Dear Vice Chancellor/Rector/President,

The Association of African Universities (AAU) presents its warm compliments to you. The AAU will hold its 15^th General Conference in June 2021.  The year 2021 will also be the year AAU will be celebrating the 54^th anniversary of its founding.

The General Conference, an assembly of representatives of all member institutions with key higher education stakeholders including policy makers, academics, researchers, donor representatives and others in attendance, meets once every four years for the purpose of:

• assessing the activities implemented in the past four years against the background of a Core Programme and Budget approved at the previous Conference;
• approving the plan of activities and budget estimates for the following four-year period; and
• electing a Governing Board of the Association from among the Vice Chancellors, Presidents and Rectors of the member universities.

This event is normally jointly organised with a member institution in good standing with regard to payment of annual membership subscriptions.

The AAU hereby invites applications from member institutions for the co-hosting of this prestigious quadrennial Conference.

The host university will be expected to contribute to the organisation of the Conference, financially or in kind, in the areas of:

• Local transportation for participants.
• Airport “meet and greet” (reception and facilitation of immigration procedures).
• Traditional items as gifts to presenters and sessional chairs.
• Welcome Reception or Dinner for participants.
• Publicity and media coverage (local press, radio and TV, conference photographer).
• Arrangement of courtesy calls by the Governing Board on appropriate government authorities in the host country.
• Arranging of excursion visits by delegates.
• Providing the Secretariat for the Conference (equipment and supplies).
• Decorations, banners, invitations to Opening/Closing Ceremony and receptions.
• Cultural display during open and closing ceremonies.

It should be noted that the co-hosting of this most important event in the calendar of African higher education community provides very high-level visibility and exposure to the host institution and country because of the calibre and number of academic leaders, policy makers, researchers, development partners, and other stakeholders that usually attend it, and it is therefore a highly sought-after event.

If your institution is interested in co-hosting the 2021 General Conference, kindly get back to me at your earliest convenience.

Applications to host the AAU Quadrennial General Conference should be addressed to:

The Secretary General

Association of African Universities (AAU)

Accra, GHANA.

Email: secgen@aau.org

Deadline for the receipt of official application to host the 15^th General Conference is Friday, 30 October 2020.

While thanking you in anticipation of your positive and expeditious response, please accept the assurances of my highest esteem.

Yours in the service of higher education in Africa,

Professor Etienne Ehouan EHILE

Secretary General