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The University of Buea (UBuea) was established in 1993 and is one of only two English-speaking universities in Cameroon. The student population is approximately 12,000, with 300 permanent and 200 part-time teaching staff. The University is actually situated on the slopes of Mount Cameroon, an active volcano, and Disaster risk as a field of research at UBuea commenced as a result of the publication of results on landslides at Bafaka in 1998. Academic modules of natural disasters and risk reduction are taught in the departments of Environmental Science, Geology and Geography at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The Centre for Hazard Monitoring and Disaster Management (CEDIM) which is headed by Professor Samuel Ayonghe, the Dean of Science at UBuea. |
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Over the years Cameroon has experienced several severe hazardous events; Cameroon experiences some of the greatest volcanic and seismic activity on the continent, with Mount Cameroon erupting on average every 16 years. A consequence of these activities has been numerous landslides which cause major destruction and disruption and often death. In 2001, there were landslides at Limbe which killed 23 people and were equally managed and monitored by this author. In 2003 more landslides occurred in Wabane and again were managed and monitored by this author and his team. Several publications and theses (MSc and PhD) evolved from these studies. Other areas of research (for publications and for students’ theses) have been on the asphyxiating CO2 gases from crater lakes, on floods, and on micro-seismicity (earthquakes) associated with the constant movement of magma within this active volcano which precede and accompany its eruptions.
Academic Programmes UBuea offers two Postgraduare Masters programmes to students; 1. Masters Degree in Disaster management and Safety 2. Masters of Science Degree in Disaster Risk Management
UBuea has recently launched a new Masters of Science Degree in Disaster Risk Management. It represents UB’s commitment to providing capacity building to the younger generation, and to experts in the field who are working in Ministerial departments, Municipal Councils, Organizations, Corporations, Academic and Research Institutions, Consultants, etc., aimed at making them to be problem-solvers of present and future natural and man-made hazards and disasters occurring in the Central African Sub-Region and in our communities in Cameroon in particular. Clink on the link here to find out more about the programme and its admission requirements. |
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