As part of the EU-funded project GOOD MAUR-NIG (Optimized Management of the Internationalization Development Organization in Mauritania and Niger), an intensive training week was organized from October 14 to 18, 2024, between Rome and Venice, hosted respectively by UNIMED, coordinator of the project, and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice. The workshop was designed to enhance the internationalization skills of 12 staff members from the 5 higher education institutions in Mauritania and Niger. The program combined training, reflections, and practical exercises.
On the first training day, October 14, after having recalled the main tasks and objectives of the capacity building work package, UNIMED addressed the international dimension of universities, tackling also the internationalisation at home and presented the strategies, actors, and models involved in this process, highlighting various funding opportunities open to African universities, such as Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programs.
The day after was devoted to project management, with a particular emphasis on the Erasmus+ program. Participants had the opportunity to explore the main aspects related to the proposal writing phase, the implementation of project activities and the financial and administrative management, engaging also in practical case studies.
The participants then moved to Venice for the second part of the training.
The first morning was dedicated to the strategies to establish and manage international partnerships and agreements with other universities. Topics included some best practices and clues for getting in touch with (European) universities, the strategies to follow up on existing agreements and the added value of integrating university networks. The afternoon session focused on the internationalization of research, on how to structure a research department and on the funding opportunities available to African countries, with a comparison between the systems adopted respectively by Ca’ Foscari University and University of Granada.
Throughout the morning of October 17, participants had the opportunity to explore the management of various types of mobility schemes, including those devoted to PhD students and cotutelle programs. In the afternoon, participants were grouped according to their belonging institutions to exchange on which model to organise an International Relations office, among those presented during the training week and in previous webinars, would fit more to their own university. This exercise offered to the participants the opportunity to start a reflection about the structure they will provide to their upcoming international relations offices.
In the last day, additional exchanges among the partners and with other representatives of Ca’ Foscari University were organised, along with a visit to the rectorate and to the international relations office.
The training week was only the first step of the capacity building action foreseen in the project. Study visits at UNIMED, Ca’ Foscari University and University of Granada will take place soon, aimed at deepening knowledge and strengthening the skills of Mauritanian and Nigerien academic and administrative staff involved in the internationalisation process.
To know more about the project, please visit the website and follow it on Facebook!
