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Pope Leo XIV’s Visit: a Historic Moment for the Entire UCAC-Icam Community

Icam
20 Apr 2026

Friday, April 17, 2026 will remain etched in the memory of the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC) and its entire community. His Holiness Pope Leo XIV, on an apostolic visit to Cameroon, honoured the Nkolbisson campus in Yaoundé with his presence, on the occasion of a historic meeting with the academic world — the third stop of a ten-day apostolic journey across Africa.

A meeting at the heart of the university’s mission

Before the Sovereign Pontiff, the Rector of UCAC, Reverend Father Professor Thomas Bienvenu Tchoungui, presented the university’s faculties and programmes, highlighting in particular the Institut Ucac-Icam and its calling to train the engineers of tomorrow. He also put forward a strong and ambitious plea: to obtain the Holy Father’s intercession with the Cameroonian State for the creation of a Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy within the Ess-UCAC, in order to address the major public health challenges in the sub-region.

A landmark speech by Pope Leo XIV

In his address, the Pope urged students and teachers to make UCAC a living place for the pursuit of truth, the formation of consciences, and resistance to contemporary drifts. The institution, founded in 1989 by the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa, is in his words “a reason for hope” and “a beacon serving the Church and Africa in its search for truth, justice and solidarity.”

Leo XIV reminded his audience that no society can prosper without upright consciences formed in truth, and called on teachers to be not only intellectual guides, but also role models whose scientific rigour and personal integrity shape the consciences of their students.

Addressing students directly, the Holy Father spoke of the understandable temptation to emigrate, urging them to resist it and to put their skills at the service of the development of their territory and their fellow citizens. A message that fully resonates with Icam’s commitment to training future engineers who are responsible and engaged, in their country and for their country!

The Ucac-Icam community mobilised

For these memorable days, staff and students of the Institut Ucac-Icam fully mobilised, taking part in two key moments:

  • The pontifical Mass celebrated at the Japoma Stadium in Douala
  • The meeting with the academic world on the Nkolbisson campus in Yaoundé

A commitment that reflects the vitality and dedication of an entire community, deeply attached to the values at the heart of its mission. Welcoming the successor of Saint Peter is a profound confirmation of the Institut Ucac-Icam’s commitment to training not only technically skilled men and women, but also citizens engaged for the common good — exactly as the Holy Father called for in his address.

This occasion will leave a lasting mark on the history of our institution and in the hearts of our students, who had shared messages of hope and commitment to change ahead of the Sovereign Pontiff’s visit.

Watch Leo XIV’s visit to UCAC 👇