PROCEDURE FOR PARTNERING INSTITUION PARTICIATION

There are two-three forms to be filled by the African institution expressing interest to participate and two forms for Fellows to fill online plus upload of their resumes.

 The African University

1.   Institutional Participation Form (IPF)-Institutional Engagement

The IPF declares institutional engagement of the University to participate in the DIANA RY programmes. It provides an overview information about the university and the different needs, then engages the university at the central level in the coordination of the use of the diaspora expertise and needs from the basic units.

This form is signed exclusively by Principal Officers of the African University Institution (Vice-Chancellor, Rectors, Deputy Vice-Chancellor or of delegated signatures by Deputy Vice-Chancellors, Vice Rector and Director e.g. of Academic Affairs).  By filling and signing this form, the

Principal Officer expresses the interest of his/her University to receive the supplementary expertise from the African academic diaspora and to participate permanently in DIANA ry’s programmes. In this form the University clearly designates the Institutional Focal Person who mobilises the needs of the faculties and departments and submit to DIANA ry. The university takes also engagement for proper implementation of DIANA ry programmes. Hence forth, the University can be labelled, member or “Participating institution” of DIANA ry programme. DIANA ry will issue certificate of participation as a supplementary measure of extra quality and an internationalised university. From a central perspective, the university provides some key information about the teaching and research needs and gaps it hopes to fill.

We strongly encourage academics in Faculties and Departments and programmes of the Universities to engage their university institutionally by getting their Principal officers engage the University and designate a focal point. Signing the IPF is a structured and organised to facilitate the outsourcing of diaspora expertise and efficient planning of the teaching and research activity with the diaspora expert. It also embeds and institutionalises the use of African diaspora experts.

However, to lighten bureaucracy, there also a second possibility to apply using only the Application for Diaspora Expert form, hereafter. Here  the Principal Officer still has to sign simultaneously with the applying basic unit official or staff, Dean, Head of Department, Programme Head, Research Group Leader, individual academic staff.

     Application for Diaspora Expert (Form)

This is the application for the specific expertise. It is supposed to be filled  by academics or the unit needing the expertise. It provides information about the specific applicant, reasons for the expertise, gaps to be filled at the departmental level or basic unit level: type of activity (teaching, research, capacity-building, curriculum development, hourly seminars, conference) schedules, timing, plan, number and target recipient (students)

If the University has already signed the IPF,  Individual basic unit official or staff, Dean, Head of Department, Programme Head, Research Group Leader, individual academic staff can now fill this “Application for Diaspora Expert” ONLINE FORM without going through the bureaucracy of involving the whole university or engaging principal officers (under specific conditions laid as below).

The unit officials staff whose universities have not signed the IPF cannot use the online form to apply.

They have to apply using a printable pdf paper version of the ADE. A principal officer must co-sign the paper version of ADE to be valid and

eligible for DIANA ry programmes. The ADE is valid and receivable only  -If a principal officer (Director in charge of academic affairs, Registrar, Vice Rector and above) have co-signed with the individual or unit applicant. Then the applicant may not need the institutional

participation form.

-If the IPF was already signed committing the university at the central level (then principal officer doesn’t need to sign).

Hospitality & infrastructure form

 This is an engagement to accompany the diaspora expert academically and socially to accomplish his/her mission in the most effective way. Here the relevant unit or applicant engages to facilitate the activities of the Diaspora expert for the time he/she shall be placed at the disposal of the university. This includes commitment such as to mobilising students, ensuring implementation, providing office spaces (in case of contact teaching, research and related), pick ups and other aspects. Diana ry does not charge any fee for the placement of the expert but some degree of cost-sharing  (subject to specific negotiations and agreements) (e.g. Accommodation and local transportation) can provide added advantage

for selection of a particular institution or unit in DIANA ry’s activities.  It provides clues of the

university’s engagement and appreciation of the development (donor) programme sponsoring the diaspora placement. Costsharing is however not an eligibility criteria.  In the case of distance teaching, the university unit provides information about existing digital infrastructure and platforms, internet bandwidth and the institutional culture on online teaching.

Remarks

-Only the Institutional Participation Form (IPF)-Institutional Engagement gives rise for an institution to be a permanent member of DIANA ry’s programme. We strongly encourage individual staff to take the form to the relevant principal officer for signature before they can engage. If

the procedure is going to be long, they engage directly by applying directly using the pdf version of the ADE and a principal officer co-signs.

-The application for Diaspora expertise gives rise to participation but not permanent membership.

-In Total there are three forms (including the institutional participation form) and two if and when applicant applies directly using the Application for Diaspora expert form plus the Hospitality form.

-All applications must include atleast 2, the Application for Diaspora Expert form + Hospitality form.

-Signing the Institutional participation form does not automatically give rise to specific programmes of DIANA ry except the application for diapora expertise form + hospitality form.

-Benefits. The institutional members who have signed the institutional participation-engagement form  have right to several membership benefits such

as joining the mailing list of DIANA ry participating institutions, information sharing, networking and participating in the annual forums of Diana ry members. Signing the ADE only gives right to participation and eligibility in a specific programme.