New support to projects driven by French and African higher education and research institutions

The “Academia Partnerships Africa-France” (PeA) programme is funded by the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs via the French Development Agency (AFD). It was created to answer the French decision to double the number of partnerships between French and African higher education and research institutions, and complements the policy of welcoming African students to France. The French ministry of higher education and research supports the implementation of the programme via the National Research Agency (ANR in French), and Campus France supervises the events section.

Since 2000, the PeA funds academic partnerships between France and Africa to develop study courses (Bachelor, Master and/or Doctorate degrees) in priority economic sectors in partner African countries. The first two editions supported 13 projects in 7 countries and covered 13 different study courses.

This year’s PeA is open[1] to South Africa, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ruanda and Togo. 

By extending its support to new projects and countries, the PeA contributes to improve access for young people to higher education on the African continent and answer the demands in skills necessary to sustainable development of countries. 

THE “PEA 3” CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The Agence National de la Recherche (ANR, National Research Agency), operator of the “Partenariats Académiques Afrique-France” (PeA, Academia Partnerships Africa-France) published the 3rd call for projects directed to the 12 aforementioned countries. The call ends on 6 May 2025 and laureates will be announced in Autumn 2025. 

The PeA supports projects: 

• driven by a consortium supervised by a higher education and research institutions of an African country eligible to PeA3, on the one hand, and a French higher education and research institution possibly backed by additional French higher education and research institutions on the other hand;
• aiming at boosting and implementing sustainable higher education training programmes at Bachelor (3 years of studies), Master (5 years of studies) and/or Doctorate (8 years of studies) level delivered in Africa;
• target a priority field for the socioeconomic development of the country or region, and where the training capacity is insufficient with respect to employment capacity;
• help build the African institution’s capacities and skills in managing this training programme; 
• explicitly promote gender equality in terms of access and success;
• anticipate the priorities of the academic and financial sustainability of the training partnership.

The selected projects will be supported for 54 months for minimum amount is 1.5 million euros up to 3 million euros. 

View the call for proposals: https://anr.fr/PartenariatsAcademiquesAfriqueFrance-edition-3-PeA3 

THE “ACADEMIA PARTNERSHIPS AFRICA-FRANCE” (PeA) PROGRAMME

Training men and women experts, producing scientific knowledge, informing decision-makers and boosting innovation: higher education and research institutions have a pivotal role to play in implementing sustainable development trajectories. In addition to strengthening the capacities of African higher education and research institutions and the international influence of French higher education and research institutions, the Academia Partnerships Africa-France programme aims to :

• Offer students from the African continent the opportunity to find high-quality training in their own country or region, from the bachelor’s level upwards, that meets the needs of the socio-economic world;
• Support African and French higher education and research players in developing partnerships, particularly in sectors that are strategic for the economies of the countries concerned;
• Improve the mobility of students and teaching staff between a French higher education and research institution and an African higher education and research institution, in both ways. 

13 higher education projects between France and Africa already supported

The first two editions of the PeA have funded 13 projects in seven African countries, involving some fifty French and African higher education and research institutions.

In addition to the networking between African and French scientific communities, the PeA projects have already produced concrete results: a revamp of teaching models, the launch of 10+ new courses (Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees), teacher training sessions, funding for around thirty doctoral students, support for international mobility and innovation, inauguration of an entrepreneurial village, development of relations with the socio-economic sector, receipt of equipment to professionalise courses. By 2027, nearly 4,000 students will join the 13 programmes supported by the PeA each year.
 

[1] The list of countries eligible for PeA 3 is decided by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.