Graduating from a CEGLA programme is not an ending, it is an entry point into a community of professionals who share the same conviction: that stronger local governance can change lives.

The CEGLA Alumni Network brings together graduates from our partner universities in Mali, Niger, and Senegal : practitioners, researchers, and public servants who have gone on to work in local administrations, civil society organisations, international institutions, and research centres across West Africa and beyond.

Why this network matters

Local governance improvement is a long term game. The challenges that CEGLA’s programmes address, decentralisation, public accountability, sustainable local development, cannot be solved by one generation of graduates working in isolation. They require sustained collaboration, shared knowledge, and professional networks that hold up over time.

The Alumni Network exists to make that collaboration real. It is a space where former students stay connected with each other, with CEGLA’s academic and institutional partners, and with the broader community of professionals committed to local governance in West Africa.

What the network offers

Annual events

Each year, CEGLA brings alumni together : in person or online, for exchanges, working sessions, and discussions on the issues that matter most to local governance practitioners today. These gatherings are as much about reconnecting as they are about moving ideas forward.

Peer connections across borders

The network spans three countries and multiple institutions. Whether you are a newly appointed municipal officer in Niamey, a researcher in Dakar, or a development practitioner in Bamako, the Alumni Network connects you with peers who understand your context and your work.

A bridge back to the academic community

Alumni are not just former students, they are practitioners with field experience that enriches research and teaching. CEGLA actively invites alumni to contribute to programme development, participate in colloquia, and mentor current students.

Join the network

Each of the three universities has their own CEGLA Alumni Association an their own website. If you are a CEGLA graduate and have not yet connected with the Alumni Network, we encourage you to reach out. The network is yours to shape.

Université Abdou Moumouni: Réseau des Anciens du Master CEGLA à l’UAM.

Université des Sciences Juridiques et Politiques de Bamako: Réseau des Anciens Auditeurs du Centre d’Excellence de Gouvernance Locale en Afrique au Mali (RESAA-CEGLA Mali)

Centre d’Etudes Superieures en Gestion: site à venir