The Afro-American University of Central Africa, a public Equatorial Guinean higher education institution recently established at the heart of Africa (in Djibloho), has announced Said Irandoust (Sweden/Indonesia) its new Rector Vice-Chancellor. 

Said Irandoust is a chemical engineering professor and an experienced academic leader with top management and governance records. He served as Rector, President and CEO in several HE institutions in Asia, Europe and Scandinavia. He has established a few modern universities, satellite campuses and company start-ups. He was Chair of the Swedish Government’s Committee for Promoting Mathematics; member of the Swedish Government’s Committee for the Widening Recruitment; and member of the Board of the Swedish Foundation for International Cooperation in Research and Higher Education (STINT), among others. In his more than 30 years in various senior executive positions within the academia, he has worked with all aspects of higher education. He received the Medal of Progress from the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, is the recipient of the “Award for the Outstanding Contribution to Education” in India, and obtained Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Russia and the Philippines. 

“Under the new leadership of Prof. Irandoust, the AAUCA will become a real center of excellence and a beacon of Scientific Research and Development in the region, and for the continent in the very near future. The new Rector will contribute significantly in realizing the major milestones of this USD 6.9 million project and ensure quality university services and governance, ensuring greater and more efficient cooperation between UNESCO and AAUCA”, said Salah Khaled, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office in Yaoundé for Central Africa.

The newly appointed Rector has just signed a contract in Malabo with the Minister of Education of GEq, Don Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene, and with the presence of the Coordinator of UNESCO Antenna in Malabo. The official installing ceremony will take place on Sunday, February 14 2021, at the premises of AAUCA University, in the presence of the Vice Prime Minister with local civil and military Equatoguinean officials. 

UNESCO has been supporting AAUCA, since the signature of the UNESCO-Guinee equatorial Cooperation Framework in 2018, to ensure its operationalization and development as a World-Class University. 

The UNESCO International Institute for Higher Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (IESALC) has had a prominent role in managing the international selection process for the position of Rector from the beginning. 

Other technical support includes management of the international selection process for the fulfillment of teaching positions -in progress- with the design of 29 job profiles and the revision of 420 applications; as well as other middle-management positions.

“I would like to sincerely thank and congratulate Francesc Pedro, IESALC’s director, and his IESALC team, for all their efforts and support on this complex recruitment process started in April 2020”, said Mr. Khaled. 

Photo: Prof Said Irandoust (left) signing his contract in Malabo with the Minister of Education of GEq Don Clemente Engonga Nguema Onguene (right) and with the presence of the Coordinator of UNESCO Antenna in Malabo.