The University of Abomey-Calavi welcomed a delegation from the intra-Africa academic mobility scheme team of the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) for a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor and his team and also to meet with Intra-Africa project management teams.
On Friday, October 25, 2024, the Rector of the University of Abomey-Calavi, Prof. Félicien Avlessi, and the Vice-Rector in charge of international cooperation, Prof. Nelly Kelome, and Prof Victorien Dougnon, head of the cooperation-department, received the Intra-Africa team of the European Union (EU): Ms Elif Memis Marsmen, Ms Alves Inès, Ms Groth Wiebke, and Ms Kaservna Shalayeva, as well as various coordinators of the Intra-Africa projects such as; Prof Enoch Achigan-Dako; Prof Michel Dossou; Prof Pélagie Agbobatinkpo; Prof Nicodeme Fassinou; and Prof Luc Dossa, coordinated by the University of Abomey-Calavi.
The meeting aimed to review the implementation of new and existing intra-Africa mobility projects, providing recommendations and clarifications on the rules and procedures for managing EU-funded projects. It was also an opportunity to discuss the results achieved and the impact of finalized projects: MoBreed and GENES, as well as ongoing projects: PATH, ORPHAN, GENES II, CareFoAfrica, Homegrown Clean Energy, and TAFSA. EACEA’s Intra-Africa team had the opportunity to talk to the alumni of the various projects. Project progress, constraints, challenges, and prospects for offering more opportunities to students benefiting from the projects were discussed.
This discussion continued on GBioS premises with the Dean of the FSA, Prof Bonaventure Ahohuendo, and several professors from the Faculties of Agronomic Sciences (FSA), such as the Director of Doctoral School of Agricultural and Water Sciences Prof Marcel Houinato; Prof Pélagie Agbobatinkpo, Prof Nicodeme Fassinou: Prof Florent Quenum; Prof Luc Dossa and Prof Enoch Achigan-Dako furthering the discussion about the challenges as far as managing the financial resource is concerned _ related to Mobreed and GENES_, challenges related to the language barrier. Focusing on the language barrier for project beneficiaries from different partner countries approaches to solutions were outlined to facilitate student access and eliminate this barrier; and challenges for students in getting their visas.
During their tour of the GBioS Center, the EACEA Intra-Africa team visited GBioS technical platforms such as Molecular Biology, CalaviGen, Post-harvest, and the Microscopy lab.
