A new Atlanta-based nonprofit with strong ties to Georgia State University has been formed to publicly assist a private university in Cote d’Ivoire committed to providing stable, affordable education for future African leaders.
The International University of Grand Bassam Foundation, which gained its tax-exempt status in December, will hold an inaugural dinner featuring Cote d’Ivoire Prime Minister Daniel Kablan Duncan at the Intercontinental Buckhead Hotel Oct. 8.
“The government of Cote d’Ivoire supports this institution and believes it can serve as a role model to all of Africa in its higher education endeavors,” said John Hicks, the foundation’s executive director and former associate provost of international affairs at Georgia State. “Because learning institutions in Africa have had such difficulty keeping their doors open for political reasons in the past, now is the best time to aid these students in the completion of their education.”
The Oct. 8 kickoff dinner will be the first of many events to raise awareness and funds for the International University of Grand Bassam, which opened in 2007.
Dr. Hicks stressed that while tuition for the university may seem low at $8,000 to $11,000 per year, providing full or even partial scholarships is vital to students in West Africa due to the economic conditions there.
The nonprofit has also partnered with Georgia State University to align the IUGB’s curriculum with American standards.
“It’s not that we want to impose an American style of education on the university, but schools like Georgia State that focus on things like self-governance and transparency have proved to be successful in preparing young people for the workforce,” Dr. Hicks said.
The IUGB foundation accepts monetary as well as in-kind assistance such as textbooks, computers, software and other relevant materials needed to aid in delivering the curriculum. It also accepts donations in the form of items that can be reverted to cash, such as motor vehicles.
For more information and to learn how to contribute, visit the IUGB Foundation’s website.
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