Universities in Cameroon are sub-divided into Public and Private Higher Education Institutions. The Ministry of Higher Education, MINESUP, its French abbreviation, headed by the Minister of Higher Education  is responsible for approving and  granting accreditation to all Public and Private Universities in Cameroon. MINESUP has various offices that provide services to all Universities in the Country, both Public and Private. The Ministry is in charge of implementing and developing government policies and programs in higher education. It studies and advises the government on ways to adapt the higher education system to national social and economic realities; particularly on the appropriateness of higher education in regards to the needs of the national economy. The Ministry works in partnership with both the public and the private sector.(http://campusjeunes.net/annonce-1977-minesup-liste-des-institutions-prives-d-enseignement-superieur.html)

Opening and closure of universities in Cameroon are carried out by MINESUP. The 2011 statistics from MINESUP show that there are 46 Public Higher Education Institutions and 113 Private Higher Education Institutions in Cameroon. CUIB is one of the accredited Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in Cameroon created in 2010 under the name Catholic University Institute of Buea, CUIB. (See link on MINESUP Website for accredited Private Higher Education Institutions in Cameroon. CUIB is the first on the list of Private Universities in the South West Region, Cameroon.)

Education is the greatest asset to move a people forward. It is in recognition of this need, that the Cameroon government approved the establishment of a non-profit university by the Diocese of Buea in two different letters containing the authorization to Create (No. 09/01/0194) and the authorization to start (No. 10/02173/N/MNESUP/DDES/ESUP/SAC/NJE/ebm – of 26th May 2010) the Catholic University Institute of Buea. That gave the university legal status as an international institution with funds initially donated by the Diocese.