Support to the Collaborative Masters Program in Economics for Anglophone Africa
Project / Program Summary

I. Basic data

Sector(s): South-South cooperation, capacity building.
Title: Support to the Collaborative Masters Programme in Economics for Anglophone Africa.
Donor involved: Mainly EU, African Capacity Building Foundation, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, USAID.
Beneficiary countries: Anglophone Africa except Nigeria and South Africa.
Implementing agencies in beneficiary countries: African Economic Research Consortium(Nairobi, Kenya).
Duration: no specific duration is foreseen for the Masters Programme.
Starting Date: 1993
Programme budget: 2 MECU
Finance / Type: grant

II. Project / program description

  1. Objectives
    The overall goals are to promote a higher standard of economic management in Sub-Saharan Africa, so as to stimulate self-sustained economic growth and to foster the process of regional cooperation on the African continent.
  2. Activities / contents
    Seven (B category) universities have been selected to deliver Masters degrees in economics and to receive capacity grants. Another twelve (A category) universities are also supported. Students from A category universities can receive scholarships to follow the Masters programme in a B category university. The programme also involves upgrading of teaching methods and course materials (textbooks) as well as improvement of communications.
  3. Outcomes
    The main outcome is an enhanced capacity of African economics faculties to deliver a competitive Masters degree in economics. The average annual intake of students in the B category universities reached about 115 after 4 years of operation. Around 20 percent are students nominated by A category universities and receiving a scholarship.
  4. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
    The programme contributes to capacity building in the area of economic policy management. It is also a form of South-South collaboration between a large number of economics departments across Sub-Saharan Africa.

III. Contact point:

uropean Commission, Directorate-General for Development, Unit A/2.

(End)

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