UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP MODELS: ACE and PASET RSIF

Sajitha BashirAdviser (STI)Education Global Practice, World BankTICAD 2019, Yokohama

• World Bank has large portfolio of country-level projects in higher education (over $3 billion

dollars for education support in Africa out of which approximately $600 million is for higher

education and skills).

• Regional approach began in 2014, and expanded with two main initiatives, focusing on science

and technology at post-graduate level

• Africa Centers of Excellence (financed through Bank credit to individual countries/ centers,

with a common selection and implementation approach)

• PASET Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund ( initiated and financed by African

governments, contributions from donors and private sector; Bank provides regional grant

for administration and growth of permanent Fund, capacity building of regional body and

universities)

Regional Approach in Higher Education

ACE I (US$ 165 million)22 new centers in 8 countries across Western and Central Africa.

ACE II (US$ 148 million)24 new centers in 8 countries across Eastern and Southern Africa

ACE Impact I & II(US$ 143 & US$ 193 million)44 (26 new and 18 ACE I) ACE centers and 5 emerging centers in 11 countries across West and Central Africa + Djibouti

2014 2016 2018

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2020 2022 2024

Calendar years

Key Features

- Results-based financing

- Competitive selection of Centres

- Robust M&E and intensive implementation support

- Government and institutional ownership

Features of ACE I,II, ACE Impact (I&II) Projects

EXAMPLES OF BANK-SUPPORTED RESULTS IN 2011& 2012

SenegalICT; Env. & Health;

Food Security & Nutrition;Maternal Health

Burkina FasoWater; Pharma. Sci.;

BioTech-Vector Borne Diseases

Ivory CoastClimate change;

Statistics;Mining Environ

GhanaCrop Improvement;Water & Sanitation; Infectious Diseases;Genetic medicine; Coastal Resilience;

Transport;Water & Irrigation; Renewable Energy

BeninMath & Stats.;

Water & Sanitation

TogoPoultry Science; Power (energy);

Urban Design

CameroonICT; OBGYN

Medical Educ.

RwandaICT; Energy; Math & Sci. Education;

Data Sciences/Statistics

UgandaCrop Improvement;

Material Science; Pharm-Biotech; Agro-ecology

EthiopiaClimate Smart Agric.; Water Mgt;

Railways Engineering; Drug Development

KenyaSustainable Agriculture;

Sustainable use of Insects; Renewable Energy

TanzaniaInfectious Diseases(humans/animals);

Rodent Mgmt & Biosensor Tech;Water Infrast. & Sustainable Energy;

Agric Research & Advancement

MalawiFisheries;

Public Health ZambiaMining;

Infectious Diseases

MozambiqueOil & Gas

NigeriaAgriculture (3); ICT (3); Oil fields (1);

Material Science (1); Health (8); Power –Energy (1); Renewable Energy

(1); STEM Education (2)

World Bank ACE I,II, ACE Impact I & II - $456 M approved; $ 121 M under preparation)

Distribution by Country: 76 Centers in 20 Countries

The Gambia*Engineering

GuineaCommunicable Diseases;

*Mining

Djibouti*Transport-Logistics/ICT

NigerPastoral Prod.;

*Math & Sci. Edu.; *Mining

*refers to Emerging Centers

Select ACE I Results on Civil Works and Equipment

ACE WACCBIP-University of Ghana

ACE WACCI-University of Ghana

ACE CERHI-University of Benin, Nigeria

Growth Chamber at Tissue Culture Lab @ACE WACCI-University of Ghana

Launched in 2015, seeded by African governments, but pooling funds from multiple sources

Build capacity of SSA universities to provide high quality Ph.D training in Applied Sciences, Engineering, Technology, undertake research, and innovation projects

High degree of quality control: competitive selection of host universities, students, and international partners; international experts involved in selection and PASET Board approval

Partnership with international universities at core of model

PASET RSIF: Key Design Elements

6

Professional RSIF Implementation Unit to administer and grow RSIF (icipe): Competitively selected and funded by World Bank grant.

PASET Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund: Pan African Science Fund, which is sustainable

General Fund(US$50 million by

2024)

Permanent (Endowment)

Fund(US$15million by 2024)

Window 1:Scholarships,

institutional capacity building, partnerships

& networks

Window 2: Research Grants

Window 3:Innovation Grants

and creation of innovation

environments

https://www.rsif-paset.org/

rsif@icipe.org

Operating Model of RSIFRSIF

Partner Universities

Executive Board

Student

Student

Student

RSIF Implementation Unit (RIU)

PASET Secretariat

Governing CouncilConsultative

Advisory Group

RSIF Host Universities

World Bank project team

RSIF Host University Ph.D Programme Country Thematic Area

Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST)

Life Sciences & Materials Science and Engineering Tanzania

Mines, Minerals and Materials Engineering

Kenyatta University Materials Science and Engineering Kenya

African University of Science and Technology

Pan-African Materials Institute (PAMI) Nigeria

Sokoine University of Agriculture

Infectious Diseases of Humans & Animals Tanzania

Food SecurityUniversity of Ghana Applied Agricultural Economics and Policy/Agribusiness Ghana

University of Port Harcourt Petroleum and Gas Engineering NigeriaEnergy

University of Nairobi Physics Kenya

University of Gaston Bérger Mathematics, Informatics and ICT SenegalICTUniversity of Rwanda Internet of Things: Embedded Computing Systems Rwanda

Bayero University Natural Resource Management and Climate Change Nigeria

Climate ChangeUniversité Félix Houphouët-Boigny*

Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture Côte d'Ivoire

ACE and RSIF are complementary but different … and have learnt from each other

ACEs receive funding from Bank as each Centre achieves results

… RSIF envisaged to become sustainable PAN AFRICAN SCIENCE FUND

Sustainability of center to be assured by Government/ University

Bank grant establishes Pan African Science Research Fund as a sustainable fund; countries benefit in proportion to contribution

Each Centre tries to generate additional resources from private sector and others

Governments, donors and private sector can join the same architecture and benefit from economies of scale

Donors can co-finance a Centre or fund additional centers

Donors and private sector can fund specific “themes” or groups (eg women) but get regional impact

ACE and PASET University Partnership Models

Key Features

• Partnership is one of the means for improving excellence in postgraduate programs

• MoU between ACE and international universities to collaborate on research or Ph.D/ Masters training in mutual areas of interest; also with private sector

• ACEs have an incentive and are funded during project period for each MOU

• Short-term teaching and research opportunities for foreign professors

ACE RSIF SSA Host University• Partnership is core of program: covers

“sandwich” training for Ph.D, collaborativefaculty research, collaboration on innovationgrants

• Selection of international partneruniversities by RSIF Implementation Unit(icipe) and approved by PASET Board forlong-term partnership with SSA universities

• RSIF Implementation Unit ensuresminimum standards for high qualitycollaboration (standardized MOU,intellectual property, supervision)

• Foreign universities gain from “deep”partnership

• Objective: • Increase the capacity of ACE to provide high quality postgraduate training and

research in the particular development challenge they are addressing. • Modality: Flexibility with Centre

• Each ACE seeks to find relevant partners (academic, private sector)• Incentive provided under results based financing:

• Each MOU has a “price” of $ 30,000 ; total of $ 200,000 per ACE for all partnerships (data for ACE 2)

• Disbursement occurs when MoUs are signed and accompanied by signed proposals that outline at least a two-year collaboration and partnership work-program

• ACEs can finance their part of costs of partnership

Partnerships under ACE

Africa Center of Excellence in Phytochemicals, Textile and Renewable Energy – Partnership with Flexi Biogas Solutions

Participants following a presentation at Kesses on feeding of the biogas digester and working of the biogas unit

Engage with the local

community through outreach

programmesinvolving

access-to-energy

services via training and

installation of biogas

digesters

Water Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy Futures (WISE-Futures) – Partnership with SAMOOCM Architects and Engineers

Proposed WISE – Futures research facility

Resource mobilization

for the development of research facility for

WISE -Futures

• MOU between World Bank and Govt of India Department of Science and Technology to ‘facilitate’ partnerships (signed May 2019)

• DST identified thematic areas for partnership; Indian institutions that will participate in the partnership; “lead coordinator” and thematic area coordinating institution

• Thematic areas : ( 1) material science & renewable energy; (2) water, infrastructure & environment management; (3) railways; and (4) information and communication technology

• Financing: DST covers costs in India through grant to participating Indian institutions; ACEs cover their own costs of travel and costs in Africa

• Implementation: Individual Partnership Agreements between Indian institution and ACE; overall implementation monitored by DST and WB 9as part of project supervision)

A more “Wholesale” approach: World Bank – India MoU on ACE

• Visits of faculty from relevant Indian Institutions for short duration teaching in ACEs; Visits of faculty from ACEs to relevant Indian institutions to enhance research and teaching capacity

• Visits of students from ACEs enrolled in selected programs to relevant India institutions

• Workshops on curriculum design for selected programs• Development of "sandwich" post-graduate programs where appropriate• Promotion, preparation and organization of joint seminars and workshops; • Collaborate on joint research and innovation projects between ACEs and

Indian institutions

World Bank – India MoU on ACE

• Rigorous process of selecting universities and students• Transparent and competitive selection process of African Host Universities • Criteria based process of selecting International Partner Universities based on

academic/research strength, commitment to building capacity of African universities through “sandwich program”

• Selection process managed by icipe, approved by PASET Executive Board• Partnership on Doctoral Training (Window 1)

• PhD candidates begin their coursework and research at African Host Universities• Spend up to two years at International Partner Institutions• Return to Africa to complete PhD programs –with international advisors as co-

advisors• Partnership continues through research and innovation grants (Windows 2

and 3)

PASET RSIF: University Partnership Essential to Improving Quality of Doctoral Training and Research

Discussions and signing

of agreement between RIU and

each Host University

Negotiationwith

shortlisted host

universities led by RIU

PASET Board

validates list

recommended by the

IEC

Review of applications

by an independent evaluation committee

(IEC)

RIU issues call for

applications

Selection of RSIF Host Universities

RSIF African Host Universities• Competitively selected to offer a PhD

program in one of the RSIF Priority Thematic Areas

• Implement international-quality PhD training, research and innovation

• Host RSIF PhD Scholars • Can apply for RSIF Research and

Innovation grants• Receive institutional capacity building• Develop international partnerships with

world-class institutions/universities and private sector globally and in Africa

Partner Institution

signs agreement with one or more host

university(ies)

Partner Institution enters into

detailed discussions with host

university(ies) to determine which ones it can support

Potential Partner

Institution is vetted,

followed by discussions

and signing of MoU with

PASET

Institution expresses interest to

engage in RSIF partnership

Selection of RSIF International Partner Institutions

RSIF International Partner InstitutionsIPIs are universities,

research institutes or companies (public or

private)

Institutions with strong PhD training, research & innovation in the Priority

Thematic Areas• Support AHUs to improve

quality of relevant PhD programs

Private sector partners will help strengthen

industry linkages and promote more demand-driven training, research

and innovation

Experience or willingness to work with RSIF African Host Universities (AHU)

and ASET fields relevant to sub-Saharan Africa

• Offer 1-2 year sandwich opportunities for RSIF PhD

Scholars -relevance to African problems

Icipe helps to• Identify and select

International Partner Institutions

• Develop standardized MoUsand agreements and frameworks for intellectual property

• Reduce cost of collaboration and monitor quality of implementation and impacts

Ph.D Student Pathway to Applying for a PASET RSIF Scholarship

Student

Student applies to a SSA host university

University admits or rejects student based on

University’s own guidelines; 2nd level review of

application and interview by international panel

Student receives

acceptance or denial from university

University notifies RSIF Implementation

Unitacceptance/rejection

Student begins classes; research

topic selected together with university and

international partner

University & RSIF Unit

monitor student progress

Student finds list of SSA hostuniversities on

Scholarship Program website

• RSIF follows best practices in design of Science Funds• Scholarships together with research and innovation grants that improve the quality

and relevance of the PhD programs and guarantee continuity and sustainability of research and innovations once the scholars graduate

• And also provides for capacity building of African Host Universities through RSIF implementation unit (icipe)

• design and implementation of cross-cutting courses, training courses and mentoring programs (eg research methodology, ethics, writing, data science) to improve quality of Ph.D courses

• support the creation and implementation of academic networks among host institutions and international partners

• document, disseminate and promote the implementation among host institutions of good international practices in PhD training

PASET RSIF: Strong capacity building component

RSIF Host Institution 1

RSIF partner RSIF

partner

RSIF partner

RSIF Host Institution 2

RSIF partner

RSIF partner

RSIF Host Institution 3

RSIF partner

RSIF partner

RSIF partner

RSIF partner

2. Impact on quality of teaching/research at SSA universities through PhD training and faculty

1. Impact on RSIF host universities. Emergence of 10 SSA universities known for research excellence 3. Impact on business

and society through innovation grants

RSIF Host Institution 4

PASET RSIF: Network Effect of RSIF

ANNEX SLIDES

Features of ACE I,II, ACE Impact (I&II) ProjectsACE Funding

(US$ million)Number of centers/countries

Implementation Period/ Status

Comments

ACE I (Western & Central Africa)

165 22 center8 countries

2014 - 2020

ACE II (Eastern & Southern Africa)

148 24 centers8 countries

2016 - 2022 Features not in ACE I- Pre-identified broad thematic areas- Institutional benchmarking- Regional master’s scholarship scheme

ACE Impact I (Western and Central Africa + Djibouti)

143 18 centers5 countries

2019 - 2023 Features not in ACE I & II- Pre-identified thematic areas with TORs- Assessment of development impact and

additional Institutional impact (beyond benchmarking)

- Support to emerging centers (non-ACEs); support to schools of engineering/ technology;

- Contributions to a Pan-African PhD scholarship and innovation fund (RSIF)

- Upfront industry engagement- Customized fund allocation to each center- AFD funding

ACE Impact II (Western and Central Africa)

193 • 121 - World Bank• 72 - AFD

31 centers7 countries

Under preparation-Pending approval

PASET Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund: Key Milestones

28

2013 2015 2017 2019Jul: 1st PASET Forum, Addis Ababa

Mar: 2nd PASET Forum, Kigali

Jun: 3rd PASET Forum, Dakar and PASET’s Call to Action

Jun: Launch of RSIF by 3 Heads of State

Operational Design of RSIF –World Bank, African scientists and govt . reps

Jun: Enrollment of 1st cohort of RSIF scholars

Jul: Contribution by World Bank and Korea into RSIF

Mar: Contribution from Cote d’Ivoire to RSIF

Apr: Contributions from Burkina Faso, Ghana and Senegal to RSIF

May: 5th PASET Forum, Kigali

Apr: 4th PASET Forum, Nairobi

Aug: Contribution form Kenya to RSIF

Oct: Contribution from Rwanda to RSIF

2014 2016 2018

Scholar applies to selected host university

Host university selects best candidates,sends

nominations to RIU

Initial screening by RIU, shortlisting by expert

panel

Interviews conducted by expert

panel

PASET Board validates process , approves final

selection

RIU notifies host universities, universities

notify scholars

Scholars enroll and attend pre-departure

orientation

First disbursement to students following

enrollment validation

Scholar travels to host university, begins Ph.d

program

PASET RSIF: Student Selection Flowchart