URDFS welcomes ADIUT delegation to strengthen Franco-Senegalese academic partnership

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Université Rose Dieng France-Sénégal (Ex CFS) has welcomed a high-level delegation from the Assemblée des Directeurs d’IUT (ADIUT) as part of efforts to deepen Franco-Senegalese cooperation in technical and professional education.

The delegation, chaired by Olivier Aubreton, Vice-President of ADIUT in charge of guidance and pedagogy, arrived in Dakar on March 2, 2026. The visit marks a new phase in the development of the university’s academic programmes and reinforces collaboration between French University Institutes of Technology and Senegalese higher education institutions.

The mission follows the October 2025 launch of two initial training programmes developed in partnership: the Bachelor Universitaire de Technologie (BUT) in Industrial Engineering and Maintenance (GIM) and the BUT in Logistics and Transport Management (MLT). These programmes represent the first concrete outcomes of the cooperation framework.

During the inaugural session of the visit, the Director General of URDFS presented the institution’s Academic Project through 2028, outlining its strategic vision for expanding high-quality, professionally oriented education aligned with international standards and local market needs.

Throughout the week, 13 experts from ADIUT are working with university teams and socio-economic partners to finalize the launch of three additional programmes: Civil Engineering – Sustainable Construction (GC-CD), Biological Engineering – Medical Biology and Biotechnology (GB-BMB/SAB), and Administrative and Commercial Management of Organizations (GACO).

The agenda includes technical working sessions on pedagogical models and provisional budgets, as well as site visits to companies and institutions that will host internships, work-study placements and professional immersion activities. These include Eiffage, Sogea-Satom and the Institut Pasteur de Dakar. Meetings are also scheduled with major employers and representative companies such as SONATEL, CANAL+ Group and Lagardère Travel Retail to facilitate direct pathways to employment for graduates.

University officials described the partnership as a long-term commitment to delivering internationally benchmarked technical education that is firmly rooted in the economic realities of Senegal, with the goal of enhancing employability and supporting national development priorities.