Today, the University of Bologna welcomed delegations from several leading African partner universities involved in Transnational Education (TNE) projects funded through Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
Representatives from Makerere University (Uganda), the University of Ghana and the University of Cape Coast (Ghana), Midlands State University (Zimbabwe), the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University (Kenya) took part in the meeting. Over the past few years, the University of Bologna has developed an extensive programme of academic and institutional cooperation with these institutions through a range of TNE initiatives. The projects, which are due to conclude at the end of June 2026, have supported a wide range of activities aimed at strengthening international cooperation in higher education. In particular, they have promoted mobility opportunities for academic staff, researchers and students, the delivery of advanced training programmes, and discussions on the development of double degree and joint degree programmes.
The University of Bologna secured funding for six TNE projects involving African partners, with a total allocation of €1,095,015. Through these projects, 65 incoming and 30 outgoing mobility exchanges were carried out for academic staff and researchers, alongside 20 incoming and 11 outgoing student mobility opportunities.
A particularly significant achievement was the delivery of four Advanced Skills Courses at Université Tunis El Manar (Tunisia), Stellenbosch University (South Africa), Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (Senegal) and the University of Cape Coast (Ghana). These courses brought together academic staff, researchers and professional staff in training and knowledge-sharing activities.
Today's meeting provided an important opportunity to review the results achieved so far and to discuss the future of the partnerships established through the TNE projects. The discussion centred on opportunities to strengthen existing institutional partnerships and develop new initiatives in research, teaching and advanced training.
Through these initiatives, the University of Bologna reaffirms its commitment to building international partnerships based on reciprocity, knowledge exchange and the enhancement of expertise, contributing to stronger academic cooperation between Europe and Africa.
