Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
About the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme
1. What is the AAM-CSD Project?
Through the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, the European Union (EU) specifically sponsors and co-finances the AAM-CSD project, which aims to empower Africa by enhancing academic mobility in order to address climate change and advance sustainable development.
Main objective: To strengthen African Higher Education Institutions’ (HEIs) capacity to address the challenges of sustainable development, climate change mitigation, and adaptation. It accomplishes this by fostering academic exchanges, enabling students, researchers, and employees from partner institutions to study, conduct research, or teach at other African universities in the group, thereby enhancing their proficiency in these critical domains.
2. Who are the partners involved in the AAM-CSD Project?
The AAM-CSD initiative is carried out in partnership with a number of African institutions. The typical partnership arrangement consists of:
• The primary university in charge of overseeing all aspects of the project, including financial administration and reporting, in accordance with the agreement with the EU, is the coordinating institution AMU.
• Participating/partner institutions, a network of universities from various regions of Africa (East, West, and Southern Africa) and all qualified African nations that host visiting researchers and send their own faculty and students to other countries. The selection of these partners is based on their existing understanding of or commitment to topics pertaining to climate change and sustainable development.
• Since the members of the consortium remain the same throughout the duration of the grant, the best way to obtain the most precise and current list of partners is to consult the project’s official website or the publications made available by the university in charge.
The initiative involves collaboration between four African higher education institutions (HEIs) and a European Union technical partner.
| Institution | Country |
| Arba Minch University | Ethiopia |
| University for Development Studies | Ghana |
| Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Malawi |
| Njala University | Sierra Leone |
| Wageningen University | Netherlands |
3. What types of scholarships are available under the AAM-CSD Project?
The scholarships aim to promote mobility between different academic levels, with a thematic focus on climate change and water, climate change and agriculture/irrigation, climate change and renewable energy, climate change and natural resources management/conservation, as well as climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development.
1. Complete degree scholarships for master’s and doctoral candidates: Students who fulfill the requirements will be eligible to apply for a complete degree scholarship to finish a master’s or doctorate program at one of the consortium’s AAM-CSD institutions.
2. Master’s long-term scholarships at the 24-month level for students enrolled in master’s programs connected to AAM-CSD who wish to complete a full degree mobility period (for example, for thesis data collecting and specialized course work) at a partner institution.
3. PhD-level, long-term, 36-month awards for doctoral students studying AAM-CSD, which include extended study/research periods and a full degree mobility period (e.g for thesis data collection and specialized short-term coursework) at a partner institution at a collaborating HEI.
4. Short-term mobility of one month for support and administrative/technical staff. The consortium’s higher education institutions’ employees will be eligible for short-term mobility opportunities, such as guest lectures, curriculum creation, sabbatical research periods, benchmarking activities, knowledge and resource sharing trips, and other similar activities. It enables faculty members to engage in curriculum creation related to the project’s topic, as well as teaching activities or collaborative climate change mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development. To offer training and capacity building in areas connected to the project’s objectives, such as climate data management, research management, and international relations.
5. The trainer alludes to a short-term mobility opportunity for trainers that lasts for a month and is geared toward academics like teachers, students, and scientists. This kind of mobility is essential for facilitating knowledge exchange within the group, improving the academic offerings at the receiving institution, and strengthening ties between instructors and researchers.
4. Which data may I be requested to submit as part of my application?
You might be asked to provide (but not restricted to) the following: the candidate’s personal contact information, year of birth, curriculum vitae, confirmation of eligibility for a scholarship (including evidence of nationality, relevant requirements for different target groups and type of mobility, and evidence of sufficient knowledge of the tuition language at the host institution), as well as your choices for courses and/or study programs and preferred AAM-CSD host institutions.
5. What are the prerequisites for eligibility?
1. Students
In order to qualify for the award, graduate and doctorate students must:
o Be a citizen or resident of a nation that qualifies. Be enrolled/admitted in their last year or have earned their most recent degree (or its equivalent) from: at the time of the scholarship application.
1. The collaboration includes one of the higher education institutions (Target Group 1).
2. A postsecondary school located in an eligible nation but not a member of the partnership (Target Group 2).
3. Be familiar with the language of instruction used at the host school.
4. Fulfill the host institution’s unique needs
2. For the employees
To be eligible for AAM-CSD grants, employees must:
o Live in any of the qualifying nations and be a citizen.
o Be employed by or connected to a partner higher education institution.
o Have a solid understanding of the working language used by the host institution.
6. What are the various target groups?
The term “Target Group 1” (TG1) refers to people who are citizens or residents of Africa and who have enrolled in or graduated from a higher education institution that is part of the ELbM consortium.
The target group 2 (TG2) includes students who are citizens or residents of African nations who are not part of the partnership and who have earned a degree or comparable qualification from a higher education institution in one of these nations. This makes it possible to offer mobility options to students who are employed in the public sector, as well as in the public and private sectors.
7. Which programs am I eligible to apply for?
The institution determines the area of expertise and the mode of mobility. The ‘Scholarships’ section contains a comprehensive list of the programs that are offered.
8. What kind of credit recognition scheme will be employed during my time at AAM-CSD?
All of the AAM-CSD partners will use the ECTS grading scale in this context because it functions as a common conversion scale that aligns the different national credit systems, given that there is no existing international African credit transfer system that is comparable to the ECTS system. Given the differences in credit recognition schemes among AAM-CSD partners, each Partner agrees to
To consider the amount of time that each AAM-CSD scholarship student spends studying abroad to be a necessary element of their study/research program.
To guarantee the full academic acceptance (including tests and other evaluation methods) of the study/research time carried out at the partner university of the AAM-CSD through the signing of the Individual Student Learning Agreements.
With regard to transcripts, each partner organization pledges to adhere to the following:
To send the incoming student and the sending partner school a transcript of the study findings, confirming that the program has been successfully finished.
The school is in charge of delivering transcripts to scholarship recipients of the AAM-CSD program, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a full degree program or have limited mobility, in accordance with its own policies (such as which department may issue them, who must sign them off, and how to issue transcripts).
9. What should I consider when deciding on my host institution?
Make sure you have a strong command of the language of instruction used by the host university.
Give careful thought to the selected programs and areas of competence at each partner university.
Make sure that before applying, you have the required educational foundation for the programs you are interested in.
Take into account the scholarship’s monthly subsistence allowance when estimating the actual cost of living at each partner university.
Think about how well you can adjust to the various cultural realities and climate of the host university’s location.
10. What criteria are used to choose scholarship recipients?
The appropriate schools make their selection decisions and evaluate the candidates they recommend to the Consortium Steering Committee as award recipients.
The Consortium Selection Committee will assess applications, taking into account process transparency, gender, brain drain prevention, and disadvantaged categories, and submit its recommendations to the Consortium Steering Committee for approval and implementation.
Lastly, the Consortium Steering Committee is responsible for ensuring fair distribution of responsibilities, rights, and duties among all Consortium Members, as well as for granting scholarships, with consideration given to transparency, gender equality, brain drain prevention, and representation of marginalized groups.
11. When will I find out the outcome of my application?
Immediately following the conclusion of the AAM-CSD Scholarship Selection Committee’s deliberation, all applicants who were accepted or rejected will be informed.
12. Who may apply for scholarships for the AAM-CSD Project? Collaboration and student mobility (at the master’s and doctoral levels) and staff mobility will occur between which geographic band of higher education institutions?
The project’s specific Call for Applications defines the criteria for eligibility based on the kind of mobility (internal or external).
• Applicants are typically citizens of an African country and should be officially recognized as students or employees of a university belonging to the AAM-CSD group.
• Academic requirements: Candidates must meet the academic prerequisites necessary for the degree of mobility they are applying for. For example, if seeking for a master’s program, candidates must have the appropriate bachelor’s degree.
• Relevance to the subject: Candidates must demonstrate a clear link between their current studies or employment and the project’s topics: climate change and water, climate change and agriculture/irrigation, climate change and renewable energy, climate change and the management/conservation of natural resources, and climate change strategies such as mitigation, adaptation, and sustainable development.
• The host organization must set the language requirements, and the language abilities must meet those requirements.
Certain exclusion criteria may apply in accordance with the grant agreement (for example, prior participation in a comparable EU-funded mobility program).
| Regions of African Countries | |
| Central | Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and São Tomé and Principe |
| Eastern | Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, and Tanzania |
| Northern | Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco |
| Southern | Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe |
| Western | Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo |
13. What commitments does each partner organization make?
• Keep an eye on the academic development of each AAM-CSD scholarship recipient enrolled at their school.
• For master’s students, provide reports from each AAM-CSD scholarship recipient to the coordinating institution (Njala University) every 12 months, and for PhD students, every 24 months.
• Ensure gender balance (with particular emphasis on the selection of women), equal opportunities, and the participation of disadvantaged groups (disabled students, economically disadvantaged students) in the selection process.
ACADEMIC DETAILS
14. What are the steps to submit an application for the scholarship?
1. Pay close attention to the “Before you Apply” area of the website. Complete the online application, please. You will need to register if you are a first-time user; if you are already registered, just log in!
2. The names and emails of your referees, transcripts, essay answers, and resume will also need to be submitted electronically. Kindly convert your resumes and transcripts into electronic format (PDF format is preferred for all requested papers).
15. Distribution of the scholarship?
| Target Group | Masters | Doctorates | Staff | Trenaris | TOTAL |
| Target Group 1 | 16 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 41 |
| Target Group 2 | 5 | 2 | N/A | N/A | 12 |
| TOTAL | 21 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 37 |
Financial information
16. What does the scholarship from the AAM-CSD Project include?
Does the European Development Fund (EDF) pay for this program?
Absolutely. The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility plan is managed by the European Commission. It establishes the program’s priorities, goals, and standards as well as manages the budget. Additionally, it oversees and directs the Programme’s overall implementation, follow-up, and evaluation. The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, which is modeled after the experience of the Intra-ACP Academic Mobility Scheme, is established under the Pan-African Programme (Development Cooperation Instrument). Under the direction of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development, the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) is in charge of administering this program in partnership with the African Union Commission (AUC).
The prize is intended to pay for all major expenses related to the mobility time, enabling winners to concentrate solely on their educational or professional objectives.
1. The mobility scholarship covers costs for staff, doctoral candidates, master’s students, and trainees. Their time away includes costs for visa fees, travel, lodging, and everyday living. The scholar’s degree of study determines the amount of payment (e. g. , master’s, PhD, staff, or trainees). It usually includes:
2. Full health and travel insurance coverage for the full period of mobility.
3. Costs associated with enrollment, tuition, registration, and residency permit.
4. Research costs: valid for 12 months for master’s students and 24 months for doctoral candidates. The partners will decide how to distribute the funds from this fund in accordance with the real needs of the research of the selected pupils.
5. Female master’s students and doctoral candidates will receive a monthly living stipend for the duration of their mobility, which will be 24 months for master’s programs and 36 months for PhD academic years.
16. What does the scholarship from the AAM-CSD Project include?
Does the European Development Fund (EDF) provide funding for this initiative?
Yes. The administration of the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility program is overseen by the European Commission. It establishes priorities, objectives, and standards for the Program, as well as managing the budget. Additionally, it oversees and directs the program’s overall execution, follow-up, and assessment. Based on the experience of the Intra- Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme is established under the Pan-African Programme (Development Cooperation Instrument). This program is managed by the Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), in coordination with the African Union Commission (AUC), and under the direction of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development.
Recipients of the award are able to concentrate solely on their academic or training objectives since it is intended to pay for all significant expenses related to the mobility term.
1. The scholarship for mobility covers costs for workers, graduate students, PhD candidates, and employees. During their time away, this includes visa costs, travel, living expenses, and getting comfortable. The remuneration varies according to the scholar’s degree of study (e. g. , master’s, PhD, staff, or trainees). It usually includes:
2. Full coverage for travel and health throughout the duration of the move.
3. Fees for enrollment, tuition, registration, and residency permits.
4. Research costs, which are only valid for 12 months for master’s students and 24 months for doctoral candidates. The partners will decide how to distribute the funds from this fund according to the real requirements of the selected students’ study.
5. Every academic year, female master’s students and doctoral candidates will receive a monthly living stipend for a mobility period of 24 months for master’s and 36 months for PhD academic years.
6. The host institute’s guidelines, which are directly paid to the host institution, determine the cost of participation. The host university is responsible for organizing insurance.
| Type of Mobility | Participation Costs | Subsistence Allowance (per month) | Research Costs | Insurance costs (per month) | Duration |
| Master | Payment depends on the host institute’s guidelines | €890 | €1000 | €75 | Max 24 months |
| Doctorates | Payment depends on the host institute’s guidelines | €1230 | €2000 | €75 | Max 36 months |
| Staff | € 2370 | – | €75 | Max 1 month | |
| Trainees | 1230 | – | €75 | Max 1 month |
17. What about travel and health insurance?
Each scholarship recipient will receive full health, travel, and personal accident insurance coverage from the coordinating organization that is valid in the host institution and complies with European Union regulations.
Reasons for traveling might include attending the location of educational activities or staff visits, traveling between the participating colleges or universities, returning home after completing studies or during school breaks within the program’s specified eligibility period, scheduling meetings, meetings for evaluating progress at the halfway point, a final evaluation meeting, classes, workshops, seminars, research projects, and cultural or intercultural events.
Medical expenses and urgent dental treatment will also be covered for participants if they return home during the duration of their scholarship. This coverage will be assured for durations up to 4 weeks.
Details on scholarships
18. How can I submit an application for the scholarship?
For information on how to fill out your application, go to the “BEFORE YOU APPLY” section of the website. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED ONLINE ONLY WILL be Taken into Account.
19. What paperwork do I need to accept a scholarship offer?
Successful candidates are informed (after we have received, reviewed, and evaluated their applications) of the specific paperwork required or the visa for which they should apply.
20. Before applying for the AAM-CDS scholarship, do I need to be accepted into a Master’s or PhD program at the partner/host institution?
Yes, you must be accepted into a university that is affiliated with the AAM-CDS before seeking the AAM-CDS scholarship. Use the official application process of the host university, which is detailed in the “scholarship” section.
21. How can I keep in contact?
Use our online contact form to send us a message, and we’ll respond with an email reply, or get in touch with us through email. Find out more about AAM-CDS by visiting our Facebook and Twitter pages.
The learning agreement (signed at the start of the mobility) and the mobility agreement (signed upon acceptance of the scholarship offer) are two examples of documents that may be found.
“AAM-CDS Prospectus” or “Scholarship Guidelines” contain examples of the learning agreement and the mobility agreement.
The Procedure for Selecting Scholarship Recipients
22. What occurs after I turn in my application?
The Coordinating Office will check all applications and reject any that do not meet the program’s, the partnership’s, or the host institution’s eligibility requirements before conducting a scientific assessment of the applications.
The AAM-CDS Selection Committee, made up of representatives from each partner institution who are seasoned academics in the field of laser-based thematic areas like Climate Change and Water, Climate Change and Agriculture/Irrigation, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Climate Change and Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management/Conservation, or broader themes of Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, and Sustainable Development, will assess eligible applications. The selection process and criteria will employ the scale to score and rank student applications. A list of chosen scholarship recipients who will be participating in the AAM-CDS mobility project will be sent by the Coordinating Office to the home and host institutions.
23. How can I find out the result of my application?
The application outcome will be emailed to all candidates, and the applicant’s online profile will be updated to reflect this.
The AAM-CDS Scholarship Selection Committee will notify all accepted and rejected candidates as soon as its decision is made.
24. What comes after I submit my application?
The Coordinating Office will validate all applications and invalidate those that do not meet the qualifying requirements set forth by the program, the partnership, and the host university before the applications are scientifically assessed.
Applications that meet the requirements will be reviewed by the AAM-CDS Selection Committee, which is made up of experienced academics from each partner institution in the field of laser-based thematic areas like Climate Change and Water, Climate Change and Agriculture/Irrigation, Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Climate Change and Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources Management/Conservation, or broader themes of Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, and Sustainable Development. The scale used in the selection process and criteria will be used to rank and score student applications. A list of chosen scholarship recipients for participation in the AAM-CDS mobility program will be sent by the Coordinating Office to the home and host institutions.
25. Is it possible to challenge the outcome of a rejected application?
Yes. The committees in charge of validation and evaluation will provide the rationale for the selection outcome decisions to individuals who disagree with it. The outcome email that will be sent to all candidates will include information about the appeals process.
Personal data security
26. How will the initiative safeguard my privacy?
All applications submitted will be kept in a secure database as read-only files.
The data posted online will be kept private, and the partner institutions’ legal obligations regarding the processing of personal data will be followed.
Only authorized individuals working at the Coordination Office and the host institutions will have access to the data. The information will be kept private to the members of the Selection Committee.
Miscellaneous
27. What is the price of applying for a scholarship?
Applying is free of charge.
28. Is it possible for me to submit an application for more than one scholarship?
Yes. You may submit an application for any of the funds for which you are eligible, but you are only allowed to receive one scholarship.
Will I automatically be eligible for an award the year after if I get a scholarship for a year?
Not every scholarship may be renewed.
29. I have a handicap. Is it necessary for me to notify the AAM-CDS?
Recipients with documented special needs may receive extra funds in the form of scholarship-related special needs support to ensure their full participation.
participating in training and research initiatives for students, faculty, and researchers with impairments (such as persistent physical, cognitive, intellectual, or sensory difficulties). Historically, costs were classified in accordance with the typical price of the services or products under consideration.
Tell us about any handicap, health problem, impairment, or other issue that could have an impact on your academic performance.
The AAM-CDS encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and provides a variety of resources to aid you in succeeding academically.
Please contact AAM-CDS Mobility for assistance with any disability-related issues.
30. Is it possible for me to switch from the program or university I was chosen for to a different one?
No. The decision of the AAM-CDS selection committee is binding.
31. How do I submit an application for a scholarship from the AAM-CSD Project?
The consortium members have total control over the application procedure.
1. Decide on your mobility flow, regardless of whether you are applying from your home institution to a partner school (or the other way around, depending on the call).
2. Applications are only accepted during the official call for applications from the AAM-CSD consortium. The project’s website and partner university outlets promote these calls.
3. Collect all necessary papers, such as academic transcripts, proof of enrollment or employment, a statement of purpose explaining the significance of the mobility to AAM-CSD, and letters of support or acceptance from the host institution.
4. Send the application package, either via an online platform operated by the coordinating organization or directly to the International Office of your home university, as instructed in the invitation.
32. Where can I learn more about the AAM-CSD Project?
The most precise and current information about the application periods, partner information, and unique mobility agreements for the AAM-CSD Project may be found here:
1. Look up the official website for the Empowering Africa Academic Mobility project or the AAM-CSD on the internet. All official statements and instructions may be found on this website.
2. The project coordinator’s contact information. If the website is down, try to get in touch with the International Office of the partner institution, giving the particular title of the AAM-CSD grant.
Logistical Issues
33. What’s the best way for me to keep in touch?
You may reach us by email or by using our online contact form to write to us. You will receive an email response. To learn more about AAM-CSD, check out our Facebook and Twitter pages.
34. What licenses or paperwork do I need in order to accept a scholarship offer?
Successful applicants are informed about any more paperwork required, or the type of visa to seek for, after their applications have been received, reviewed, and evaluated.
35. When making my trip plans, what should I take into account?
For more particular needs, the AAM-CSD advises that students and employees interact with the coordinators at the host and home universities.
Keep a set of photocopies of all your important papers (both personal and academic) for yourself, store them somewhere secure away from the originals, and leave another set of copies with a family member or buddy.
If you need to seek a study permit, be sure it covers your studies at the school you’ll be attending.
Make sure your passport is valid for the length of your course. You’ll need it in order to open a bank account. A passport is the accepted form of identification for international students and workers in the majority of nations.
Please check that your laptop is compatible with the voltage in the nation where you will be studying and that you have the correct transformer for the current if you are bringing one. You may also need to buy an adaptor plug that allows you to connect your computer to an outlet. (If you are bringing a laptop or other electronic device, make sure it is adequately insured against loss or theft and be vigilant in protecting your belongings at all times. )
Medication: If you use prescription medications frequently, remember to maintain the prescription and the original packaging.
If you want to go camping, bring a sleeping bag.
Raincoat with a hood.
Shoes for hiking or for a full day of walking.
36. What kind of accommodations does the host university offer?
The regulations of the AAM-CSD initiative mandate that the host colleges help students and faculty members locate adequate accommodations on or close to campus.
37. Will I attend orientation?
When you arrive, you will get your orientation and information pack, which includes details on the campus of your choice and orientation. Please make sure to attend the planned orientation and registration sessions after reading the material thoroughly.
The host school will formally greet you and provide details that will help you succeed in your studies and in society during orientation week. Each session will prepare you to recognize and use the resources you need, as well as facilitate your move into higher education at the appropriate host school and in a different African area.
38. Examples of the learning agreement (signed at the start of the mobility) and the mobility agreement (signed upon acceptance of the scholarship offer) may be seen at the following locations.
The Guidelines’ Appendix A and Appendix B include examples of the mobility agreement and the learning agreement.