The idea of creating an American-style career-focused institution in Africa was conceived in Washington, DC, in 2001. For over 10 years we reflected on the nature of the venture before finally going operational in 2012, taking the name Saint Monica University (SMU): The American International University. The university was incorporated that year in Honolulu, Hawaii (USA) and then we moved to create our main campus in Buea, Cameroon. Today, we’re authorized to operate in Cameroon by the National Commission on Private Higher Education at the Ministry of Higher Education and to offer over 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
In 2014, SMU decided became the second university in Africa to gain British accreditation through the Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities (ASIC).
We have since created two other campuses in Cameroon – the Institute of Professional Studies (IPS), Kumba in 2016, and the African Higher Institute of Technology (AHIT), Yaounde in 2022, which is bilingual, offering programs in English and French. In 2025, we founded the American Institute of Technology (AIT) in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
We currently offer programs either on-campus and online to students in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. We have commenced with accreditation in the United States and are considering various programmatic accreditation. SMUS institutions have also partnered with other accredited and degree-granting institutions in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, the Russian Federation, China, Nicaragua, Cambodia, The British West Indies and India.
We’re proud to have been admitted in 2013 into membership of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), an association of over 600 private non-profit universities in the United States.
In 2015, we became the first and only private university with operations in Cameroon to be admitted into membership of the prestigious UNESCO-based International Association of Universities (IAU). We are listed in the World Higher Education Database (WHED).
We are also a member of the Talloires Network, an association of over 350 socially responsible universities.
The Saint Monica University System (SMUS) is governed by a structured framework designed to ensure transparency, academic excellence, institutional autonomy, and strategic alignment across its constituent institutions. This governance model balances centralized oversight with decentralized execution, empowering each institution to operate effectively within the broader mission of the SMUS.
At the highest level, SMUS is overseen by the Board of Governors, a diverse and experienced group of education leaders, industry experts, and community representatives. The Board is responsible for:
Chairperson: Appointed by the Board
Meetings: Held quarterly, with special sessions as needed
The Chancellor of SMUS serves as the chief executive officer of the university system. This office provides visionary leadership and ensures coordination across all SMUS institutions. Responsibilities include:
The Central Administration supports system-wide operations, policies, and initiatives. It is composed of the following departments:
Each member institution under SMUS—SMUI (Buea), IPS University Institute (Kumba), AHIT (Yaoundé), and AIT (Freetown)—retains significant academic and operational autonomy, under the leadership of a Campus President (Rector or Provost).
These leaders report to the President and Chancellor of SMUS, but independently manage:
Each SMUS institution has a local Academic Council, composed of faculty, administrators, and student representatives. These councils deliberate on:
There are also System-wide Committees for:
Ethical Conduct and Disciplinary Matters
SMUS believes in participatory governance. Therefore, students, alumni, and community stakeholders are represented through:
SMUS operates under the following core principles:
Excellence: Commitment to global academic and professional standards
Cameroon – National Commission on Private Higher Education at the Ministry of Higher Education (MINESUP) – http://www.minesup.gov.cm/
Sierra Leone – Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) – https://tecsl.edu.sl/
Sierra Leone – National Council for Technical, Vocational and Other Academic Awards (NCTVA) – https://nctva.org/
The Saint Monica University System (SMUS) is a premier American-style educational network committed to providing transformative, technology-driven, and globally relevant education across Africa.
Admissions: admissions@smus.edu.cm
Registrar: registrar@smus.edu.cm
Technology: helpdesk@smus.edu.cm
SMUI: smui@smus.edu.cm
IPS: ips@smus.edu.cm
AHIT: ahit@smus.edu.cm
Tel: +237 671 472 558
© 2025 Saint Monica University System
