President Adama Barrow, Chancellor of the University of The Gambia (UTG), on Tuesday received the Chairman of the Governing Council, Vice Chancellor Prof. Herbert Robinson, and a delegation at the State House in Banjul ahead of the university’s upcoming convocation.
The meeting formed part of a traditional pre-convocation briefing in preparation for the ceremony scheduled for 2 May 2026, during which President Barrow is expected to confer degrees on more than 1,600 graduates, according to the University.
The Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Prof. Pierre Gomez, led the UTG delegation to the briefing.
The university said this year’s convocation marks key milestones, including the graduation of its first cohort of Dentistry students and the award of PhD degrees in Law for the first time.
President Barrow commended the achievements, describing education as “the foundation of development and sovereignty”, and emphasised the need for domestic resource mobilisation to sustain the sector.
He reiterated government commitment to prioritising education in national development planning, noting that the sector continues to receive significant budgetary allocation.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Robinson thanked the President for supporting flagship education projects, including the Faraba Banta Campus, which he said had contributed to increased student enrolment, expanded academic programmes, and improved facilities.
President Barrow congratulated the UTG Governing Council, university leadership, and the Ministry of Higher Education, urging continued collaboration and teamwork in advancing the institution.
“Faraba is home now, and we are proud to see young people doing well with bravery and ready to serve the job market,” he said, while encouraging graduates to uphold integrity and professionalism in their careers.
Chairman of the Governing Council, Prof. Fanneh, expressed appreciation for government investment in higher education, noting that the country had, for the first time, trained and graduated 50 medical doctors locally.
