CUMBU is a centre for postgraduate teaching and research created by Dr Chéibane Coulibaly (Decision No 99-0843/MESSRS-SG of 14 September 1999). CUMBU is composed of five institutes.
The Institute of Research in Human Sciences (IRSH) is particularly concerned with examining the issues associated with the application of development projects and programmes in the West African sub-region. The research themes over the first five years have been identified as:

• Decentralisation and Management of the Environment.
• Modern Legislation and Resolution of Conflicts.
• Civil Society, Social Capital and Sustainable Development.
• Cultural Roots and Construction of Democracy.
• Management of Public Resources and Fight against Corruption.
• Globalisation, the Debt Problem and the Fight against Poverty.
• The Question of the State and the State in Question.
• Crisis in the Education System and the Issue of Cultural Renaissance.
• Family Structures and Health Promotion.
• Rural Societies, Urbanisation and Modernisation Issues.

Some of these research themes stem from previous collaboration partly with WRI and some with IIED.
The Institute has also established an adult literacy centres in certain communes rurales in Mali and is promoting the use of national languages (such as Bambara).

Professor of Social Sciences, Director of research and author of numerous books and articles, Dr Cheibane Coulibaly graduated from the Sorbonne and has been a Visiting Fellow at Harvard University. His research interests include land tenure, global policies, rural institutions, decentralisation and governance as well as general studies on the socio-economic situation of certain regions. In 1996, he co-managed an international meeting in Niamey of traditional chiefs from 12 African countries concerning the role of chieftancy in democracy.
He will coordinate, supervise and provide valuable input into the research activities of all work packages in Mali.
Recent publications include:
Problématique foncière et gestion des conflits en Afrique Noire (Editions Le Cauris d'Or; Collections Histoires rurales; Bamako 1997).
Politiques agricoles et stratégies paysannes au Mali: le règne des mythes à l'Office du Niger (Editions Le Cauris d'Or; Collections Histoires rurales; 1998). Synthèse des problèmes de décentralisation dans les pays du Sahel with James Thomson (Club du Sahel/CILSS; 1994).
More than 300 articles published in the Malian press eg "Cauris", "L'Essor" and "Le Monde Diplomatique" (1990-98) including: Décentralisation en Afrique (Cauris; special issue; 1994); Foncier et Gestion des ressources naturelles (Cauris; special issue; 1995); La dévaluation du Franc CFA: un an après (Cauris; special issue; 1995)
Etude foncière au Mali: synthèse (CILSS-Club du Sahel - 1991).
Politique et législation foncières au Mali (World Bank - 1992).

A junior researcher will be recruited to undertake the main elements of field work in work packages 1 and 2.