Academics Without Borders (USF), headquartered in Lyon, France, actively works to promote academic cooperation with higher education institutions in developing countries, both public and private. This concerns research, the establishment of new courses, teaching, distance learning, relations with the professional sectors with a priority concerning the employability of students. These collaborations contribute to strengthening the expertise and skills of partner universities with a view to sustainable development.

1 – Objective: The purpose of the association is, through the development of activities of general interest, to contribute to the dissemination and influence of French and French-speaking culture, language, scientific and academic knowledge and research, in particular through the development of university teaching and research projects, based on the know-how, pedagogy and research of French and French-speaking higher education and research institutions. research. This is carried out with the support of French and French-speaking academics, teacher-researchers, students, and administrative staff, all over the world, including in non-French-speaking countries.

2 – Main cooperations undertaken by USF:

They have been undertaken with:

– the École Polytechnique de Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) for a training program for trainers in the textile engineering sector as part of an ADESFA project of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs (2022),

– the contribution to the capacity building of the “mother-child” medical research laboratory of the Joseph Ki Zerbo University of Ouagadougou,

– the setting up of a Research Master’s degree in Management (model, choice of professors, certain courses, supervision of dissertations) at Aube Nouvelle University (Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso),

– in Côte d’Ivoire, the supervision of doctoral students in biology at the University of Korhogo, (research seminars on methodology, support for the writing of articles and selection of candidates for the preparation of a PhD 2022 – 2025);

– In Douala, Cameroon, for the design of the African Higher Institute of Information and Knowledge Technologies.

– in Gabon (INSG Libreville), a revision of management training models (bachelor’s / master’s degrees), the integration of work-study training (February 2022), the analysis of the situation of the university research center and a multidisciplinary revitalization plan that preceded a project to support the strengthening of teaching and research capacities with the teacher-researchers of the higher education institution 2022 – 2026.

– In Colombia and Tunisia, for the training of doctoral students and young researchers.

– In several Algerian and Tunisian universities, training of doctoral students, in particular for the writing of theses.

3 – Ongoing projects for which the priority is the employability of students and the strengthening of university capacities

In Benin, following a study of training needs in water treatment and waste treatment carried out in Cotonou, a training plan for the Professional Bachelor’s Degree in “Biology, Water Treatment and Waste Management” has been designed. A multi-year project to support the implementation of this professional degree (university training in 3 years after the baccalaureate) is being carried out in close cooperation with the professional institutions concerned. This project is being carried out at the École Supérieure Le Faucon in Abomey-Calavi. (2021 – 2025).

In Côte d’Ivoire since September 2023,

– A training needs study highlighted gaps in the sanitation sector. A professional degree is being prepared at the University Institute of Abidjan (IUA) in conjunction with the professional managers of this sector and in close cooperation with the University of Tours.

– A study of training needs has highlighted the problems of undernutrition of part of the population, and the absence of dieticians able to accompany the support measures of the international community and national officials. A first training course for dieticians was designed in close collaboration between the Haute École de la Province de Liège (Belgium) and the Institut Universitaire de Technologie de Tours. An Erasmus+ application is being put together to obtain funding from the European Commission for this project, which concerns the University Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the University of Nangui Abrogoua and the IUA.

In Madagascar:

Since December 2023, a project to create a professional degree in “Health, Human Nutrition and Dietetics” has been in preparation at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Toamasina, in close cooperation with the Malagasy universities of Mahajunga and Antananarivo. In addition to Universitaires sans Frontières, cooperation has been established with the Brussels Hospital Centre and the professional association of dieticians. An Erasmus+ project must be associated with this project.

In Guinea and Senegal:

At the initiative of the Koffi Annan University of Conakry (Guinea) and the Senegalese universities of Thiès and Amadou Mahtar M’Bow and with the support of USF, a training of trainers program in renewable energy has been in the process of being set up since September 2024. This program is part of an Erasmus+ project. 

Academics Without Borders website: https://univ-sf.org/