A conference organized at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences yesterday retraced the origins of the University of Antananarivo and the historical ties that bind it to France.
On the occasion of its 65th anniversary, the University of Antananarivo dedicated a day of reflection to its history this Tuesday. Before participants gathered at the Faculty of Letters and Human Sciences (FLSH), historian Raivolala Rahelison revisited the creation of the University of Madagascar, formalized on July 14, 1961, explaining the reasons for choosing this date, inherited from the colonial period. “This decision appears in decree No. 458 of the Official Journal of that time,” she recalled, mentioning the establishment of July 14 as a national holiday in Madagascar by General Gallieni in 1897.
The speaker also highlighted the role of Franco-Malagasy cooperation in the creation of the university. The Ambohitsaina campus, designed by architects Paul Herbé and Jean Le Couteur with Solo Razakamanantsoa, was inaugurated in 1964 by President Philibert Tsiranana. At that time, the degrees issued were recognized by France, the rector was appointed by the French government, and the Ambohitsaina estate belonged to the French Republic.
Over the years, the university became a symbol of student demands, particularly during the movements of 1965 and 1972, which led to the Malgachization of higher education. Thomas Randraha was then appointed the first Malagasy rector, while regional university centers were established. In the 1980s, the institution officially adopted the name University of Antananarivo.
The conference concluded with a speech by Tiana Razafindratsimba on the prospects for Malagasy higher education. For Roland Rakotovao, Dean of the FLSH, “History allows us to better orient ourselves toward the future.”
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-16 06:27:23 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/enseignement-superieur-luniversite.html