The Rector of Unikin, the Professor Jean-Marie Kayembe Ntumba, was honored this Monday, April 25, 2022 by the visit of the Rector of theAUF, the University Agency of the Francophonie, Mr. Slim KhalbousHe was accompanied by Mrs. Aissatou SY-Wonyu, Regional Director of the AUF for Central Africa and the Great Lakes. The AUF delegation was treated to honors worthy of the female university guard.

The AUF is a global network of French-speaking higher education and research institutions founded in 1961 in Montreal. It brings together more than 120 countries, making it the largest association of universities in the world based on a common language. The AUF is present in 40 countries and is headquartered on the campus of the Université de Montréal. It is the world's leading university network, with more than 1,000 member institutions. Since December 8, 2019, it has been led by Mr. Slim Khalbous, a Tunisian national, University Professor of Management Sciences. He is the first African Rector to head the AUF. This organization aims to promote the university's contribution to society.

 As a member of the AUF, Unikin had the privilege on April 25, 2022, of being the first stop in a long series of official visits planned in the agenda of the Rector of the AUF.

The major project with Unikin is to create a very large service space for students and teacher-researchers from Unikin but also from all universities that want to collaborate with Unikin. First, there will be the relocation of the CEDESURK digital campus to Unikin, hence the visit to the central library premises; then the installation of an employability center whose purpose will be to guide students before they leave university towards better professional integration. This is a promising project in response to the issue of today's French-speaking youth who need support. The dearest wish is to see the opening of the AUF/RDC National Office within Unikin.

The Unikin Rector and his Management Committee were delighted with the AUF's visit to the eldest university in the DRC. This is an asset for the realization of the Unikin-solution concept through the effectiveness of the Digital Campus and the employability center.

The protocol ritual was in order: after a brief presentation of the Unikin postcard, the Rector of the AUF left a courteous note in the guestbook of the Unikin Rectorate, then followed the family photo, the view from the rectorate balcony on the university site and a cocktail for the occasion.

Exchanges of gifts between the two parties took place:

• The Rector of Unikin and his Management Committee offered the AUF a statuette symbolizing “Instruction”.
• The Rector of the AUF offered the "  White Paper on the Scientific Francophonie » and other literature. This “White Paper” is a synthesis of the results of an unprecedented global consultation undertaken by the AUF in 2020, the DRC special sheet starting on page 103.

The visit to the central library premises by the AUF delegation allowed the latter to assess the renovation work to be carried out with a view to installing the AUF/RDC infrastructure.

                                                                                                                                                        Rectorate Press.