Distinguished readers, future students, ladies and gentlemen,

I am glad to announce to you that the wait is over. The CEMAC sub-region now has its own specialized tech university. Seven International University (SIU) has been launched with the mission to change the narrative of Central Africa in the IT global market. 

As a Cameroonian and a senior employee at Google, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of technology. I’ve also seen the immense potential that lies within Africa’s youth. However, a gap exists between this potential and the opportunities available. One of these gaps falls in the area that is so close to my heart which is QUALITY EDUCATION.  

With over 15 years of experience in Silicon Valley, I have seen how challenging it is to find and recruit top talent in IT. I have also seen how big tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and Meta are establishing offices in Africa notably South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria etc. As a Cameroonian, I kept asking myself why aren’t they investing in central Africa?

The answer of course is obvious — among others, limited availability of world-class tech talent in the region. 

It is within this backdrop that we came up with the idea of building a purely tech private university in Cameroon that meets the standards of silicon valley big tech companies. 

Knowing how challenging the university project was, we decided in 2018 to conduct market fit by launching a specialized IT training center – Seven Advanced Academy in Douala. For the past 6 years we have trained 600 students and have recorded a graduate-to-employment rate of 90%. 10% of our students have continued their university studies at home and abroad with competent tech skills enabling them to pay their bills while furthering their education. 

Our work with the academy has garnered national and international recognitions from global organizations like La Francophonie, PECB, EC-Council, US Embassy, Coding Dojo, Activa, MTN, Orange, Eneo, and Enko Education. We have gotten national awards from the most read Daily Newspaper, The Guardian Post and many others. 

Looking back at our success and social impact through the training center; we concluded that it was time to launch the real project which is the university. 

For the past six years we have understood the problems faced by students, parents and educational stakeholders in Cameroon. 

We discovered that parents do not only want their children to acquire tech skills but also to obtain a prestigious university degree in a state recognized institution. 

We discovered that the government is waiting for higher education institutions to train IT engineers capable of solving water, electricity, documentation, theft and other national interest issues using the power of technology. 

We equally came to the conclusion that Google, Microsoft, Apple and other tech giants will only invest in the central African sub region if and only if they are sure of a consistent flow of qualified and competent tech talent produced by specialized Tech universities in the region. 

Considering these facts and the guaranteed social impact, the government of Cameroon through the ministry of higher education authorized the creation of Seven International University as a specialized Tech university in Cameroon in 2023. 

The World Bank revealed that youth unemployment in Cameroon stood at 6,64% in 2021. With this number of young people out of work – among them university graduates – many believe that higher education in the country needs to be professionalized, to enable young people to conveniently secure or create jobs upon graduating from university.

We are tackling this unemployment rate by starting our first campus in Douala, Bonamoussadi with in-demand programs such as;

• Bachelor of science in Software Engineering
• Bachelor of science in Cyber Security
• Bachelor of science in Business Management & Startup Building

Seven International University will be a cyber-physical agora for tech enthusiasts that uses reverse engineering to blend the pace and practicality of a bootcamp program into the scope and depth of a university degree.

We have put in place Silicon valley vetted project based learning methods and environment to make sure our students are globally competitive in the IT market. 

Thanks to our diverse and rich board of overseers and trustees made of reputable policy makers, tech entrepreneurs, top rank corporate executives  and venerable academicians, we have designed a curriculum and teaching method that teaches students HOW to think and not WHAT to think. 

We recognize the economic situation of our country and understand that there are brilliant students whose passion for IT is unquenchable but their parents lack the means to send them to a prestigious university like SIU.

To solve this lack of finance problems, by virtue of our institutional standards we have been selected by Chancen International to offer ISAs (Income Sharing Agreements) to our students. By this scholarship scheme, eligible students get their undergraduate studies funded 100% and they only start to pay back when they graduate and start working. 

We take all these engagements because we are bringing something unique to the higher education sector in CEMAC notably:

• Our project-based learning methods, we develop technical and people skills that match the expectations of the labor market
• Our strong industry ties, we forge close relationships with tech companies in the silicon valley, california, USA guaranteeing job placements with tech giants and multinationals in Africa. 
• Our exchange programs with universities in the USA make it possible for students to continue their masters or PhD studies with our partner universities abroad, broadening their job and entrepreneurial opportunities in different countries and cultures.

SIU is not just another university; it is a vision of a brighter future for Central Africa. We are building a veritable tech hub, a center of innovation and excellence that will attract talent from across the region and beyond. 

Our unique pedagogical approach, focused on problem-based learning, hands-on experience, and an entrepreneurial mindset, will equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in the digital economy.

I strongly believe this university will bring immense value to the Central Africa sub-region based on the objectives driving our vision: 

• Developing a Skilled Workforce: We will produce graduates who are not just job seekers but job creators, driving economic growth and development.
• Nurturing Innovation and Entrepreneurship: We will foster a vibrant startup ecosystem, leading to the creation of homegrown technological solutions for local challenges.
• Promoting Regional Collaboration: We will act as a bridge between academia, industry, and governments, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing across Central Africa.
• Addressing Regional Challenges: Our research and innovation efforts will focus on tackling critical issues such as healthcare, agriculture, and renewable energy.
• Positioning Central Africa as a Tech Leader: We will put our region on the global tech map, attracting investment and creating opportunities for our people.

This is just the beginning. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey as we work together to empower Africa’s youth and shape a future where technology serves as a catalyst for positive change.

Thank you.

Estelle Masso Yomba