ECOPO AND ITS OBJECTIVES
EcoPo, École Supérieure of Economic and Political Governance, first opened to the public on Monday 4 October 2010 in Lubumbashi, DR Congo, with the aim of becoming an autonomous university of international standing. EcoPo is a university that provides the necessary education frameworks for both the Katanga province and the Democratic Republic of Congo, facilitating the good governance of the administration, businesses, finances and overall development. The proposed training focuses on students who are capable of following a demanding and rigorous program, and who are preparing for jobs and management positions in the public services arena, as well as in private companies, banks and at the heart of civil society.
EcoPo Lubumbashi aligns itself directly to what is commonly called the « Bologne Process », an internationally recognized standard under the abbreviation LMD (francophone version) of Graduate/Masters/PHD. The process also relates to the development of studies, the type of diploma awarded and, above all, the level of teaching and results.
EcoPo Lubumbashi comes under the Congolese Ministry of Higher Education; the diplomas awarded are therefore officially recognized within the Democratic Republic of Congo.
EcoPo Lubumbashi offers three types of Masters, and there are currently two different ways to gain them:
Long cycle : This is reserved for state graduates or high-school finalists about to undertake the course.
Short cycle : Lasting three years, this cycle is reserved for Licenciés and, eventually, to Graduates.
The following are the Masters programs that EcoPo offers :
Management of Public Affairs
Management of businesses and financial engineering
Food processing and industrial diversification and development
The creation of other Masters programs is anticipated for 2013,
and the creation of PHD courses is anticipated for 2014.
and the creation of PHD courses is anticipated for 2014.
CAMPUS PROGRAM
In its development framework, EcoPo Lubumbashi has planned for the construction of a Campus by the end of 2012. It is imperative that a new-style Campus and a modernacquisition of knowledge be developed in Lubumbashi and Katanga. A high standard of teaching can only be nurtured, in a Congolese context, through the provision of books and new technologies. Therefore, the central focus of the Campus will be a multimedia center, which will include a distance-learning center and a conference room that is set up for multilingualism. Estimated construction costs can be found in the specification document.
Bora Campus
The set-up of the Bora Campus will include: EcoPo (planned surface area of 2,880m2, holding 1,100 students in 2015-16) and a media center (planned surface area of 3,000 m2).
Later, it is also planned that an École Supérieure (university) is developed for the Campus, which could act as a school of architecture (planned surface area of 1,140m2, holding 200 students).
A university restaurant and other classrooms also need to be included (and figured into the initial specification document).
