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ASAF Public Conference on the Theme of “Mobility and Academic Exchange as A Lever in the Construction of An Autonomous and Resilient Africa”
The ASAF Public Conference, the second main event of the ASAF General Forum following the Meeting of Members, took place on the morning of the 3rd of June 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya. It revolved around the theme of Mobility and Academic Exchange as A Lever in the Construction of An Autonomous and Resilient Africa.
The ASAF Public Conference addressed the aforementioned theme by addressing three main questions:
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The contribution of scholarships in the training of competent professionals.
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The integration of young people and professionals who have benefited from mobility grants.
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The role of alumni and the diaspora in knowledge sharing and contribution to higher education in Africa.
The public conference was moderated by Mr. Roshan Halkhoree and was opened by the impactful contribution of Ms. Angela Naa Afoley Odai, who is the Acting Head of the Diaspora Division at the Directorate of Citizens and Diaspora Organisations. The event was further enriched by the contribution of Mr. Paul Mungai, Deputy Director of the Higher Education Ministry in Kenya. Following that, Prof. Edwin Kamalha, who is the ASAF Co-Ambassador of Uganda and Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Polymer, Textile, and Industrial Engineering at Busitema University in Uganda, chimed in with his expertise about mobility experiences, emphasising the value of mobility in higher education in present-day Africa. Furthermore, Prof. Hedi Ben Mansour, who is the ASAF Co-Ambassador of Tunisia and Head of the Higher Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology of Mahdia in Monastir University, Tunisia, and the Research Unit of Analysis and Process Applied to the Environment, followed up with an insightful and detailed presentation pertaining to our main questions. Then, Prof. Hygin Faust Kakai, Co-Speaker of the Internal Affairs Task Force and Political Science Professor at Abomey-Calavi University in Benin, joined the conference online to bring his valuable insight on the topic. To close the conference, H.E. Ms. Henriette Geiger, Head of the European Delegation in Kenya, presented a moving speech that left a powerful impression and ignited further discussion.
These speeches were followed by much discussion and a question and answer session in which many wanted to participate. About 10 questions were answered by several of the speakers, which led to an engaging and vibrant session.
The public conference ended with much success and will surely be remembered for a long time to come.
Imane Benrabiaa
Morocco, Marrakesh, 14.06.2023
