“It is an enormous pleasure to have been offered the position of Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of The Gambia by the university’s Governing Council. I am humbled by this coveted appointment, and most essentially, by the huge trust and confidence bestowed on me.
It has been so gratifying receiving a downpour of congratulatory messages from mentors, colleagues, former and current students, senior citizens, friends and family members, both within and beyond our borders. I therefore seize this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to all of you.
I call this gesture a privilege and a call to duty, and above all, a challenge. It is a privilege we appreciate; a duty we must accomplish; and a challenge we dare not betray. The development of this country lies in our individual and collective efforts, and I consider this another opportunity to further contribute my quota. Even though the appointment is acting and that it is just for a transition, we offer ourselves to respond to the herculean task to needed transformation while temporarily holding the fort in anticipation of the next substantive Vice Chancellor.
We wish to bring to the attention of the public that the post has been advertised and many scholars have applied both from within the country and beyond. The Joint Council and Senate Search Committee has reviewed the applications. The committee will later do a shortlist of the candidates and ultimately recommend three candidates to the Chancellor (the President of The Republic) who will then appoint one of them, in line with the Tertiary and Higher Education Act 2016. Currently, I wish to state unequivocally that I have not filed in any application for the said post. My intention is to ably execute a robust and a successful transition to prepare for a soft landing for the next substantive Vice Chancellor; thus, returning to my initial post, Deputy Vice Chancellor-Academic. What matters is The Gambia!
I know the task ahead is enormous and challenging, but not insurmountable. While reiterating our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to everyone, we amplify our call to all academic and administrative (including the auxiliary) staff of the University of The Gambia to join me in this crusade. I solicit your cooperation, support and pieces of advice as we reinvigorate the true meaning of our motto: Knowledge, Truth and Development.
Lux mea lex !
Shalom
Professor Pierre Gomez, Ph.D., HDR
Ag. Vice-Chancellor
The University of The Gambia