UNITAFRICA - Empowering the Academic Cooperation Between Italy and Africa for Fostering the Quality and Effectiveness of the Higher Education Systems in a Mutual Learning Environment
- Coordinator: University of Brescia
- Partner universities: Politecnico di Milano, University of Bari, University of Basilicata, University of Bergamo, University of Bologna, University of Florence, University of Genoa, University of Messina, University of Padua, University of Parma, University of Pavia, University of Pisa, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Turin, University of Trento, University of Udine, University of Milan
- Target area: Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia
- UNIBO budget: €72,000
UNITAFRICA is an initiative promoted by 21 Italian universities as part of the University Network for Development Cooperation (CUCS). The project involves 93 higher education institutions across 18 African countries and is designed to foster joint education, research and international academic cooperation, with the aim of enhancing the quality and effectiveness of higher education systems.
To achieve these goals, UNITAFRICA supports academic mobility by facilitating in-person participation in training programmes for students and lecturers, and by offering research opportunities for Master’s and PhD theses. The project adopts innovative teaching approaches such as learning by doing, job shadowing, and blended learning (online and in-person), encouraging co-design processes between Italian and African universities.
A further key focus is the training of administrative staff, which is essential to ensuring effective support for academic cooperation. The broader aim is to strengthen Italy–Africa partnerships, improve access and inclusion for students, promote intercultural exchange, and support the multidisciplinary transfer of knowledge through mobility programmes.
Among its main activities, the project will establish the UNITAFRICA Alliance among the partner universities, develop a Teaching Innovation Platform (PIT) and dedicated website, and promote international mobility. It will also deliver education programmes for Master’s and PhD students, advanced training courses for early-career researchers and lecturers, and dedicated learning pathways for administrative staff.
The initiative will offer Thematic Courses in both Africa and Italy across six priority areas: rural development, land management, agri-food systems and food supply chains; health, water, hygiene and the One Health approach; sustainable energy, environmental conservation and natural resource management; entrepreneurship and industrial development; cultural heritage and sustainable tourism; and social sciences and humanities.
UNITAFRICA pursues strategic objectives in higher education, capacity building, science diplomacy and international cooperation. Its goals include defining guidelines and best practices for effective teaching methods; developing joint education programmes between Italian and African universities; promoting the use of innovative teaching approaches; increasing the internationalisation of higher education institutions; and redefining the role of science as a driver for human development and shared growth.