African Studies Center - TUFS will hold the 24th ASC Seminar on November 16, 2018. It is jointly organized by Kanto branch of Japan Association for African Studies. We will invite Professor Samuel Irungu Njau, the chairman and founder of Summit International Institute in Burundi. The Institute is the only English Language university in the country.

Since Burundi was included into East Africa Community (EAC), the county has been facing the rapid social and economic changes. Prof. Njau will discuss the importance of higher education, and current and future challenges that Burundi will face.

?Title: Issues and Challenges Facing Burundi: From the Perspective of Higher Education

?Speaker: Prof. Samuel Irungu Njau
　　　　　　(Chairman, Summit International Institute, Burundi

?Profile: Samuel Irungu Njau is the chairman and founder of Summit International Institute in Burundi. He has worked in higher education in Kenya, Burundi Tanzania, Rwanda. As the president of Summit International, the only English Language university in the country, he has extensive contacts throughout the region and has been assigned by the government to assist in tourism, education and trade.

?Abstract: Burundi is the poorest country in the world. That metric means that out of 196 countries it is dead last. While that may seem like an extremely difficult situation, there is a silver lining, and that is that things can only improve. When the East Africa Community (EAC) was reformed, it was expanded from the original three (Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda) to include Rwanda and Burundi, and now South Sudan. This reformed EAC has repositioned the newer members further into East Africa geopolitically, creating numerous opportunities, due to the new free movement of people, business, and education. These newly created opportunities under the umbrella of the EAC can only be positive for Burundi. This presentation will discuss some of social implications, mainly from the perspective of higher education and the role that English must play, as it becomes the lingua Franca of the region. The presenter will give personal insight on the consequences of this rapid changing social and economic situation, as well as discuss current and future challenges that the country will face.

?Date & Time: Friday, November 16, 2018 4:00 - 5:30 pm

?Venue: Room 322, Research and Lecture Building,
Tokyo University of Foreign Studies

?Language: English

?Admission: Free

?No pre-registration is needed.

?Jointly organized by Kanto branch of Japan Association for African Studies