Workshop Dates: 24th – 26th September, 2024

Introduction and Background:  As part of the numerous benefits offered by the Association of African Universities (AAU) to its members, and in line with strengthening the capacity of leaders in Africa’s higher education ecosystem, the AAU is organizing a workshop for senior officers in African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) concerned with strengthening partnerships for their institutions, including those from the International Offices and Partnerships Units.

International relations is crucial for African universities for various reasons, including facilitating academic collaborations, promoting the engagement of African universities in joint research projects and exchange programmes, fostering the attraction of international students and faculty, promoting collaborative teaching initiatives and generally broadening the academic horizon. The exposure to global best practices through engagements and partnerships with other institutions helps to enrich the overall educational experience and contribute substantially to the sustainability of institutions. Through a strengthened international office and partnership unit, African universities can tap into global funding opportunities, grants, and scholarships among others. Such resources, once available to institutions, support various initiatives, including research development, infrastructure improvements, and academic program enhancements. With stakeholders of Africa’s Higher Education calling in HEIs to lead the transformation of the continent’s economies, collaborations and partnerships to generate cutting edge research and innovative solutions have become even more crucial in recent years.

Access to global research networks and resources helps African universities stay at the forefront of scientific and technological advancements. Active engagement in international relations boosts the global visibility and reputation of African universities, enhancing institutions’ standing and influence. Additionally, international relations foster cultural exchanges, enriching the campus environment with diverse perspectives. This exposure helps students and faculty develop a global mindset and intercultural competencies, preparing them for the increasingly interconnected world. Continuous training of officers and leaders in charge of international partnerships and relations, in alignment with a university’s goals helps to enhance the institution’s global engagement and impact, leading to more effective partnerships and collaborations.

This upcoming workshop, being organised by the Association of African Universities, aims to provide the much needed platform for the heads and other officials in the Offices of International Relations, International Education, Partnerships and other related offices in Africa’s higher education to share best practices, explore opportunities, and discuss ways of overcoming common challenges, while fostering peer-to-peer learning, to enhance the quality and global relevance of higher education in Africa.

Workshop Details

Main Workshop Dates: 24^th – 26^th September 2024

Venue: Cresta Lodge, Harare | Zimbabwe

Workshop Host: Women’s University in Africa (Harare, Zimbabwe)

Target Audience: Heads of Offices of International Education, Mid-to-Senior Level International Relations Officers, International Liaison Officers from universities and other higher education institutions in Africa, Provosts, Deans and Directors interested in internationalization strategies and outcomes.

Workshop Goals:

This workshop targets making key impacts, with participants being equipped with the requisite skills to advance their international relations and partnerships.  More specifically, the workshop aims to:

• Share best practices in international education and identify innovative approaches to global engagement.
• Address challenges and opportunities in international student mobility, academic collaborations, and research partnerships.
• Enhance capacity for internationalization and global engagement in African higher education institutions.
• Foster collaboration and networking among African higher education institutions to enhance international partnerships.
• Promote African perspectives and contributions to global higher education discourse.

Workshop Outline

 Day 1:

1. Internationalization of Higher Education in Africa: Trends and Opportunities
2. Best Practices in International Partnerships and Collaborations
3. Partnership Brokerage: Facilitating connections and fostering relationships between diverse stakeholders.
4. Inclusive Leadership: Fostering diverse and inclusive partnerships that promote equity and social impact.
5. Typology of International Partnerships
6. Research Collaborations
7. Educational Partnerships

• Strategic Alliances

1. Development Partnerships
2. Strengthening International Partnerships

 Day 2:

1. Effective Partnership Communication: Strategies for successful and transparent communication in international collaborations.
2. Typology of technologies that can foster partnerships
3. The Role of Technology in fostering partnership
4. Adaptive Leadership: Navigating complex environments and leading through uncertainty.

Day 3:

1. Africa’s Contribution to Global Higher Education Discourse
2. Cross-Cultural Competence: Understanding and valuing diverse perspectives and cultures
3. Strategic Partnership Models for Sustainable Development
4. Development of Action Plans for Follow up by the Facilitation Team
5. Case study on international perspectives on international partnership

 Expected Outcomes:     

• Strengthened international partnerships and collaborations among African higher education institutions.
• Enhanced capacity for internationalization and global engagement in African higher education institutions.
• Increased international student mobility and exchange programs in Africa.
• Improved quality and global relevance of higher education in Africa.

Workshop Fees:

The registration fees for the 3-day event

AAU Members      –                    $700
Non- AAU Member Institutions – $800

Registration covers the conference package including training materials, certificates, tea/coffee, lunch three-day workshop. Participants will be responsible for their own dinners, accommodation and travel-related costs, such as flights.

To register kindly click on the link below: https://forms.office.com/r/1cY4EQsiUL

The Association of African Universities will provide delegates with an invitation letter from the host university after registration. This invitation letter will facilitate their visa applications at any Zimbabwean Embassy or Consulate in their home countries. Delegates from Southern African countries do not need a visa to enter Zimbabwe.

Optional Event to Participate In:  The AAU will be launching its Southern African Regional Office (SARO) on 27^th September 2024, which will feature the participation of key higher education institutions and stakeholders from Southern Africa.  All workshop participants are invited and highly encouraged to participate in this event to network and engage with institutions from across the continent, especially institutions from the Southern Africa Region.

A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE AAU

The Association of African Universities (AAU) founded in 1967 with an initial membership of  34 universities, currently has about 450 member institutions spread across 48 African countries. The Association represents the voice of higher education in Africa and draws its membership from all five sub-regions of Africa and operates in four official languages, namely English, French, Portuguese and Arabic. The Association’s mandate as an apex organization for higher education in Africa is to promote cooperation, academic linkages and exchange of information on higher education issues across the continent. The mandate further extends to support members in their core functions of teaching, learning, knowledge generation and its dissemination through fundamental and applied research and community engagement. The AAU also plays a key role in setting up dialogue platforms, advocacy and raising awareness for and about the major needs of African higher education institutions and coordinates the means by which these needs are met. The Association also acts as a catalyst for increased networking between and among its members and the wider African and international higher education academic community. In pursuit of its mandate, AAU coordinates and facilitates one of the World Bank’s biggest Education Projects; the Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence (ACE) Project. The AAU also serves as the Coordinator for the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA), among other high-profile projects and initiatives.  The AAU frequently identifies areas where member institutions require capacity building and implements training programmes that are tailor-made to address such needs.

CONTACT DETAILS:  elaari@aau.org / membership@aau.org/ 233 26 417 3153

LANGUAGE:
The main training language is English.