Universities and colleges
Barwaaqo University, Somaliland's women's university
Barwaaqo University is a non-profit residential university for women at Baliga Cas, about 30 km north of Hargeisa. Ava Ramberg and Jonathan Starr founded it in autumn 2017, and its first class graduated in spring 2021. It trains teachers, and its network says 90% of its graduates find work.
In short
Barwaaqo University (BU), in Somali Jaamacadda Barwaaqo, is a non-profit university for women in Somaliland (Wikipedia). It is Somaliland's first residential women's university (same source). Its campus is near Baliga Cas, about 30 km north of Hargeisa (same source).
It belongs to the Abaarso Network with Abaarso School and the Kaabe primary schools (Abaarso Network).
How it started
Ava Ramberg and Jonathan Starr co-founded the university in autumn 2017 (Wikipedia). The first class graduated in spring 2021, and President Muse Bihi Abdi gave the first commencement address (same source).
Its stated mission is to prepare Somali women to become professionals who drive development in their communities (same source).
What it teaches
Wikipedia lists these degrees (Wikipedia):
- Bachelor of Education in English Studies
- Bachelor of Education with Montessori Specialisation
- Bachelor of Education with Secondary Humanities Specialisation
- Bachelor of Arts in English for International Communication (discontinued from 2025)
The network says 90% of Barwaaqo graduates are employed, and that 90% of teachers at its Kaabe primary schools are Barwaaqo graduates (Abaarso Network).
Cost and admission
For 2022 to 2026, the full cost of tuition, room and board was $3,500 a year; organisations and private donors give scholarships (Wikipedia). Applicants sit an entrance exam, write an essay and show a secondary school certificate (same source).
Campus and student life
The campus has two quadrangles, one for students and one for staff, plus a community school and a mosque (Wikipedia). The architect Stephen Finney designed the staff quadrangle and the community school (same source).
Students live in houses on campus, up to four to a room, in 48 rooms (same source). Clubs include an Islamic club, a maths (xisaab) club, gardening, spelling bee, drama and hiking; sports include football, basketball and volleyball (same source). In the "Barwaaqo Gives Back" programme, students volunteer during school breaks (same source).
Read more
Sources
- Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- Abaarso Network · abaarsonetwork.org
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Where this matters
Same era
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