Issue 71: AAU News

I bring you greetings from the Association of African Universities Secretariat in Accra. The month of September has been another busy one for us at the Secretariat. I am very pleased to share Issue 71 of the AAU News and to give you key updates of what we have been occupied with during the month of September.

The Secretariat has completed the preliminary phase of strengthening the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Systems of the AAU Secretariat. We have since developed the AAU Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) Framework that is composed of a proposed AAU MEL Unit Structure, the Theory of Change, Log-frame, Indicator Reference Manual, Key Data Collection Templates, Data Collection Plan and Guidelines for implementing the MEL Plan. We have also completed the digitization of the reporting system for one of the key AAU Projects and this will facilitate easier reporting by the universities involved in that project. Going forward the Association will further strengthen the Secretariat's methods of collecting data, analysing the data, producing reports and communicating to various African higher education stakeholders
The AAU co-organized the very successful 2018 International Conference on Quality Assurance in Higher Education in Africa which was hosted in Yaounde Cameroon from 17-21 September 2018. The organizing partners were Global University Network for Innovation, African Quality Assurance Network, Okebukola Science, Foundation, Peregrine Academic Services, the European Commission, the African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education (CAMES) and the University of Yaounde 1.
The Secretariat is still sending out communication to AAU Member Universities requesting that Vice Chancellors appoint Desk Officers to act as liaison persons for AAU related business. We are keen to strengthen our relationship with Member Institutions and increase the value and benefits for the Member Institutions. Several times we experience delays in responses pertaining to urgent opportunities and requests for information. We believe the Desk Officers will provide quick feedback and do the necessary follow ups. I therefore appeal to all Vice Chancellors of AAU Member Institutions to urgently appoint their AAU Desk Officers.
The AAU is the Regional facilitating Unit for the Africa Centers of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) Project and in October we will be working with experts from across the world to review the proposals submitted in response to a call that closed on the 28^th of September 2018. The ACE Impact Project's objective is to improve the quality, quantity and development impact of postgraduate education (defined to include Master’s and PhD degrees, and short-term professional level courses and training) in selected universities through regional specialization and collaboration.
I and the AAU Director of Finance visited Al Azhar University and Ain Shams University in Cairo Egypt to continue the discussions on the establishment of the AAU North Africa Regional Office.
The AAU TV is proceeding very well. As at end of September we have produced 443 videos, had 69,603 views on our videos and 75,891 facebook followers. This is your TV and I invite you as the African Higher Education Stakeholders to follow our facebook page and Youtube channel and benefit from the rich programs that we deliver daily.
In September 2018, the Secretariat delivered six fee-based workshops for African Universities. These were Research Leadership, Communication, Commercialization, Partnerships and Collaboration workshop in Zambia; Research Methods Workshop in Uganda; KOHA Library Management System workshop in Malawi; Database of African Theses and Dissertations (including research) workshop in Egypt; University Advancement Workshop in Abuja, Nigeria and the Student Leaders Workshop in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
In October 2018 the Secretariat will send out a Training Needs Survey to AAU member institutions and non-member institutions to find out your priority training needs. The survey results will inform our training workshop designs for 2019.
The African Universities Week will be held from 12 to 16 November 2018. I call upon all African Universities to recognize this week by implementing their selected higher education-related activities – seminars, talks, debates, workshops or exhibitions. This is the link to the African Universities Information Pack (https://events.aau.org/auweek/information-pack/).

Yours in the Service of Higher Education in Africa
Professor Etienne Ehouan Ehile

AAU NEWS: Issue 71

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