Deployment of the Doctoral Training Unit (UFD) of the Ucac-Icam Institute

Research
7 May 2023

The Ucac-Icam Institute’s Doctoral Training Unit (UFD) in engineering science has been going from strength to strength since its launch in October 2022. With its promising beginnings welcoming three PhD students, this entity has the capacity to triple the number of students enrolled each academic year if the necessary funding is available.

The UFD can now accommodate up to nine students per research area. However, admission to this high-level doctoral program is subject to certain conditions. Students must be accepted by a professor who will supervise them throughout their training. In addition, the excellence of their academic record, their professional experience, their ability to write scientific papers and their success at an interview are essential criteria.

Dr Michel Kameni, Delegate in charge of Higher Education and Research at the Ucac-Icam Institute, clarifies the recruitment process for candidates: “A student must hold a research master’s degree or an engineering diploma obtained with an average of at least 14/20. In addition, they must write a preliminary research project likely to lead to a doctoral thesis, provide a letter of motivation, a detailed curriculum vitae including legalized copies of university diplomas and civil status documents, and lastly, provide three letters of recommendation.”

Training integrated into the LMD cycle

The creation of the UFD within the Ucac-Icam Institute has been warmly welcomed by students, as this course is part of the doctoral cycle of the LMD (Licence-Master-Doctorat) system. The program is structured in six semesters, divided into three doctoral years. Each semester represents 30 credits, with an hourly workload of 15 hours per credit, for a total of 2,700 hours over the course of the program. Students can carry out their research in the laboratories of the Ucac-Icam Institute, in external laboratories at home and abroad, and/or in companies. In addition, at least one semester of research must be carried out at a partner university abroad. The fourth year is devoted to finalizing the thesis and the administrative procedures required to defend it before a qualified jury.

Strong demand in the Central African sub-region

UFD is responding to a strong demand for doctoral-level teaching staff and a growing need for expertise in research and development, both in Cameroon and in the Central African sub-region. The aim is to meet the needs of the Ucac-Icam Institute, other institutes and the socio-economic sector by training PhD graduates. In addition, the UFD aims to strengthen the research aspect of engineering training and to foster innovation in economic and production activities.
In conclusion, the creation of the Unité de Formation Doctorale en Sciences de l’Ingénieur in Douala is perfectly in line with the Arts et Métiers engineering degree offered by the Institut Catholique des Arts et Métiers (Icam). It also contributes to the Icam Group’s research development objectives. The aim is to significantly increase the number of doctorates awarded within the group, of which the Institut Ucac-Icam is a part.