Support was provided by USF to facilitate cooperation between Ivorian higher education institutions (the University Institute of Abidjan) and Belgian Universities of Applied Sciences. This mainly concerns the establishment of new training programs and the strengthening of university capacities in new professional fields such as dietetics training or the creation of professional courses in pollution management.
USF found it important to complement these cooperations by setting up cross-mobility of students between Ivorian and Belgian higher education institutions. In other words, it is about giving Ivorian students the opportunity to study for a semester in Belgium as part of their university curriculum, and likewise, for Belgian students to follow part of their course in Côte d’Ivoire. A way to open up internationally in line with the Bologna process. The mobility carried out in this context is essential for establishing the trust necessary for the success of cross-border university cooperation and the mutual recognition of study periods and qualifications obtained abroad.

It was necessary to contribute to creating a climate of trust between European and African higher education institutions by adhering to the principles of non-discrimination, transparency, and inclusion, ensuring equal and fair access for participants, guaranteeing full and automatic recognition of all credits, and not requiring any fees from incoming mobile students.

Today, the cooperation agreement that has just been established between the Haute École de Bruxelles-Brabant, the University Institute of Abidjan, and USF materializes this approach. It concerns the students of the economics department of the partner institutions (HE2B and IUA), allowing them to undertake a mobility period (study or internship) during their courses. The information will be communicated to the students concerned for implementation at the start of the September 2026 academic year.