Established in April 17, 2012; City University (CU) is a Not-For-Profit foundation (WAQF) university located in Mogadishu, Somalia that is pioneering quality instruction, research, and service to society. As you will see in the pages to follow, City is literally setting the gold standard for quality education in Somalia. From the foundations program that teaches the language of instructions in a professional setup, to the libraries and laboratories, the qualification of our instructors and cutting edge curricula, City University has raised the bar for higher education in Somalia. Our facilities and equipment and our student centric pedagogy are making a tangible difference in the lives of many young people in Somalia. The language of instruction at City University is English and classes are conducted both online and in person. The CU competitive admissions required a passing grading in its stringent entrance examination.

City University is authorized as a degree granting institution by the Somali Ministry of Education Directorate of Higher Education and Culture and is a founding member of the Association of Somali Universities (ASU) and Somali Research and Innovation Management Association (SORIMA) and its parent organization EARIMA (East African Research and Innovation Management Association). CU is also a member of the Somali Research and Educational Network (SomaliREN).

FACILITIES

CU classes started at its K4-Campus, Hodon District of Mogadishu in September 2013. Two more campuses were opened in 2014 in the Bondhere and Abdiaziz Districts of Mogadishu in 2014, administrative offices moved to a new facility in K5 in 2017 and the large CU Campus opened its doors at K9 in 2020. The K9-Campus is on 27 acres walled lush-green compound with classes, masjid, a solar-pump driven water well. The university also owns farmland near Afgoye 25KM south of Mogadishu.

Available facilities include well-equipped modern classrooms, state of the art computer labs, 3D-Printers, drones, science labs (Biology, Chemistry & Physics), engineering labs, agriculture and fisheries labs, greenhouses, marine boats and aquaculture ponds. Our students also benefits from both physical and digital library collections. Each campus has a place of worship, a café and sports facilities. There is a large conference halls, a solar plants sufficient for the marine campus and a desalination plant. Transportation services are provided between campuses.

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY & APPROACHES

Learning Outcomes-Based Education

Stated student learning outcomes guide all curriculum development as well as instructional and assessment practices at City University. Student learning outcomes refer to the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students are expected to learn at the university. Learning outcomes can be achieved at the university, program, course, and even lesson levels.

City University Learning Outcomes (CULOS)

City University Learning Outcomes (CULOS) are general, transferrable knowledge and skills that every City University graduate is expected to have met, regardless of degree program. City University Learning Outcomes are developed through integrated curricular and co-curricular student experiences. These outcomes are achieved throughout the foundation program, the university-wide core courses, the degree program courses, and student experiences outside the classroom. The university-level student learning outcomes guide the development of degree program and course-level learning outcomes. As well, instructors use every opportunity to foster CULOS in their teaching and student assessment. Below are the 8 CULOS:

1. Critical thinking: City University graduates will be able to engage in inquiry, value examination and creative problem solving.
2. Communication: City University graduates will be able to communicate effectively and clearly both orally and in writing.
3. Leadership & teamwork: City University graduates will be able to participate constructively and interact effectively with others to accomplish common goals.
4. Technological competence: City University graduates will be able to properly use and evaluate technology in their professions both ethically and securely.
5. Research: City University graduates will be able to systematically investigate into a research question, exploring, collecting, and analyzing evidence, to establish facts and make informed conclusions.
6. Global awareness: City University graduates will be able to explain globalization and its impact on them and their society, while understanding their own and other culture, and reacting to difference in an enlightened and socially responsible manner.
7. National & Islamic issues: City University graduates will be able to discuss the main features of Islamic civilization as well as the history and socio-politics of the Somali people.
8. Language: City University graduates will be able to communicate fluently in Somali and English, using the academic and professional conventions of these languages.

Contextualized Curriculum and Instruction:

City University strives, whenever possible, to offer Instruction in real-world contexts: through real or realistic case studies, problem-solving, examples, etc. Contextualized curriculum and instruction have proven advantages for student learning and motivation.

Student-Centered Teaching and Learning

Student centered instruction requires students to be active and responsible participants of their own learning. Student-centered instruction focuses on student engagement and builds on every student’s abilities and learning styles. In other words, student-centered instruction is any well-structured, teacher-guided, student-centered activity that substantially involves students with the course content through talking and listening, writing, reading and reflecting.

FOUNDATIONS & LANGUAGES INSTITUTE

The institute provides English as a Second Language, Math, and IT courses. The necessary pre-requisite to quality college education takes up-to six to twelve months depending on the results of the English language placement test for admitted students. Students admitted to the university, but are lacking English language proficiency, are placed in one of six-levels of the program based on their placement test results. Upon completion of level six (advanced) class, students undergo TOEFL preparation lessons to be able to take full advantage of the quality education provided to them at CU.

CURRICULUM STRUCTURE

City university curriculum is divided into three parts. Core courses, made up of twelve courses (34 credit hours), are university requirements for all students regardless of their major. This shared intellectual experience is designed to immensely contribute to the achievement of the City University Learning Outcomes (CULOS). Second, there are College and Major Program required classes and finally, depending on their degree program, students will select from the available concentrations in degree programs. This choice will be further reinforced by the free core electives of their major. Finally, a capstone course, a research methods course and statistics are required for graduation.

City University offers the following Programs: