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The spotlight is on Professor Konan Marcellin BROU, Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Côte d’Ivoire.

The Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (INP-HB), located in Côte d’Ivoire’s political capital city of Yamoussoukro, is the country’s national polytechnic institute. It is a flagship of higher education and scientific research in West Africa, ranking among the top five francophone universities.

The integrated technological institute comprises 11 schools spanning engineering, agriculture, mining and geology, civil engineering, energy, chemistry and petroleum, and business and management. Its four innovation and research units cover engineering; agro-resources and transformation; mathematics, data and AI; and economic and management sciences.

INP-HB’s incubator supports more than 100 projects and has helped create 35 startups, reinforcing the institute’s commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship.

Konan Marcellin BROU is a professor of computer science and researcher at the Higher School of Industry (ESI). He teaches databases using the Oracle Academy curriculum. He holds a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Ecole Supérieure d’Ingénieurs en Génie Electrique in Rouen, France, and a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), France.

In addition, Konan Marcellin BROU has been a visiting advanced database teacher at Gaston Berger University (UGB) in St. Louis, Senegal, and other universities in Côte d'Ivoire.

He currently heads up the “AI and Mathematical Modeling” research team at the polytechnic’s Data Science and AI Laboratory (LASDIA). He is also Head of PhD supervision at IDSI, the institute’s teaching/training center, specializing in AI and Big Data.

Oracle Academy: Could you tell us when INP-HB became an Oracle Academy member?

Konan Marcellin BROU: We became members in December 2019, soon after I attended an Oracle Academy workshop at the Virtual University of Côte d’Ivoire that showcased courses and resources available free to higher education institutions. After discussions, we were pleased to join Oracle Academy, particularly because many large organizations in Côte d’Ivoire use Oracle Database.

Oracle Academy: Was that your introduction to Oracle?

Konan Marcellin BROU: Far from it! I have taught databases since 1990, using Oracle Database, MySQL, SQL Server and related tools. I began teaching Oracle Database with Oracle7 and now teach with Oracle Database 26ai. As an Oracle Academy member, I have access to a full range of resources and teach students how to design, create and automate database application tasks through Database Programming with SQL, Database Programming with PL/SQL, and Oracle APEX.

INP-HB has eight database and programming teachers, two of whom use Oracle Academy resources. I focus on programming, while my colleague uses the Java and AI materials in his machine learning class. Later this year, I will stage a workshop to encourage more educators to use these valuable resources and highlight the benefits for teachers and students alike.

Oracle Academy: How many students take your classes?

Konan Marcellin BROU: I teach approximately 100 students each semester across three levels: license, engineering, and master’s programs. Over 90% of IT professionals in our country have attended my database classes.

Oracle Academy: Quite a track record. How do you structure the coursework?

Konan Marcellin BROU: I first create Oracle APEX accounts for my students, then show them how to write SQL and PL/SQL queries directly and import SQL and PL/SQL scripts. Once they are familiar with the APEX interface, I teach courses on relational and object-relational databases. Each Oracle Academy chapter covering SQL and PL/SQL includes exercises, slide decks, hands-on laboratory activities, and ready-made datasets. Students complete exercises as we move through the courses, culminating in a final exercise that tests their understanding of the subject matter and leads to a certificate of completion.

In parallel, I assign final-year projects that require students to apply what they have learned in SQL, PL/SQL, and application development. These projects reflect local industry needs in Côte d’Ivoire and involve building databases and applications for inventory management, human resources and farm cooperatives.

These final projects are graded as part of the overall database assessment.

Oracle Academy: How would you describe the benefits of Oracle Academy?

Konan Marcellin BROU: I am grateful to Oracle for providing this valuable learning environment to educators and students, particularly because resources for teaching software are limited. Oracle Academy provides well-designed courses created by experts, alongside support that helps us stay current with developments in technology. We very much appreciate being members.

For faculty, APEX Workspaces are fully provisioned, ready-to-use cloud environments that remove the time-consuming complexities of local installation. We can manage student accounts, database instances and permissions more efficiently, and Oracle maintains the database in the cloud.

The materials also support professional development. Oracle Academy provides instructor training, technology updates, and professional certification preparation resources, helping us keep courses aligned with evolving industry practices.

Students gain hands-on skills using SQL, PL/SQL, and APEX to write scripts and build web applications. Throughout their courses and work placements, they become familiar with the database tools used across industry and the public sector. My goal is to ensure they are ready to contribute from the moment they graduate.

Our Career Center reports 83% employability within six months. We work closely with major companies in telecommunications, banking, insurance, agriculture, and many other sectors of industry and government, including the Ministry of Finance, a long-term user of Oracle database infrastructure.

Oracle Academy: How is the gender balance in computer science?

Konan Marcellin BROU: We actively encourage more girls to consider STEM careers, particularly in information technology. Our gender unit visits high schools to promote technical careers, and this work has helped attract more girls to the polytechnic. INP-HB has also introduced a target for 10% of students in each program to be female. While progress has been made, more work is needed to address the barriers that continue to discourage young women from pursuing mathematics and science.

Oracle Academy: What keeps you busy beyond the classroom?

Konan Marcellin BROU: Beyond the classroom, I supervise five doctoral students whose theses are nearing completion, and conduct research and publish widely. I also serve on the board of an NGO called High Tech Côte d’Ivoire. In partnership with Seattle University, the NGO has developed software to improve laboratory performance, increasing efficiency from sample collection through analysis and interpretation of results. I have travelled to Seattle several times to contribute to the Java programming work.

Travelling is another passion. I enjoy exploring places across Africa and Europe, experiencing new cultures and perspectives. I also travel extensively within Côte d’Ivoire as president of the Côte d’Ivoire baccalaureate jury.

Thank you, Professor Konan Marcellin BROU, for your passion for Oracle Academy and for preparing your students to make a positive impact.