The Africa Mundus Project
London (UK), May 2009 - AFRICA MUNDUS is a programme to support professional and entrepreneurial training and skills in Africa within the framework of the Commission for Africa, the Millennium Development Goals, ODA (Official Development Assistance), and the Recommendations to the G8 Summit 2006 in favour of the education sector. An effort to create a network, the programme will be presented by Prof. Emmanuel Argo at the eLearning Africa Conference in Dakar.
The realisation of the AFRICA MUNDUS programme is based on structured cooperation between the G8 and African countries by specifically encouraging the inception of educational, hands-on, and specialized training actions.
These actions are primarily intended for interns and professionals based in Africa. They are also designed for nationals of the African Diaspora living in the countries of G8 and the rest of the world who are eager to re-establish themselves on the African continent.
The efforts are articulated primarily through distance learning and eLearning courses, generally supplemented by practical internships. These training courses, which can be carried out in Africa, will be primarily followed up in G8 countries.
Some of these training courses aim at perfecting skills, mainly for SMMEs (Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises). In Africa like elsewhere, SMMEs constitute the backbone of the anticipated economic development.
The teaching program of AFRICA MUNDUS is to be undertaken in the framework of a European-based coordination venue called the AFRICA MUNDUS International Centre /G8.
One of the major differences between AFRICA MUNDUS and other programmes is the fact that many others do not reach African universities outside South Africa. Furthermore, AFRICA MUNDUS is the only practical programme specialised in supporting professional and entrepreneurial training and skills in Africa.
It involves African professionals and students with higher educations who are based in Africa and in the Diaspora worldwide who will principally be studying via eLearning at partner poly-technical institutes, professional centres of excellence, and universities throughout the G8 and emerging countries.
During the past G8 Summit 2008 in Japan, a recommendation made by the president of the Global African Diaspora Coalition (GLAD) Prof. Emmanuel Argo, declared: "It is our contention that the problems of Africa cannot be addressed without the participation of all its peoples, including Africans and peoples of African descent in the Diaspora."
At eLearning Africa 2009 in Dakar, Prof. Argo is offering contacts and further information to develop this network. One of the goals is to attract sponsors for Africa Mundus who have their main business relations with and incomes from Africa. It is hoped that these business sponsors will include key international and economic players.
