Amoud University - Overview

Overview

Following the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia in the early 1990s, a group of professionals and expatriates from the Awdal region began discussions in 1996 on the possibility of creating an institute of higher learning in the area. This culminated in the establishment of Amoud University (AU) in 1998.

The university is registered as a non-governmental, non-profit making institution. It is deeply-rooted in the local community, as the primary support for the college's foundation came from the community elders, leaders, business people, concerned citizens and local non-governmental organizations.

AU originally began with 66 students in two faculties, Education and Business Administration, with 3 staff professors. The university currently has a student population of 2504 enrolled in 9 faculties, including in Medicine and Surgery. It also counts 130 teachers and a large library with up-to-date books. The first batch of medical graduates concluded their studies in June 2007. Their final exams were supervised by the Kings Cross Medical College of London, which provides curriculum and teaching assistance to AU's medical faculty.

In 2003, Amoud University signed a project agreement with the EC/DANIDA/CfBT for teacher training in the Education department. The two-year Diploma Education Programme is funded by EC and DANIDA through UNESCO and CfBT.