AAU Staff Exchange Programme
Promoting Staff Mobility in Africa

Introduction

The AAU is pleased to announce the 2017 edition of its Academic Staff Exchange Programme which aims at facilitating academic mobility and encouraging networking among AAU member institutions, as well as contributing to improvements in the quality of training and research in African higher education institutions.

Under the Exchange Programme academic staff from universities in Africa, or African academics in the Diaspora, are sponsored to undertake visits to universities in Africa to offer services such as teaching, graduate theses supervision, serving as external examiners or engaging in joint research.

Advantages

Staff Exchange missions allow academic staff to get acquainted with different work environments, mentor young scholars or researchers and meet their colleagues involved in the same research areas and in the long term help build cooperation between home and host institutions.

The Visit

Duration: 2 – 12 weeks

The visit to the host institution under the AAU Staff Exchange Programme involves participation of the visiting lecturer in any of the following:

• teaching assignment;
• research collaboration;
• graduate supervision; or
• external examination.

AAU Financial Support

The AAU supports over twenty (20) exchange missions a year. Financial support for exchange fellows will cover the  following:

• Up to US$2000 to cover economy class air ticket or the equivalent; (where airfare exceeds US$2000 the Host Institution would be expected to top up the amount)
• US$3,500 honorarium for a teaching or research mission
• US$2,500 honorarium for an external examiner
• US$150 per week – up to a maximum of US$1000 – to cover incidental expenses (paid once the dates of the mission are agreed between the visiting lecturer and the Host Institution)

Home/Host Institution Obligations

The Home Institution of the visiting professor/lecturer shall maintain the payment of his/her salary and benefits for the duration of his/her absence from the institution for the purpose of the exchange mission.

The Host Institution shall cater for the local expenses of the visiting professor/lecturer including lodging, board, local transportation, and medical care during his/her stay at the institution.

Who Can Apply?

AAU member institutions in good standing on the payment of subscriptions are invited to request in writing, the services of a visiting professor/lecturer.

How to Apply

AAU member universities interested in hosting an exchange fellow shall request the services of a visiting lecturer in writing. Information on the prospective exchange fellow and details of the proposed exchange mission should be provided by completing the attached application form. The written request and duly completed application form should be accompanied the CV of the Exchange Fellow and a letter of release from his or her home institution.

For more information on application procedures, selection criteria and other details please refer to the documents below.

• Application Form

*Women are especially encouraged to participate in the Programme. Heads of institutions are therefore requested to give priority to the nomination of women. 

*Please note that except in unforeseen or exceptional circumstances, an exchange mission cannot be postponed to the following year. For this edition of the Programme, all exchange missions have to be completed by end of year December 2017.

For further information, please contact:

The Academic Mobility Programme

Association of African Universities

Email: research@aau.org