Events

PRESS RELEASE Nº 22/ 22nd AU SUMMIT

African Union Commission, the Republic of Kenya and Japan sign MoU for Cooperation on the Pan African University at the margins of the AU Summit

Addis Ababa, 29 January 2014 - The development of the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences Technology and innovation (PAUSTI) is the subject of the tripartite memorandum of understanding signed between the African Union Commission represented by H.E. Dr. Martial De Paul Ikounga, Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology; the Government of the Republic of Kenya represented by H.E. . Amina MOHAMED, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs; and the Government of Japan represented by H.E. Mr. Norio MITSUYA, Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, on 29th January 2014.The ceremony was presided over by Dr Beatrice Njenga, Head of Education at the AUC.

The Pan African University (PAU) is a new generation university implemented across the African continent, aiming at revitalizing higher education and research in Africa. The PAU will provide an exemplar for excellence in higher education and research for the development of high caliber youthful human capital and generation of knowledge products for Africa's social and economic development in the African continent.

PAUSTI is one of the five thematic hubs of the Pan African University, and is hosted at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya, where the government of Kenya has demonstrated political and financial commitment in ensuring its successful operationalisation. Japan has been a long term sponsor of the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, and is therefore well placed to extend its support to PAUSTI. Under the tripartite MOU, support from Japan will include technical support that will include staff training and provision of scientific equipment.

In his remarks during the signing of the MoU, H.E. Commissioner Ikounga pointed out the centrality of PAUSTI within the PAU network, because Innovation is a transversal skill that will be part of the branding of the PAU, as it is necessary for ensuring that PAU achieves its mission of contributing to Africa's vision of prosperity through the harnessing of sciences and technology.
The tripartite agreement becomes effective immediately for a period of five years.

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Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@africa-union.org I Web Site www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES IN AFRICA: WORKING TOWARDS OPTIMAL IMPACT

Addis Ababa, 15 January 2014 – The African Union Commission, through its Department of Human Resources Science and Technology (HRST) held a day-long meeting of Education Development Agencies on 15 January 2014 at the AU Commission in Addis Ababa.

The discussion brought together partners and concerned members of the United nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Economic Commission of Africa (ECA), Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA), Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and also participants from the Russian embassy, United States of America, France, Germany and India.

The meeting is a way to find common grounds that will help Africa to get better education by bringing the stakeholders at national, regional, bilateral and multilateral levels together to share their experiences and to also identify the areas of intervention, knowing the basic components i.e. the teacher, the learner, the content and learning conditions.

The educational agencies are looking to develop a policy which drives and coordinates the teachers’ training, the building of the infrastructure and getting funding for equipment, text books, and information and communication technologies (ICT). They are also discussing ways to distribute resources using the many partners around the world that technically and financially develop African countries in the aspect of education. However some of the countries are receiving very little support or no support.

During his presentation Dr. Martial De-Paul Ikounga, Commissioner for Human Resources Science and Technology at the AUC said that a way has to be developed that would leave no country behind. He also stated how databases and statistics can be collected from stakeholders and a directory can be made for anyone who needs to use or collect the information.

AGA/

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Directorate of Information and Communication | African Union Commission I E-mail: dinfo@african-union.org I Web Site: www.au.int I Addis Ababa | Ethiopia

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The new deadline for the Call is April 18th 2014. Shortlist Member States will be notified by 25th April 2014.

The new deadline for the Call is April 18th 2014. Shortlist Member States will be notified by 25th April 2014.

Call and Terms of Reference for the Selection of the Host Country for the Pan African University Rectorate.

1. INTRODUCTION

The Commission of the African Union wishes to identify a Member State of the African Union to host the Rectorate of the Pan African University. The selection of the host country for the PAU Rectorate will be carried out from among those Member States that will send in applications, based on requirements and criteria described here-in.

The hosting of the Pan African University must provide optimal conditions supportive of the dispersed structure of the Pan African University, its pan African mandate, and the demands for excellence.

The Pan African University (PAU) is a flagship project of the African Union Commission (AUC), established by the decision of the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in 2010, following the recommendations by the Conference of Ministers of Education of the African Union (COMEDAF). The PAU is an academic continental network of higher education institutions of excellence for postgraduate studies and advanced research. The PAU aims at boosting the innovative capacity of Africa to adapt to the changing needs of the global economy; promote intra African mobility of highly qualified Africans so as to strengthen regional co-operation and promote brain gain and brain circulation.

The PAU structure consists of five Thematic Institutes, each to be connected to thematic Satellite Centres; and one PAU Rectorate as the central governing office of the Pan African University.

The five Thematic Institutes of the PAU are located as follows:
a) PAU Institute for Water and Energy Sciences, including climate change is located in Northern Africa, hosted by the Government of Algeria at the Abou Bakr Belkaid University of Tlemcen;
b) PAU Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation is located in Eastern Africa, hosted by the Government of Kenya at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology
c) PAU Institute for Life and Earth Sciences, including Health and Agriculture is located in West Africa, hosted by the Government of Nigeria at the University of Ibadan;
d) PAU Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences is located in Central Africa, hosted by the Government of Cameroon at the University of Yaoundé II
e) PAU Institute for Space Sciences will be located in Southern Africa, with the host yet to be identified

HOSTING REQUIRMENTS

The hosting of the Rectorate of the Pan African University (PAU) in a Member State will entail rights and obligations for the African Union as well as for the host country. The Member State offering to host the PAU Rectorate will be expected to indicate what facilities it wishes to place at the disposal of the Rectorate. It is therefore necessary for the host country to extend certain facilities such as premises for the offices of the Rectorate and to provide the requisite privileges and immunities to all staff.

In this regard, Member States proposing to host the PAU Rectorate should therefore meet the following minimum basic requirements and expectations:

1. The host country shall provide, at its expense, secure structures with furnished and equipped office premises for the Rectorate on the basis of the objective requirements of office space;

2. The premises offered to host the Rectorate should at a minimum include fifty rooms that can be used as offices without prejudice to other required rooms that should be used to meet basic needs of an office facility.

3. The premises offered by the host country should be such that the Rectorate shall be easily accessible from within the country, from Africa and beyond;

4. The host country shall meet the requirements of a conducive political atmosphere and adequate logistical facilities;

5. There shall be appropriate and efficient modern infrastructure including telecommunication facilities and accessibility for the physically handicapped to enable the office to function efficiently;
6. There shall be available housing, hotel accommodation and health infrastructure to meet the functional needs of the Rectorate.

7. The above mentioned facility and infrastructure being offered to host the Rectorate should be ready and functional by July 1st 2014;

8. Without prejudice to these criteria, Member States are encouraged to offer more facilities than those indicated here-in;

9. The Member State hosting the PAU Rectorate shall also be expected to provide, at its expense, an appropriate furnished and equipped official residence for the PAU Rector;

10. It is also required that the Member State hosting the PAU Rectorate should have ratified the General Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the OAU, the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

THE SELECTION PROCESS

The following will be the applicable procedures for selection:

1. The Commission of the African Union shall, after receiving applications from Member States, set up an independent technical team to make a short list of those applicants that meet the requirements stated above.
2. The independent selection team shall make a fact-finding mission to Member States offering to host the PAU Rectorate to inspect the proposed site, verify the facts and commitments presented in the applications, and submit a report to the Commission for consideration.
3. The Commission will consider the report and make a recommendation to the Executive Council of the African Union for decision on the country to become the host of the PAU Rectorate.
4. The Executive Council will select a Host Country and submit a recommendation to the Assembly for final decision.

5. Thereafter, the Commission shall ensure that a Host Agreement is signed between itself and the Member State concerned.

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

Member States of the African Union interested in hosting the PAU Rectorate are requested to prepare an application describing how they meet the above stated requirements, with documentary evidence.

Applications should be received at the Commission of the African Union on or before 15th March 2014. Shortlisted Member States will be notified by 30th March 2014, in order to prepare for a fact finding mission by the selection team.

Applications may be sent by courier to the following address:

Department of Human Resources Science and Technology
The African Union Commission
Roosevelt Street
P.O. Box 3243, Addis Ababa
Ethiopia

RE: APPLICATION TO HOST PAN AFRICAN UNIVERSITY RECTORATE

For any enquiries or request for clarification in relation to this Call, kindly contact the following:

Head, Education Division
Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology
Telephone: +251 11 5517700
Email: njengab@africa-union.org