Anton Wilhelm Amo University (AWA-IU) is an international university institution based in Germany. It is part of the university network of the Pan-African Institute for Development (IPD), an international diplomatic and academic organization founded in Switzerland in 1964.
As a partner of several prestigious universities around the world, we promote academic cooperation for development in German, Arabic, French, and English.

The Pan-African Institute for Development (IPD) was founded in 1964 in Geneva, Switzerland, by a group of African and European intellectuals in a context marked by African independence movements and the profound socio-economic upheavals that followed.
Early on, the IPD set itself the goal of supporting young African nations in their pursuit of autonomous, human-centered, and sustainable development through higher education, especially training that is applied to local development.

The first operational branch of the IPD was established in Douala, Cameroon, marking the beginning of a vast university network across Africa. Since then, IPD has gradually expanded into several African regions, notably Central, East, and Southern Africa, the Sahel, and North Africa, adapting its actions to local contexts.
IPD Europe has now been added to this institutional network to ensure international partnership and maintain alignment with global academic standards.

Each regional IPD is an international diplomatic organization that includes a university institution and a laboratory for endogenous development. Since 1964, IPD has trained many high-ranking officials around the world, as well as senior political and economic leaders. Its board of directors often includes high-level figures, including personalities such as the current President of the Republic of Cameroon.

Overview of IPD University Institutes Worldwide:

The founding vision of IPD is based on a simple but fundamental principle: sustainable and inclusive development. This means promoting endogenous, participatory development that respects local cultures and is based on a deep understanding of on-the-ground realities.

IPD positions itself as a catalyst for change, with a focus on:

• Training mid- and high-level professionals,
• Strengthening local capacities,
• Conducting applied research tailored to community needs,
• Integrating traditional African knowledge into development policy design.

The core mission of IPD is to contribute to holistic, inclusive, and sustainable development in every region of the world by training community leaders, technicians, researchers, and decision-makers capable of addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges.

In practical terms, IPD:

• Organizes professional and academic training programs tailored to the needs of rural development, decentralization, land-use planning, local governance, etc.;
• Conducts participatory action research to develop solutions adapted to African realities;
• Supports local governments in their local development strategies.