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University World News Predatory journals in the firing line (South Africa) South Africa’s Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has begun clamping down on academics publishing in predatory journals, withholding at least ZAR62 million (US$4.2 million) in subsidies during the 2016-17 academic year, with further action on the cards once a study is completed, according to Mahlubi ‘Chief’ Mabizela, a senior department official. “Predatory publishing is a threat to the credibility... Read More 0

Le Partenariat pour les compétences en sciences appliquées, ingénierie et technologies (PASET) est une initiative pilotée par le continent africain avec l’objectif de renforcer les compétences en sciences appliquées, en ingénierie et en technologies afin de poursuivre la transformation socio-économique de l’Afrique subsaharienne. Le Fonds Régional de Bourses d’études et d’Innovation (RSIF) est le programme phare du PASET. L’objectif principal du RSIF est de former des doctorants et postdoctorants de haut niveau... Read More 0

The Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) is an African-led initiative with the objective of strengthening skills in the Applied Science, engineering and Technology to further socio-economic transformation in sub- Saharan Africa (SSA). The Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) is the flagship program of PASET. The primary objective of RSIF is to train high quality PhD and post-doctoral students to address the human resource gap of highly... Read More 0

Prof. Achille Ephrem Assogbadjo of the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin, has won the 2019 Young African Researchers Award.  He was selected for “authenticity and quality of scientific research in the field of Agriculture and Food Sciences. The award was given to him by the Academy of Scientific research and Technology (ASRT) of Egypt. The 2019 award was announced by the ASRT Council of the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology at its... Read More 0

  The Transforming African Agricultural Universities to meaningfully contribute to Africa’s growth and development (TAGDev) Programme at Egerton University held its second National Forum from 12th to 13th March 2019 in Naivasha, Kenya. With the key objective of creating and promoting linkages between agricultural education, training, labour markets and policy makers, the National Forum brought together participants from several universities, Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions (TVETs), development partners, agricultural industry... Read More 0

RUFORUM wishes to engage the services of an External Auditor of international reputation for the year 2019-2020 in accordance with the statutory requirements, International Reporting Standards Guidelines and International Standards on Auditing (ISA). RUFORUM therefore, invites eligible firms to submit their proposals for the provision of external audit services to RUFORUM. Interested firms should provide proposals demonstrating that they have the required qualifications and relevant experience to perform this Services. Firms are... Read More 0

Prof. Patience Mshenga, one of the pioneer RUFORUM supported PhD graduates, was on May 2nd, 2019 appointed to serve on the Executive Board of the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA). ASARECA is an inter-governmental organisation comprised of 12 member countries set up to address the common challenges and opportunities to agricultural research and development through collective action. On the board, Prof. Mshenga will represent higher education... Read More 0

For two months, at the tail  end of 2018, three students supported by the TAGDev Potato Community Action Research Project (CARP+) were attached for internship at the National Potato Council of Kenya (NPCK) based in Nairobi. They were among the five students of the first cohort of Master of Science in Community Studies and Extension at Egerton University sponsored by the TAGDev Programme coordinated by RUFORUM and funded by the MasterCard Foundation.... Read More 0

University World News Digital skills demand – A big opportunity for universities (Africa) The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has urged universities and higher technical education institutions in Sub-Saharan Africa to improve their digital skills training programmes to cater for its prediction that over 230 million jobs in the region will need digital skills by 2030.  The study, Digital Skills in Sub-Saharan Africa: Spotlight on Ghana, was produced in cooperation with global strategy... Read More 0

University World News Applied universities – A viable path to higher education (Ethiopia) The idea of the applied university is growing as an enticing concept in developed and developing countries alike, offering a vehicle for system differentiation and the production of high-level practical skills.The applied university goes by many names – polytechnic university, university of applied sciences, vocational university, applied technological university – according to what countries think best describes their context.For... Read More 0

University World News Using intellectual property to actualise universities’ potential (Africa) Four African universities are among five institutions that have been picked to participate in a continental intellectual property (IP) pilot project, aimed at helping public teaching and research organisations build capacity for developing and implementing institutional IP policy and strategy. The project is being implemented by global IP organisation the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in collaboration with two continental bodies,... Read More 0

Kampala 20 May 2019 The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with the European Alliance on Agricultural Knowledge for Development (AGRINATURA). The signing of the MoU took place during the AGRINATURA Annual General Meeting held at the Agro- Biotech Centre at Gembloux, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, University of Liege, Belgium which took place 15th- 16th May 2019.  Present at the signing were AGRINATURA Member... Read More 0

The standard Media There is a real difference between earning and getting a PhD (General) The PhD continues to be a scarce qualification even as the Commission for University Education (CUE) insists that all academics teaching in universities must hold one. The PhD is the highest university qualification that can be conferred by a university. At its core, the PhD process assumes that a candidate has thought through and produced original research... Read More 0

Monrovia 26 April 2019 At the RUFORUM 17th Board Executive Meeting held in Monrovia, Liberia from 24th to 25th April 2019, Dr. Alice Mweetwa was appointed and confirmed as the Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for Programme Development and Implementation. She will officially commence work on 01 July 2019 and will be based at the RUFORUM Secretariat hosted at Makerere University in Uganda.  Dr. Mweetwa now joins Dr. Florence Nakayiwa who is the... Read More 0

Monrovia 25 April 2019 A delegation from the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) has today paid a courtesy call to His Excellency George Manneh Weah the President of the Republic of Liberia at his Capitol Hill residence in Monrovia. This meeting comes ahead of the preparations for a symposium on higher education in Liberia scheduled to take place on 26th April 2019 Organised in partnership with the University... Read More 0

Kampala 13 April 2019   The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) is an implementing partner for the SENTINEL project. The SENTINEL is an interdisciplinary research project seeking to address the challenge of achieving ‘zero hunger’ in sub-Saharan Africa, while at the same time reducing inequalities and conserving ecosystems with special focus on Ethiopia, Zambia and Ghana. Through this project, RUFORUM will provide 27 PhD research scholarships. RUFORUM is a... Read More 0

9 PhD opportunities for the next generation of agricultural research scientists for Africa. Candidates will work with Cranfield University (UK), Rothamsted Research (UK) and Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (Morocco). Deadline: 5 May 2019   Assistant Professor Positions within the Agrobiosciences unit at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco. Deadline: 30 April 2019 Assistant Professor of Agronomy Assistant Professor of Animal Science Assistant Professor of Bioinformatics Assistant Professor of Biosaline Agriculture Assistant Professor... Read More 0

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) recently developed a new strategic plan which has led to increased demands in its business operations that require redesigning of its current Information Management System (RIMS). The RUFORUM Vision 2030 (refer to our website) has new programmatic flagship areas established to guide the operation of the RUFORUM Secretariat. This requires a stronger information management system to support the implementation of its Vision... Read More 0

Kampala 01 March 2019: The 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) will be held at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Ghana from 2-6 December, 2019. It will be the first AGM to be hosted in West Africa following RUFORUM’s strategic geographical expansion in 2014 to include Universities in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Togo, Sierra Leone and Senegal.... Read More 0

Background The European Commission is launching an exciting new initiative that will enable vocational education and training (VET) colleges in the EU to set up student and staff exchange programmes with colleges in the Western Balkans, Turkey and Africa,. Besides student and staff mobility between colleges, these mobility partnerships will also share good practice in their countries and regions, and create networks and partnerships for exchange. The results? •    Exchange of ideas... Read More 0