The National Higher School of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnologies (ENSBBA) of Dassa-Zoumé, in the centre of Benin, celebrated its 10th anniversary on Wednesday 12 October 2022. The event was attended by students but also by several personalities including the Prefect of the Collines department, Dr Saliou Odoubo, the Vice-Rector in charge of University Research, Professor Aristide C. Houngan, teachers and other distinguished guests.
The Faculty of Science and Technology (FAST-CBG) opened its doors and welcomed its first students in October 2012. Following an administrative reform with a view to making it more efficient in order to better respond to the country’s needs and the demands of the times, it became the National Higher School of Applied Biosciences and Biotechnologies (ENSBBA) in 2018 by a ministerial decree.
Under the supervision of the National University of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (UNSTIM) of Abomey, ENSBBA is responsible for training and research in the sectors of activity that meet the needs of companies and laboratories using biotechnologies, such as the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, health, agri-food, and the environment.
Thus, the students who are enrolled there are divided into five (5) streams, namely: Medical Biotechnology, Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Genetics, Biotechnology and Applications, Dietetics and Food Nutrition and Bioscience and Applications which becomes Biological Engineering and Bioprocesses with different options.
At the end of the very first class of students in 2015, the ENSBBA has been able to put on the job market, in 10 years of existence according to statistics, nearly 1877 senior technicians in 2022, at an average rate of 187 graduates per year, who were inserted without major difficulties on the professional level. Furthermore, it is important to note that 30% of the graduates are employed in the private sector; 10% are in the public sector; 55% are entrepreneurs and 5% are pursuing a Master’s degree or thesis.
The symbolic cutting of the cake, a visit to the stands, and folkloric entertainment were all part of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of this resourceful place of knowledge. Without forgetting the presentation of a gift to Professor Alexandre A. Dansi, 1st honorary director of the former FAST, for having led this university entity from 2012 to 2017. He is the only African member of the editorial board of the European scientific journal “GeneticResources and Crop Evolution” published by Springer-Verlag.
