Mombasa, Kenya — The 8th Ordinary Session of the Pan African University (PAU) Senate convened in Mombasa, Kenya, on 7 and 8 May 2026 under the chairmanship of PAU Rector, Professor Jean Koulidiati. The two-day meeting brought together 25 participants, including directors of all four PAU institutes, representatives of host universities from Nigeria, Algeria, and Kenya, academic and research staff, and student delegates from across the PAU network, with a few members participating online.

The session focused on key institutional priorities, including student admissions, academic governance, accreditation, digital learning, and the long-term financial and institutional autonomy of the university.

As part of preparations for the 2026 academic year, the Senate approved the admission of 131 students across two institutes: 50 students at the Pan African University Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS) and 81 students at the Pan African University Institute for Life and Earth Sciences including Agriculture (PAULESI). Courses at both institutes are scheduled to begin on 1 July 2026.

Institute directors were instructed to communicate admission decisions, scholarship arrangements, and onboarding procedures to successful candidates. They were also authorized to admit students from waiting lists according to ranking where necessary. The Senate also addressed the situation at PAUWES, noting that admissions for the 2026 academic year are subject to the resolution of outstanding institutional matters, and authorized the institute to proceed with its intake once those conditions are met. The Rectorate was requested to keep applicants informed in the interim.

To strengthen institutional culture and accountability, the Senate recommended that all PAU institutes introduce a Pledge on Honour during student induction, through which incoming students formally commit to the rules and regulations of both PAU and their respective host universities at the start of their academic journey.

The Senate also reviewed several policy and governance matters aimed at reinforcing academic standards across the PAU network. Acting PAUSTI Director Professor Losenge Turoop presented two policy documents that received Senate approval: the PAUSTI Examination Rules and Regulations (2025) and the PAUSTI Policy on Postdoctoral Fellows, first issued in November 2025. Both documents form part of broader efforts to strengthen academic and research governance within the university system.

In addition, PAU Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Professor Bolanle Akeredolu-Ale updated members on progress made by PAUSTI and PAUWES in conducting self-evaluations for accreditation by the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES). Professor Turoop, in his additional role as Chair of the Committee of Directors, also presented updates on the harmonization of host agreements and memoranda of understanding between PAU institutes and their host universities. The Senate requested that a comprehensive report on this process be presented at its next session.

Discussions on institutional development also highlighted PAU’s growing investment in digital learning and professional training. Professor Akeredolu-Ale briefed the Senate on the UNESCO-IICBA-PAVEU project, which supports female teachers and school leaders in crisis settings through mobile-based learning. The initiative, launched on 18 December 2025 and running until 30 August 2026, is being implemented in partnership with the Japanese EdTech company Castalia Co.

Under the project, ten e-learning courses are currently being developed across the PAU network, with contributions from all four institutes. The courses cover areas such as AI literacy, digital inclusion, leadership, networking skills, human rights and gender, and the general history of Africa. As part of these efforts, the PAVEU online learning platform, previously offline due to technical difficulties, has now been reactivated.

The Senate also took note of a proposed Professional Online Master’s Programme being developed in collaboration with UNIMARCONI, FAO, UNU, and PAVEU, and authorized the Rector to continue discussions with partner institutions toward its implementation.

A major highlight of the session was the presentation of the Integrated Strategy for the Autonomy of the Pan-African University by PAUWES Director Professor Zerga Abdellatif. The strategy outlines a ten-year roadmap for reducing reliance on external project-based funding and strengthening PAU’s financial sustainability through research outputs, scientific consultancy, industrial partnerships, and digital education.

The decisions taken at the 8th Ordinary Session reflect PAU's continued commitment to delivering on its mandate as Africa's flagship postgraduate university network. With new student cohorts set to join PAUGHSS and PAULESI, key academic policies now in place, and a long-term vision for institutional independence formally on the table, the university moves forward with a clearer sense of direction, one that keeps the development of African research talent and the aspirations of Agenda 2063 firmly at its centre.