The Rector of the University of Bologna, Giovanni Molari, took part in the final event of SHARE_Africa in Rome, a PNRR TNE project part of the Transnational Education Initiatives. The project was designed to strengthen collaboration between Italian and African higher education institutes, with innovative and transnational approaches to education and a range of activities spanning from North Africa to sub-Saharan regions.
The initiative, coordinated by the IHEA Foundation (Italian Higher Education with Africa), involved the Universities of Bologna, Florence, Naples Federico II, Padua, Rome La Sapienza and Politecnico di Milano. At the final event in Rome, opened by welcome remarks from the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, students involved in the project joined representatives of partner universities and international stakeholders.
Working closely with its Italian and African partners in the two target countries, Ethiopia and Tunisia, the project delivered post-graduate and mobility programmes for PhD students.
Six Blended Executive Programmes were delivered, each designed as a highly specialised course. Partner African universities took part in the programmes through co-teaching delivered in person plus some online lessons. The learning activities will also be converted into MOOCs, so that they can be accessed by all the academic institutions involved even after the project has ended.
The University of Bologna contributed with "Agricoltura di precisione e alimenti sostenibili" (“Precision Agriculture and Sustainable Food”) a programme developed in collaboration with the University of Tunis El Manar in Tunisia. Coordinated by Enrico Valli and Tullia Gallina Toschi, professors at the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Bologna, the programme is designed to equip participants with the skills needed for more efficient and sustainable agri-food systems.
The six Italian universities involved also hosted a total of 12 PhD students from various African countries, who undertook periods of training, joined research groups and used the available facilities.
The final event was attended by a large number of African students, who shared their experiences and encouraged IHEA to build on what has been achieved so far and develop further initiatives. After the Italian Rectors presented the certificates of attendance, PhD student Bhoke Rotente said: “The future is not something to wait for; it is something we build together.”
