Transdisciplinary Training for Resource Efficiency and ... · • Offers a variety of workshops for PG students refine research and thesis writing skills. • Purpose to help students

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Transdisciplinary Training for Resource Efficiency and Climate Change Adaptation in Africa

Quality academic monitoring

Institutional Services

Norma Derby

Coordinator:

Intra Africa Mobility


ACTUAL mobility

Type Target

Group 1

Target

Group 2 TOTAL

Masters 18 30 48

Doctorates 22 2 24

Staff 8 n/a 8

TOTAL 48 32 80

Type of

mobility

Target

Group 1

Target

Group 2 TOTAL

Actual

mobility

Actual

mobility

Masters 14 23 37 Doctorate

s 17 2 19

Staff 9 n/a 9

TOTAL 40 25 65

Planned mobility

TRECCAFRICA I TRECCAFRICA II

*2 registered; 1 dropped-out (@ 31/1/2018)

Type Target

Group 1

Target

Group 2 TOTAL

Masters 28 28 56

Doctorates 28 2 30

Staff 14 n/a 14

TOTAL 70 30 100

Type of

mobility

Target

Group 1

Target

Group 2 TOTAL

Actual

mobility

Masters 24 48

Doctorates 25 7 32

Staff 16 n/a 16

TOTAL 65 31 96 *79 registered; 9 to commence; 8 staff mobility vacant (@ 31/1/2018)



Section 1

QUALITY ACADEMIC MONITORING


WHAT IS QUALITY ACADEMIC MONITORING

• Essential part; end result of successful project.

• The coordinator & staff @ host university provides quality

academic monitoring to:

meet donor expectations and requirements.

ensure students: on track - meet objectives - make

reasonable progress - complete

studies on time.

Identify risks timeously.

Apply intervention strategies.


BARRIERS HINDERING ACADEMIC PROGRESS

1. Academic environment

• supervisor and student challenges.

• Inadequate support from supervisor.

• Student’s inability to cope and perform well to complete in time.

• Student uninformed about the program structure (eg. duration, Course

content, supervisor expectations etc.)

• Language barrier

2. Administrative support

• Unfavorable living conditions at host university.

• Inadequate project staff at host university.

• Cultural shock

• Different university calendars


BARRIERS HINDERING ACADEMIC PROGRESS

3. Material needs

• Finances / No or little research funds.

4. Personal needs

• Family dynamics

• Health conditions / pregnancy


RECOMMENDATIONS

Application and selection phase

Requesting relevant information to get insight into applicant’s academic abilities.

Setting boundaries and parameters in which student must function.

Induction

Adequate orientation: on life at host country & academic expectations.

Integration

Administrative level

Be the ‘soft landing’ for students to focus on academic work.

Controls to ensure student remains focused.

Introduce “no cost extension” for students after end of mobility.

Continuous communication.

University strikes – ensure process in place to minimize inconvenience.


RECOMMENDATIONS

Academic environment

Cohorts, discussion groups.

Supervisor informed of student’s home institution/country environment.

Institutional support

Conference/seminar attendance

Personal

• Feels supported

• Coordinator is counsellor, extension of the supervisor, nurse/doctor, financial advisor…


GOOD PRACTICES

Participants at the 9th Annual African Doctoral Academy Summer School (January 2018)


LASTLY!

1. When does the coordinator stop the quality academic monitoring of the student?

When the student graduates, even if the mobility ended before graduation…?

2. When does the EACEA officially wrap up the project? After the last student graduates…?



Section 2

INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES


WHAT CONSTITUTES INSTITUTIONAL SERVICES

• Supports quality academic monitoring.

• Institutional Services provide a variety of services to meet the

needs of students, academic. staff works closely with to provide

efficient professional support and advice.

• Focus on services offered to postgraduate students (masters and

doctoral level).


TYPES OF INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

International Office

• Welcome Centre (pre-arrival, orientation, immigration, life and success)

• Continuous administrative support for international students throughout stay.

African Doctoral Academy

• Coordinate and strengthen excellence in doctoral education across the African continent.

• Bi-annual, two weeklong Doctoral Schools (January & June-July)

• Aim to offer high impact research and methodology training, as well as options in academic preparedness and career development.


TYPES OF INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Postgraduate Office, in particular the Skills development programme

• Offers a variety of workshops for PG students refine research and thesis writing skills.

• Purpose to help students take responsibility finishing degrees ON TIME by providing

tools, skills and strategies to assist.

• Eg. Workshops: Article writing, avoiding plagiarism, Creating your thesis/dissertation.

• Pop up Café for postgraduate students – aimed to create space for postgraduate

from across disciines to engage.

Language Centre

• Vibrant hub for students, staff and clients who require language and communication assistance.

• Brings together experts in the field of language acquisition, translation, editing, interpreting,

corporate communication, research and document design

• Eg. Teaching Academic English, English for International students, Professional literacy, etc.

• Academic Writing skills, professional communication workshops.

• Language services: interpreting, text editing and translation.


GOOD PRACTICES

Orientation (Jan 2018)

Arrival details of new students

SU International staff


Thank you EACEA for supporting this flagship mobility initiative on the African

continent and building capacity across the higher education institution

community.

Transdisciplinary Training for Resource Efficiency and ... · • Offers a variety of workshops for PG students refine research and thesis writing skills. • Purpose to help students

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