Background
Many African universities often lack the full complement of staff needed to operate their academic programmes. This invariably adversely affects the programmes. In order to enhance the quality of the products/outcomes of academic programmes in African universities, inter-university cooperation, which is one of the cardinal objectives of the AAU, must be pursued.
The AAU Staff Exchange Programme is designed to foster inter-university cooperation through the exchange of staff between African universities. The academic staff who participate in the Programme undertake a range of assignments in their host institutions including teaching, special lectures, demonstrations and research.
The Programme aims at promoting inter-university cooperation through academic mobility in the form of exchange of staff for teaching assignments; to serve as external examiners; participating at seminars, workshops and conferences; undertaking collaborative research assignments; facilitating the utilization of sabbatical leave appointments and enhancing the quality of teaching and research in African universities.
During exchange missions, the lecturer or researcher remains at the centre of research and knowledge dissemination, and is at a position of choice in facilitating academic cooperation between higher education institutions, and joint research. Exchange staff can teach, supervise graduation, act as external examiners or carry out research projects during missions.
Programme activities over the reporting period involved: announcement of fellowships to AAU member universities; Selection of fellows; exchange missions; submission of reports by exchange staff; and fundraising.
Funding and objectives
The project is currently supported through financial contributions from SIDA and ACBF
General objective is to:
support African higher education institutions in their core functions of teaching, learning , research and service to their communities by the exchange of academic staff .
Specific objectives are to:
- facilitate academic mobility amongst members of AAU to allow the Association to fulfil its function of networking the African academic community; and
- contribute to improvements in the quality of training and research in African higher education institutions.
Scope of Project
The Project will cover the following activities:
- staff exchange for teaching or graduate supervisn
- exchange of external examiners; and
- research collaboon.
The average duration of each visit is one week for external examiners and two to three weeks for teaching or research.
Benefiting universities
Priority will be given to exchanges between member universities located in different countries, which are in good standing with the AAU.
Gender equity
Women are especially encouraged to participate in the Programme. To this end, heads of institutions are requested to give priority to the nomination of women.
