with a high school in each of its nine municipalities. The presence of these schools yields a population well prepared for a university education.
Yet, according to the government of Bié, 99.9% of Bié graduates cannot
pursue higher education due to a lack of universities in Angola and specifically
in Bié. (Angola has only seven universities, all located along its west
coast; Bié, located in the center of the country, has none.) Bright, motivated
young people have no hope of attending a university. This inability to
participate in higher education not only compromises their likelihood
to live fulfilling lives, it diminishes their potential to contribute
to Angola’s development process.
Because of immense natural resources, Angola has become the destination of many multinational corporations. Most prefer to hire expatriates with the required educational backgrounds. This practice creates tension between Angolan citizens and expatriates and has a negative effect on Angola’s economy. It is by empowering Angolans with higher education that they will be competitive in the global economy.
A preliminary plan has been developed
An eleven phase preliminary plan has been developed to establish the University in Bié. The mission is to build Angola’s future through excellent education and research. The University will promote economic development and self-reliance, improve education and advance human rights.
A delegation of leaders will refine the plan
The SHARE Delegation will meet with various government, business and USAID senior leaders in Angola to discuss the University Project and benefit from the perspectives of these key stakeholders. Knowledge gained will be used to refine the preliminary strategic plan and establish the project budget.
Funding
SHARE will be seeking funding from foundations, corporations in both within and outside Angola, and from the Angolan Government. The commitment of the Angolan Government extends beyond funding. The Government of Bié province has already assigned a plot of land to SHARE where the University will be built in Kuito.
Empowering Angolans with higher education and English as an international language of business will enable them to compete in their own country and in the global economy.
Angola extends for more than 1,000 miles (1,609 km) along the Atlantic Ocean. Bié province, which is located at the geodesic center of Angola, is sometimes called "The Heart of Angola."
Currently, less than 1% of Bié high school students can pursue higher education.
The Thinker is the national symbol of Angola and depicts King Ekuikui (19th century). He was famous for solving problems by sitting on a stone and thinking.
