African School of Economics

African School of Economics (ASE)
scroll atop shield outline
TypePrivate
Established2014 (11 years ago) (2014)
PresidentLeonard Wantchekon
Academic staff
20
Administrative staff
40
Location,
6°27′1.13″N 2°20′48.42″E / 6.4503139°N 2.3467833°E / 6.4503139; 2.3467833
CampusRural
Degree programmesMaster in Business Administration (MBA), Master in Mathematics Economics and Statistics (MMES), Master in Public Administration (MPA), Master in Development Economics (MDE) and Ph.D. in Economics.
Colours   White and blue
Websiteafricanschoolofeconomics.com
Map

The African School of Economics (ASE) is a private university headquartered in Abomey-Calavi (near Cotonou), Republic of Benin. In 2024 its West Africa Hub had campuses in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and Abuja, Nigeria. The East and Southern Africa Hub features campuses in Zambia and Zanzibar, Tanzania. ASE offers several degrees in Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes all across its campuses.

It is the expansion of the Institute for Empirical Research in Political Economy (IERPE, IREEP in French), founded in 2004, into a full-fledged pan-African university. Faculty members come from universities in Canada, Europe and the US.[1]

History

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The school is a continuation of the success of the Institute of Empirical Research in Political Economy ( IERPE) founded by Leonard Wantchekon in 2004 in Cotonou, Benin. A nonprofit training and research initiative in Political Economy and Applied Statistics, IERPE provides expertise in public policy and trains executives for the public and private sectors in West Africa. The opening ceremony took place on 29 August 2014.[2]

ASE and IERPE staff group picture (2014)

Since its inception, the institute has expanded its activities to include a successful Masters of Public Economics and Applied Statistics (MEPSA). The MEPSA has had 74 African graduates, all of whom are in high demand in the West African region: more than 75% of the graduates of the classes of 2006-2009 are employed in research centres throughout West Africa, in the World Bank and in different governments.[3] The MEPSA program is accredited by the Ministry of Education in Benin.[4]

ASE aims to meet the urgent need for an academic institution capable of generating the necessary human capital in Africa.[5] Although the region has seen significant improvements in primary and secondary education in the past few decades there is still a pressing need for advanced education centers. Through its PhD programs, ASE hopes to provide the missing African voice in many Africa-related academic debates. Furthermore, through the Master in Business Administration (MBA), Master in Public Administration (MPA), Executive MBA and MPA (EMBA and EMPA), Master in Mathematics, Economics and Statistics (MMES), and Master in Development Studies (MDS) programs, ASE aims to provide the technical capacity that will enable more Africans to be hired into top management positions in development agencies and multinational corporations operating on the continent.[6]

ASE NIGERIA

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ASE Abuja Campus, Nigeria

ASE's branch in Nigeria was licensed on the 22nd of February 2024, by the National Universities Commission (NUC), to operate as a private university in Nigeria.[7]  Its maiden campus, the School of Arts and Sciences in Abuja, serves as the headquarters for ASE in Nigeria.  ASE is set to expand with planned campuses in Kaduna State (School of Public Administration), Owerri, Imo State (School of Engineering); Port Harcourt, Rivers State (Environment and Energy Studies), and many others. Its pioneer cohort of 200 students from across the country, was a product of a joint scholarship effort between itself, AUDA-NEPAD, and the office of Nigeria's First Lady - Senator Oluremi Tinubu.[8][9][10][11] It currently offers 20 undergraduate academic programmes across 14 departments in three faculties.[12]

Academic partnerships

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Boulin, Jean-Eric. "Léonard Wantchékon : " En Afrique, la Chine a pris les devants sur les États-Unis "". Jeune Afrique. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  2. ^ ASE Grand Opening featured at magazine Educ Action Archived 2015-07-24 at the Wayback Machine africanschoolofeconomics.com. August 2014. Ouverture officielle de l'African School of Economics: Un centre de recherche innovant au service du développement économique de l’Afrique Cotonou.com, September 2014.
  3. ^ Lander, Jessica. "Politics: Training Africa's Leaders". Princeton Alumni Weekly. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  4. ^ "IERPE: Promoting High School Math Education in Benin" (PDF). Think Tank Initiative. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
  5. ^ *Economics has an Africa problem? Chris Blattman's Blog, Associate Professor of Political Science & International and Public Affairs at Columbia University March 2015.
  6. ^ Dossa, Jean-Claude. "Enseignement superieur en Afrique: La 1ère pierre de l'African School of Economics posée au Bénin". L'Événement Précis.
  7. ^ "ASE obtains license from NUC as a private university in Nigeria". The African School of Economics. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  8. ^ "Youths will be provided qualitative education — Oluremi Tinubu, Akobundu". Vanguard. August 3, 2024.
  9. ^ Michael, Chisom (2024-08-05). "Renewed Hope Initiative, African School of Economics boost access to education for Nigerian youths". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  10. ^ "Renewed Hope Initiative, African School of Economics Boost Access to Education for Nigerian Youths – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  11. ^ Anyanwu, Samuel (2024-08-06). "AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria attracts 200 Scholarship for First Lady's Renewed Hope Initiative". Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
  12. ^ "Academic Courses". The African School of Economics. Retrieved 2024-09-30.
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