FAQs

ACADEMY - Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the objective of the Intra Africa Academic Mobility Scheme?

The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme supports higher education cooperation between countries in Africa. The scheme aims to promote sustainable development and ultimately contribute to poverty reduction by increasing the availability of trained and qualified high-level professional manpower in Africa.
The programme's objective is to improve the skills and competences of students and staff through enhanced mobility between African countries. Strengthening cooperation between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Africa will increase access to quality education and will encourage and enable African students to undertake postgraduate studies in the African continent. Furthermore, mobility of staff (academic and administrative) will enhance the international cooperation capacity of HEIs in Africa. More precisely, the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme aims to:

• contribute to the improvement of the quality of higher education through the promotion of internationalisation and harmonization of programmes and curricula within participating institutions;
• enable students, academics and staff to benefit linguistically, culturally and professionally from the experience gained in the context of mobility to another African country.

The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme is set up under the Pan-African Programme (Development Cooperation Instrument) and is based on the experience of the Intra-ACP Academic Mobility Scheme.
The Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is responsible for managing this programme, in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), and under the supervision of the Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development of the European Commission.

• What is ACADEMY?

The African Trans-Regional Cooperation through Academic Mobility (ACADEMY) project is designed to provide resources and opportunities for student and staff mobility from four regions of Africa, offering support for Masters, Doctoral and short research, teaching and administrative visits between the consortium partners.

The African Trans-Regional Cooperation through Academic Mobility (ACADEMY) Consortium, composed of five higher education institutions from four different regions in Africa, intends to address these challenges by providing a mutual and continuous support, and creating synergy using the strengths and resources of each institution to overcome the main constraints and threats. These can be viewed as opportunities for mutual learning, intercultural understanding, and exchange of know-how and best practices.

In line with the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, the overall objective of ACADEMY is to contribute to promote cross- regional continental integration, sustainable and inclusive development.

More specifically, it intends to create an open Platform as a key instrument for innovation, knowledge sharing and dissemination of good practices within the participating institutions. It will focus on the implementation of a common inter-regional digital platform between the participating universities. It will encourage creating and sustaining Communities of Practice by students, teachers, and administrative staff, interacting regularly.

It aims at improving both the capacity of the participating HEIs and beneficiaries’ competences through 109 grants related to five thematic fields. This will lead to:

• reinforced inter-institutional cooperation and the conclusion of new bi-lateral/multi-lateral cooperation agreements;
• peer learning and transfer of innovative practices;
• creation of new academic networks such as ACADEMY-NET;
• improved gender balance and equity in access to internationalization opportunities;
• increased visibility of partner institutions.
• Which are the members of the ACADEMY consortium?

The partners in ACADEMY consortium are :

• Université de Tlemcen (Coordinator), Algeria
• University of Cape Coast (Partner), Ghana
• Kenyatta University (Partner), Kenya
• University of Ibadan (Partner), Nigeria
• University of KwaZulu-Natal (Partner), South Africa.
• Universidade do Porto (Technical Partner), Portugal
• Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique (Associate Partner), Algeria
• Pan African University for Water and Energy Sciences (Associate Partner), Algeria

It has to be mentioned that the technical partner and associate partners cannot host students or staff.
• Which study fields does ACADEMY allow?

ACADEMY allows study and work visits within the following five thematic areas :

• Business, administration and law,
• Natural sciences,
• Information and Communication Technologies,
• Engineering, manufacturing and construction,
• Agriculture, forestry, fisheries and veterinary.
• What does ACADEMY offer?

The African Trans-Regional Cooperation through Academic Mobility (ACADEMY) Programme will offer a total of 109 mobility opportunities: 65 at Masters level, 26 at Doctorate level and 18 staff mobility opportunities.
The available scholarships are:

• Master
  • Degree-seeking mobility : 20 months
  • Credit-seeking mobility : 6 to 10 months
  • Monthly subsistence allowance : 600 Euros
• PhD
  • Degree-seeking mobility : 36 months
  • Credit-seeking mobility : 6 to 10 months
  • Monthly subsistence allowance : 900 Euros
• Academic and Administrative Staff
  • Mobility : 1 to 3 months
  • Monthly subsistence allowance : 1200 Euros
• What does the Scholarship cover ?

The scholarship covers :

• Monthly subsistence allowance for the entire mobility period
• Extra allowance per academic year to female students (for mobility equal to or longer than two academic years)
• Settling in allowance (for students only)
• Roundtrip flight ticket and visa costs - for mobility equal to or longer than two academic years, two roundtrip tickets will be provided (arranged by the coordinating institution on behalf of students)
• Comprehensive insurance (Health, Accident and Travel) (arranged by the coordinating institution on behalf of students)
• Participation costs such as tuition fees, registration fees and service fees where applicable (paid directly to the hosting institutions)
• Research costs for students on mobility for 10 months or more (based on actual research needs and dependent on a request submitted by the students)
• Which is my home institution?

If you are a student, the home institution is the one where you are enrolled in (for credit-seeking students) or the institution where you have obtained your diploma (for degree-seeking students).
If you are an academic or administrative staff, the home institution is the one where you work (full-time) or where you have any kind of contract, which endows your eligibility to apply for the ACADEMY Project.

• Which is my host institution?

The host institution is the partner university where the applicant wants to develop his/her study/work programme within the academy Project.

• What is a Target Group?

Target Groups are defined by the European Agency responsible for the Intra Africa Mobility Scheme Project management. The Consortium is responsible for assuring the respect for these definitions. In order to decrease the chance of error by the app licants, the coordination has defined a group of questions addressed to the applicants immediately before starting to fill in the application form. The answers to those questions will determine which Target Group the applicant belong to.

Academy project covers two target groups:

Target Group 1 (TG1):

• Students registered in one of the five partner universities: Université de Tlemcen (Algeria), University of Cape Coast (Ghana), Kenyatta University (Kenya), University of Ibadan (Nigeria), and University of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa).
• Students who graduated from one of the five partner universities (for degree-seeking/full degree).
• Staff working in one of the five partner universities.

Target Group 2 (TG2):

• Students registered (or graduated from – for degree-seeking) in a university that is not partner of ACADEMY and is located in these African countries: these African countries: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Chad, Comoros, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
  
• Is there a minimum or maximum age in order to apply to the ACADEMY Project?

The guidelines defined by the European Agency responsible for the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme implementation do not establish any minimum or maximum age as an eligibility criteria. Any person, regardless his/her age, can submit his/her application.
It is important to note that all eligibility criteria mentioned in the available information at the consortium's website and in the produced dissemination material (leaflets, posters and guidelines for applicants) are the minimum established by the partnership's coordination. This means that every home institution can define more restrictive criteria, which will be applicable only to their applicants. Being so, it is crucial that the applicant does an attentive reading of the guidelines for applicants and other informative material made available by the coordination and, at the same time, to do a direct contact with the contact people at the home and host institutions, who are responsible for the ACADEMY Project management.

• What does "force majeure" stand for?

“Force majeure” is an unforeseeable exceptional situation or event beyond the parties’ control, which prevents either of them from fulfilling any of their obligations under the Agreement, which was not attributable to error or negligence on their part or on the part of subcontractors, affiliated entities or third parties involved in the implementation and which proves to be inevitable in spite of exercising all due diligence. Any default of a service, defect in equipment or material or delays in making them available, unless they stem directly from a relevant case of force majeure, as well as labor disputes, strikes or financial difficulties cannot be invoked as force majeure.

• Does ACADEMY offer data protection throughout the application and approvals process?

Yes, all personal data (such as names, addresses, CVs, etc.) will be processed in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processin g of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation)

• How do I apply?

Before submitting your application, please read the instructions on the ACADEMY website and familiarize yourself with the student categories and target groups. Carefully research and select the host institution and study programme of choice, prior to submitting your application. Please complete the online application.
In order to submit your application, create a new user and then fill in the online application form and attach the required documents. Once the form is completed, make sure you have submitted it within the deadline and that you have received an email confirming the submission is concluded.

• Categories of Scholarship
• Degree-seeking (or Full degree) scholarships for Masters and Doctoral students:
  Students who meet the criteria will be able to apply for Degree-seeking (or Full degree scholarships) scholarship for completion of a masters or doctoral degree at one of the African higher education institutions in the consortium.
• Academic and administrative staff mobilities:
  Staff employed by the higher education institutions of the consortium will be able to apply for short term mobility opportunities which could include benchmarking exercises, sabbatical research periods, guest lecturing, curriculum development, knowledge and resource sharing trips etc. on the basis that both institutions support the trip.
• Credit-seeking (Masters and PHD)
  Students registered as full-degree students at one of the partner universities comprising the consortium, will be able to spend a short period (up to 10 months) at one of the other institutions in the consortium and return to their home institution after the exchange period to complete their degree at the home institution.
  
• What does the scholarship cover?

The Scholarship covers

• Roundtrip flight ticket and visa costs. For mobility equal to or longer than two academic years, two roundtrip tickets will be provided).
• Participation costs such as tuition fees, registration fees and service fees where applicable
• Insurance (Health, Accident and Travel)
• A monthly subsistence allowance for the mobility period
• Settling in Allowance (for students only).
• An extra allowance corresponding to the monthly subsistence allowances will be paid per academic year to female master students and doctoral candidates, for mobility equal or longer than 2 academic years.

Research Costs: only eligible to students on mobility for 10 months or more and to students who are registered for a minimum of 2 years.

• What about health and travel insurance?

The coordinating institution will arrange for each scholarship holder comprehensive health, travel and personal accidents insurance directly to each scholarship holder which is valid in the host country and in line with European Union requirements.
The insurance will cover pan-African travel required during a student / staff member’s mobility period.
Note that the insurance needs to be valid since the moment the scholarship holder starts the travel before the mobility until the moment the scholarship holder finishes the travel after the mobility. No other periods are covered

• When will I know the outcome of my application?

All accepted and rejected applicants and well those on the reserve list will be notified immediately after the ACADEMY Scholarship Selection Committee decision has been finalized.

• What do I need to consider when planning my trip?

ACADEMY recommends that students and staff liaise with home and host institution co-ordinators for more specific requirements.

• Ensure that your passport is valid for the duration of your studies. You will need it to open a bank account (when needed/possible). In most countries, a passport is the recognized form of identification for international students / staff.
• Should you need to apply for a study permit, ensure that it is valid for studies at the institution you will be studying at.
• If you are bringing a laptop, please make sure that the computer can operate on the voltage of the country you will be studying in and that you have the necessary transformer for the current. You may also need to purchase an adapter plug that enables you to plug your computer into an outlet.
• Medication: If you take a prescription drug on a regular basis remember to keep the prescription and to retain original packaging.
• Other electronic equipment; If you intend to bring electronic equipment (e.g. hairdryer) please make sure that it can operate on the voltage available for the country.
• Cash in local currency for emergencies.
• What about housing at the host university?

According to the rules of the ACADEMY programme, the host universities are required to assist students and staff members to find suitable housing on or near campus.


• Will I participate in orientation?

Yes, upon arrival you will receive your information and orientation pack with information on orientation and the campus of your choice. Please read through the information carefully and ensure that you participate in the scheduled orientation and registration sessions.
During orientation week the host institution will officially welcome you and give informative useful to your academic and social wellbeing. Each session will equip you to identify and utilize the necessary resources and smooth your transition into higher education in a different African region and at the relevant host institution.

• Which permits or documentation do I need?

Details of additional documentation needed, or which visa to apply for, are communicated to successful applicants (after having received, reviewed and assessed their applications).

• I did applied, what’s next?

Thank you for your interest. An email of acknowledgement is sent to the email you give on your application form. Please be sure you have received it. In case of any problem with the application tool or process, please contact us at academy@mail.univ-tlemcen.dz.
After the application’s deadline, a selection committee meets to assess each application. Each applicant, who duly submitted his/her completed application, will receive an email specifying the result of his/her application.

• How do I stay in touch?

Contact us via email or telephone availables on the ACADEMY website. Visit our Facebook page (The_Academy) to see more about ACADEMY.

• How and when shall I require for the issuing of my visa?

The selected applicants must require for their visa (if needed), which will correspond to the type of mobility to which they were accepted, in their home country or in the closest country where there is a diplomatic representation of the country where they will undertake their mobility flow. Scholarship holders shall contact the Embassy or Consulate of the host country immediately after the Consortium's coordination formal communication in which is stated that the applicant was effectively selected to undertake a mobility flow within the ACADEMY Project.

Scholarship holders must reunite as soon as possible all the required documents by the Consulate/Embassy, by contacting the responsible institutions which issue those documents, namely the host institution. Any obstacle found in this contact must be immediately reported to the Consortium's coordination, which will support the applicant in all the procedures.

Full Master or PhD students must possess a valid passport for at least three or four years at the moment they require the visa issuing, so as to avoid any difficulty may arise in the visa issuing.

Please be aware that the visa can take up to 2 months or more to be issued, so we strongly advise to the applicants to contact the Embassy immediately after the formal communication of acceptation by the Consortium coordination.

• Which services and support will I have at my host institution?

The Consortium partner institutions have the responsibility of providing all the necessary support to ACADEMY scholarship holders.

This support includes, among others:

• Documents for visa issuing;
• Support in the search of accommodation (dormitories, hall of residence, shared flats, rooms, family houses, other);
• Language courses;
• Integration activities;
• Monitoring actions and mobility quality assessment,
• Provide the scholarship holders with adequate work/study/ research conditions;
• Inform about the host country's cost of life and culture.

The kind of support provided by each institution regarding every aspect above mentioned may differ, so it is strongly advisable that students do a previous reading of the detailed information concerning this subject. Considering the importance that every aspect above mentioned has for the development and success of the mobility flows, it is advisable that the reading is made when the student decides which host institution he/she wants to attend. If there is any doubt regarding the provided information, applicants must directly contact the institution which they are interested to attend.

• When do I have to undertake my mobility period?

The mobility flows of the first cohort must start until December 31^st 2018.

The mobility flows for degree-seeking master must initiate with the academic year of each institution. This is a very relevant aspect when it comes to select the host institution, since the beginning of the academic year varies from institution to institution. The foreseen dates for the beginning of the academic year are described in the academic offer of each institution.

The mobility flows for PhD credit-seeking mobility do not necessarily start with the beginning of the academic. Therefore, this mobility flows can start later on, but never after December 2018 (first cohort) as it exists an agreement between the home and host institutions.

The academic and administrative staff mobility flows may start at any moment from the selection of applicants (whenever all the requirements are met - work programme, visa, travel, insurance...) until the end of Decemb 2020.

All applicants must take this aspect into account in the moment they formalize their application to ensure that, in case they are selected, they will be available to undertake their mobility.

• Can I finish my mobility flow before the initially stated date?

No. To finish the mobility period before the foreseen date means a substantial alteration in what was agreed and signed in th e Student Agreement and established at the beginning of the mobility period. In this Contract are included in a very clear way the consequences for an anticipated ending of the mobility flow, since the scholarship suspension to its partial or full return, depending on the motives which led to the interruption of the mobility.

Full (degree-seeking) Master or PhD students who finish their academic degree, including the thesis defence, in a prior date to the initially foreseen, will immediately stop receiving the payment and they will have to return to their home institution.