The UNITAFRICA project (www.unitafrica.it), coordinated by the University of Brescia and spearheaded by Italian Universities within the Italian University Network for Development Cooperation (CUCS), is a strategic initiative aimed at fostering joint training, research, and international academic cooperation with peer institutions across the African continent. In this proposal, 21 Italian Universities and 78 African Universities, under the UNITAFRICA Alliance, aim to empower mutual cooperation and improve the quality and effectiveness of the higher education while strengthening the Italian academic system in Africa. The overarching objectives include creating an enabling physical and virtual environment, strengthening mobility, promoting mutual education among students to address local development needs, fostering advanced skills among teaching and non-teaching academic staff, and evaluating the effectiveness of education activities. Activities are structured into six strategic Work Packages (WPs), with WP1 focusing on project management, WP2 on the constitution of the UNITAFRICA network and digital platform, WP3 on innovative education for students, WP4 on skills development, WP5 on retrospective analysis and impact evaluation, and WP6 on communication and outreach. Strategic activities include creating the UNITAFRICA Alliance and a Platform for Innovative Teaching and mobility (PIT), supporting project's activities.
Approximately 590 bidirectional mobilities are planned for students, teaching and non-teaching staff. Master's and PhD students will be involved in mobilities (WP3) for degree theses, research and training courses. Particular attention is paid to the promotion of advanced training courses for teaching and non-teaching staff (WP4), both in Italy and in Africa. The project aims at systemic innovation for capacity building, through the creation of 13 courses for master's and PhD students (WP3), 10 advanced training courses for academic staff and 1 course for technical-administrative staff (WP4). Key thematic areas of the project with its training courses concern health, environment and ecological transition, rural development, sustainable energy, digital transition, entrepreneurial and industrial development, cultural heritage and social sciences and humanities. The project aims to identify guidelines and best practices for teaching methodologies, promote synergies for the future development of joint training programs (double degrees and joint doctorates, etc.), foster internationalization and promote effective cooperation in teaching and research. The multidimensional approach of the project reflects the commitment to achieve lasting impacts on higher education, research and collaboration between the Italian and African higher education systems.
For more information, please contact the Scientific Referent of the Project, Prof. Sabrina Sorlini [email protected]