The Rector of the State University of Haiti, Dieuseul Prédélus, launched an appeal on the necessity of placing knowledge and innovation at the heart of the national development strategy. Mr. Prédélus delivered this call during the official commemoration ceremony of the 223rd anniversary of the Haitian flag and University Day, held at the National Palace.
Speaking before Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, members of the government, the diplomatic corps, and university rectors, Dieuseul Prédélus argued that, given the transformations of the global economy, the nations that prosper in the 21st century are no longer necessarily those with the most natural resources, but those that have successfully enhanced their human capital. Accordingly, he urged the Haitian State to adopt this direction, calling it a constitutional prescription, an economic requirement, and a strategic constraint.
On this basis, Dieuseul Prédélus proposed the creation of a National Pact for the Knowledge Economy in Haiti, which is built upon four core pillars. The first is significant and protected budgetary funding for higher education aligned with international standards. The second is the creation of a National Fund for Research and Innovation, funded by the State and managed by the universities themselves. The third involves a policy to upgrade the status of Haitian degrees within the public service and the economic sector so that intellectual merit is recognized and fairly compensated. Finally, the pact demands a systematic connection between universities and the national economic fabric.
The UEH Rector also outlined the current state of higher education in Haiti and noted that the entire Haitian university system is threatened by the crisis, citing looted and vandalized buildings, the forced migration of numerous professors, and a lack of financial resources. Regarding UEH, Mr. Prédélus welcomed the government’s efforts to increase the budget for this fiscal year, while noting that much remains to be done. He also called for better overall organization, stating that regional public universities must be strengthened and private universities need support through better regulation arising from genuine collaboration.
In his speech, Mr. Prédélus paid tribute to the faculty and student body, praising the work of professors who, despite precarious conditions and security threats, tirelessly continue to share their knowledge, calling their tenacity a heroic form of patriotism. Addressing the students, he recognized their daily soccer and life-risking sacrifices, requesting that authorities provide them with special support during this difficult time. In Haiti, Flag Day and University Day are celebrated together on May 18, and Prédélus concluded by stating that the university is a bastion of national sovereignty, placing academic commitment within the framework of intellectual patriotism.
