Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA)

New blog alert! We are thrilled to share insights from the first UKFIET - The Education and Development Forum Chair’s Event, wonderfully summarised by Yvette Hutchinson, outgoing Chair of the UKFIET Executive Committee. Held last week on 17 October 2024 in London, the event focused on the crucial roles of education, science, and communication in shaping Africa's future. ESSA was excited to participate in the forum. Our Senior Research Manager (AERD), Samuel Asare, PhD spoke about the importance of amplifying the voices of African researchers. Samuel highlighted the commitment of ESSA and the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre to creating spaces for equitable and inclusive partnerships. He also emphasised our dedication to providing practical opportunities for African researchers to contribute to journals, conferences, and policy discussions. The forum brought together global experts to explore interdisciplinary research and the need for more inclusive Global North and Global South partnerships. It highlighted the importance of empowering African youth and leveraging traditional knowledge for sustainable development. A big thank you to Yvette Hutchinson for capturing the essence of the event. Dive into the full blog for more. 👉 https://lnkd.in/e-_7zy85

Join Our Team at ESSA! We’re Hiring a Director of Research and Programme Delivery. Are you driven by the desire to make a real difference in education for young people in sub-Saharan Africa? We’re looking for a passionate individual to lead impactful research and programme delivery. 📍 Location: Kenya (must have the right to work in Kenya) ⏰ Full-time: 35 hours/week 🛫 Travel: 20-30% In this key role on our Senior Leadership Team, you will: 🔸 Lead a diverse research team working remotely across seven countries. 🔸 Ensure quality and timely delivery of donor-funded projects. 🔸 Provide guidance and support to junior team members. 🔸 Strengthen our network of research institutions and researchers in Africa and beyond. If you’re ready to take on this exciting challenge, we’d love to hear from you! 👉 Learn more and apply now: https://lnkd.in/eUyX99HM 🗓️ Apply by: 4 November 2024 at 09.00hrs GMT Patrick Dunne Jonathan Ane Nancy Matimu M Chris Foy Joel Kibazo Kendi Ntwiga Joachim Rogall Lucy Heady Izel Kipruto Melinda Sarpong Pauline Essah, PhD Gladys Ofei, EMBA Rexford Akrong Laté Ayao Lawson, Ph.D Imaginable Futures Elsie Effah Kaufmann, PhD Nii Lankwei Lamptey Emmanuel Mensah Duah Eli Tsegah Krista Cecille Samson Andrea Aryee Samuel Asare, PhD Woulamé OUDJIM Abdelrahman Hassan Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre Southern Hemisphere inHive Transforming Teaching, Education & Learning African Centre for School Leadership Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Association of African Universities African Population and Health Research Center African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Omanyo D afrorama The African Education Jobs Board Clare James-Roll (nee Cunliffe)

Great opportunity for early and mid-career researchers in Ghana and Colombia! Apply now.

Job opportunity! Are you passionate about driving impactful research and enhancing education outcomes for young people in sub-Saharan Africa, we want to hear from you! This is an excellent opportunity to join a dedicated team working across Africa and Europe, focusing on impactful research and programme delivery. Key details: 📍 Location: Kenya (applicants must already have the right to work in Kenya) ⏰ Full-time: 35 hours per week 🛫 Travel: 20-30% As a key member of our Senior Leadership Team, your role will include: 🔸 Leading a diverse research team working remotely across seven countries in Africa and Europe and supporting them to deliver donor-funded projects within time and budget constraints. 🔸 Providing quality control for research outputs as well as guidance and support to junior members of the team to ensure quality work across our programmes. 🔸 Building and strengthening ESSA’s network of research institutions and researchers in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond, to collaborate on the implementation of projects and increase the production of actionable evidence and data, and more. 👉 Learn more and apply now: https://lnkd.in/dHbHBWPZ 👉 Apply by: 4 November 2024 at 09.00hrs GMT Patrick Dunne @Jonathan Ane Nancy Matimu M Chris Foy Joel Kibazo Kendi Ntwiga Joachim Rogall Lucy Heady Izel Kipruto Melinda Sarpong Pauline Essah, PhD Gladys Ofei, EMBA Rexford Akrong Laté Ayao Lawson, Ph.D Imaginable Futures Elsie Effah Kaufmann, PhD Nii Lankwei Lamptey Emmanuel Mensah Duah Eli Tsegah Krista Cecille Samson Andrea Aryee Samuel Asare, PhD Woulamé OUDJIM Abdelrahman Hassan Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre Southern Hemisphere inHive Transforming Teaching, Education & Learning African Centre for School Leadership Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) Association of African Universities African Population and Health Research Center African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA) Omanyo D afrorama The African Education Jobs Board Clare James-Roll (nee Cunliffe)

We have had a productive time at The Stakeholders Forum on Higher Education Data Collection Tools and Management Practices in Nairobi. Stakeholders in education across the East African Community came together to discuss critical issues surrounding data collection and management. Our Research Policy Manager for East Africa, Daniel Omanyo (Omanyo D) delivered a keynote on data management challenges and opportunities. Interactive discussions on governance, tools, and security in higher education followed. The Inter-University Council for East Africa, Education Sub Saharan Africa (ESSA), the Association of African Universities (AAU), and the Population Reference Bureau (PRB), are spearheading the Demographics of African Faculty in the East African Community Phase II project, with support from Carnegie Corporation of New York. This initiative aims to promote effective data collection and management for faculty planning across the East African Community. Learn more about this project: https://lnkd.in/eki8jMvf

Join us TOMORROW 17 October in London for the inaugural UKFIET Chair's event!

Great opportunity for early and mid-career researchers in Ghana and Colombia! Apply now.

In a recent article for University World News, Evelyn Ruwoko highlights discussions from the International Forum of UNESCO Chairs and Partners, held in Addis Ababa from 30 September to 2 October 2024. The forum emphasised the role of education, science, and communication in shaping Africa’s future. It brought together regional and international research networks to explore interdisciplinary and collaborative research, particularly through Global North and Global South partnerships. The forum underscored the need for inclusive education and innovative research to drive Africa towards achieving Agenda 2063 and fostering a knowledge-driven society. 👇 Read more: https://lnkd.in/e9dB4NZX

Earlier this year we organised a grant proposal writing workshop for African education researchers focusing on early childhood development. Organised in partnership with the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre, the workshop covered essential skills for mastering grant proposal writing. Participants engaged in a blend of lectures, Q&A sessions, practical group work, and hands-on collaborative writing practice. By the end of the workshop, attendees were equipped to effectively present their research ideas, navigate the grant application process, identify funding sources, and much more. The workshop was part of efforts to address the professional development needs of ECD researchers identified through our ongoing Early Childhood Development (ECD) project. Our goal is to improve the accessibility and use of research evidence generated by Africa-based researchers, aiding decision-making by policymakers, researchers, and funders. One of the key outcomes was the valuable networking and potential collaborations among participants. We saw new relationships form, fostering a community of researchers dedicated to advancing early childhood education across Africa. Many thanks to Conrad N. Hilton Foundation for the support, and African Population and Health Research Center for the excellent facilitation! Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre, African Population and Health Research Center Meberate Belachew Oluwaseun Lawal Jerome Nketsiah Rose Chikopela Alfred Buluma Alfred Buluma Teresa Mwoma Margaret Kimwarey, Dr. Ruth Walioli Ruth Walioli

The Stakeholders Forum on Higher Education Data Collection Tools and Management Practices is currently underway at the Nairobi Safari Club by Swiss-Belhotel and will continue until October 16th, 2024. The event has brought together stakeholders from various universities across the East African Partner States to discuss and address critical issues surrounding data collection and management in the region's higher education sector. Prof Idris A. Rai, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), delivered a keynote address underscoring the vital importance of data in shaping strategic decision-making within higher education institutions (HEIs). According to Prof. Rai, reliable and accurate data is no longer a luxury but an essential foundation for informed decisions, policy development, and effective resource allocation. In today’s dynamic global environment, data allows universities and HEIs to optimize operations, improve student and faculty outcomes, and foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making. Prof. Rai highlighted that a recent project revealed critical data gaps, particularly in faculty data collection and management. These gaps have impeded institutions' ability to effectively plan for faculty recruitment, retention, and professional development. To address these issues, Phase II of this project will focus on establishing a baseline for higher education data collection tools and management practices. The phase will also involve the development of harmonized guidelines for data collection and management, along with efforts to promote the adoption of these guidelines across institutions. Prof. Rai emphasized that with improved data management, universities will be better positioned to track important metrics such as faculty qualifications, research outputs, teaching loads, and career progression. The forum is expected to result in actionable recommendations that will contribute to strengthening data collection tools and management practices in East Africa’s higher education sector, paving the way for more informed decision-making and sustainable growth in the region. #StakeholdersForum, #HigherEducationDataTools