In pursuit of their Higher National Diploma (HND), over 300 second-year students recently defended their internship reports at HIBMAT University Institute of Buea and its Douala campus.
The students presented before a jury of experienced HIBMAT lecturers and officials from its mentor universities, discussing their internship experiences, challenges faced, and proposed solutions at the various organisations where they carried out their internship.
This rigorous academic exercise took place on April 12 and 14 at the HUIB campus in Buea, while the Douala defense took place on April 15, 2023.
One student, Ebot Schmelda Etengeng from the Tourism and Hotel Management department at HIBMAT University Institute, Douala, presented on “The Contributions of Hotels to the Development of their Local Communities.” She shared insights of how her internship at a hotel in Douala helped her bland class work with practice. She also emphasized the importance of such institutions to the growth of Cameroon’s economy and presented some possible solutions to the hotel’s present challenges.
The jury was impressed with the students’ mastery and presentation of their reports, with most receiving a “Very Good” grade, considered the highest possible for students who perform exceptionally well.
Deputy Registrar, Mr. Ndangoh Donatus, and HIBMAT Douala Dean of Studies, Mme Ngwa Glory, spoke to the press, emphasizing the importance of internships in preparing students for their future careers.
“We send our students for at least two months of internship so they learn what professionals are doing out there and become the professionals we are training them to be,” Mr. Ndangoh said.
Mme Ngwa Glory added that this academic exercise is a requirement for students to be awarded an HND in their respective fields and “we are happy that it has been a successful exercise with almost all our students scoring a ‘Very Good’ grade.”
Created in 2010, HIBMAT is among the only 3 University Institutes in the South West Region, recognised by the Ministry of Higher Education, and the lone University mentored by two state Universities – the University of Buea (UB) and the University of Bamenda (UBa).
The institute which was recently upgraded to a university institute by the Cameroonian government, has a track record of unbeatable results at the HND exams and its products have proven to be very successful in the competitive job market, at home and abroad. A similar academic exercise which took place last year, saw the institution score 97.85% in the HND exams, ranking second-best in the country. With the level of preparation this year, staff and students are hoping for even better results.