Brussels, 27/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - African and European universities face similar challenges: the need to modernise, provide relevant curricula and offer students more opportunities to broaden their skills to increase job prospects. In this context, the European Union intends to double the size of the “tuning” university partnership programme with Africa. This question and the related challenges were discussed on 27 March in Brussels in a joint meeting with the representatives from 60 African universities and Commissioner for Education Androulla Vassiliou in Brussels on 1-2 April. The commissioner emphasised that education is the best investment against inequality and poverty and that cooperation had to be stepped up between the EU and Arica in the education field: “We need to cooperate better at all levels to help higher education institutions develop relevant curricula, enable students and staff to overcome barriers to mobility and address the recognition of qualifications”.
First launched in 2011, the “tuning” scheme aims to enhance the relevance and quality of university courses by involving employers and other stakeholders in curricula design. It also seeks to improve institutional evaluation and to implement a framework for quality assurance and accreditation. During the meeting, European and African representatives discussed the aim of doubling the scope of the initiative from 60 African universities and 130,000 undergraduate students to 120 universities by 2015. Over the next seven years, it is envisaged that the new Erasmus+ programme will provide grants for 25,000 African students and academics to study or train in Europe, and around 2,750 African researchers will receive support from the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions. The Commission also supports the Nyerere mobility programme to facilitate exchanges within Africa to encourage student retention and increase the competitiveness and attractiveness of the institutions.
The next tuning meeting will take place in October 2014 in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, and focus on joint degrees - study programmes developed by two or more international universities. (IL)