Emerging Scholars Initiative online and on the go
Just as the Emerging Scholars Initiative (ESI) of SU International's Africa Centre for Scholarship (ACS) started mobilising to host its envisaged multidisciplinary joint schools across Africa in 2020, the pandemic hit. But thanks to some clever footwork and agility, the initiative made the switch to cyberspace and has managed to host its first four schools amidst the challenges posed by COVID-19.
The ESI seeks to co-host joint schools with 12 Stellenbosch University (SU) partner universities in nine African countries, namely Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia. A number of the partner institutions also form part of the prestigious African Research Universities Alliance (ARUA), which opens up further opportunities for collaboration and stronger ties between high-ranking African partners.
The initiative serves as an extension of the activities of the African Doctoral Academy (ADA), also situated in the ACS. The ADA's Stellenbosch-based schools, aimed at current and prospective PhD candidates, supervisors and researchers, has reached over 5 600 people from 55 countries since inception in 2009. Moreover, in 2016, the ADA launched its Joint Schools in Africa Programme to provide affordable and quality competency-based learning on-site at African partner institutions so as to enable and enhance scholarship and career training.
The ESI aims to accelerate this objective. Focusing on two streams – one for doctoral students and another for early-career staff, all identified as emerging scholars by their institutions – the project delivers courses on research methodology, supervision, academic writing and publishing as well as generic skills, depending on the needs and priorities of individual institutions. Courses are co-designed by facilitators from SU and from the partner or host institution.
Fortunately, when the coronavirus pandemic compromised the ESI's ability to host these schools on-site, they could draw on the experience of the ADA, which has been hosting its doctoral schools fully online since July 2020. As a result, the ESI too managed to transition to a fully online teaching environment and has, this year to date, already hosted successful online multidisciplinary joint schools with Strathmore University (Kenya) in April, the University of Lagos (Nigeria) in May and June, and the University of Rwanda in August.
Building on the success of these first three schools, the ESI will continue enhancing scholarship in Africa, creating opportunities for collaboration, and strengthening SU's partnerships on the continent. At the same time, SU students gain exposure to new environments in Africa, which increases their global competence and offers enriching cross-cultural experiences.
Visit programme site here.
