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EA3CLAT — East African Academic Alliance for Curricula in Logistics and Tourism

Tourism and physical infrastructure are increasingly important as underlying drivers of economic development in Africa. However, in many regions, there is the risk that tourism becomes unsustainable through excessive exploitation of vulnerable natural resources. Also, without an advanced logistics infrastructure, landlocked regions may miss out on the opportunities presented by globalisation. The EA3CLAT project aims to tackle these issues by strengthening the capacity of four universities in East Africa so they can better address the higher educational needs of the tourism industry and the logistics sector.

The “East African Academic Alliance for Curricula in Logistics and Tourism” (EA3CLAT) project will achieve this by developing advanced practical curricula and training modules in the field of advanced logistics and sustainable tourism management techniques.

Building links and identifying needs

EA3CLAT will foster a strong cooperative academic network between the University of Nairobi and Moi University in Kenya, Makerere University in Uganda and the University of Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania. They are the four key top-tier universities teaching tourism and logistics in East Africa. The consortium will be supported by the F+U Group, a leading not-for- profit private university group in Germany that is a model of excellence in advancing “labour-market focused” Bachelor and Master Degrees in close cooperation with the industry.

EA3CLAT partners will start by exploring labour market needs in the tourism and logistic industries in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and the implications for the academic studies they offer. The brainstorming efforts by the academic experts of East Africa and the EU will lead to the development of innovative curricula that build on the existing European academic strength in the subject while integrating the special issues and conditions surrounding logistic or tourism constraints in East Africa.

Developing and testing practical curricula

EA3CLAT partners will review and develop advanced “sustainable tourism” and “sustainable logistics” curricula at Bachelor Degree level. Here, the academic plan, majors and minors, accreditation and the external evaluation process as well as joint credit transfer and degree recognition will be discussed and drafted in each African partner university. African lecturers will then be trained in Germany to teach the new curricula in logistics and tourism.

Furthermore, pilot testing of the newly developed curricula will be carried out in each African partner university. Teaching material will be refined based on lessons learnt during the testing and feedback sessions with students and tourism and logistic business sectors representatives.

In addition, the European partner will guide the East African partner universities to establish a system of recognition of the new curricula study based on the methodology of the European Credit Transfer System. Also, the possibility of a programme of international internship by “training companies” in Europe for African students will be explored.

The project will conclude with the design of a promotional campaign for the newly established curricula to reach out to a wider circle of universities in developing Africa that may be interested to join the network.

Project Coordinator
University of Nairobi (KE)

Partners
Moi University (KE)
Makerere University (UG)
University of Dar Es Salaam (TZ)
F+U Group of Companies gGmbH - International University of Cooperative Education (DE)

Promoting regional economic integration in East Africa

The EA3CLAT project will result in better trained trainers and teachers in the partner universities in East Africa who will win insight and exposure in advanced academic solutions from Europe in the fields of logistics and tourism. By visiting companies and industries and establishing networks with academic colleagues across the region and Europe, they will gain broader academic horizons and enhanced career opportunities. Furthermore, thanks to the curricula and the possibility of taking up industrial internships in Europe, African students will acquire better understanding and practical exposure to the reality of sustainable tourism and advanced logistics concepts. This will enhance their employability potential in the target East African countries. They will learn and practically apply management principles and concepts adapted to modern advanced logistics and sustainable tourism techniques. As a consequence, the logistics and tourism business communities in each target country will gain access to highly qualified professionals who are prepared to address the challenge of the global supply chain productively and efficiently.

Equally important, EA3CLAT will encourage extensive academic networking between four key top-tier universities in East Africa toward “labour oriented” higher education solutions adapted to the sustainable economic development need of the region. This will significantly contribute to enhanced regional economic progress and integration in East Africa.

Grant: 193992
Project duration:

30 months (3/01/2008 to 02/07/2010)
EU funding:

EU 499,927.00
Total budget:

EUR 588,148.00
Project contact:

Prof. Dr. Eric Mitema

University of Nairobi

Tel: 00254 231 8262

Fax: 00254 224 5566

Email: emitema[at]yahoo.com

Project's website
EA3CLAT — East African Academic Alliance for Curricula in Logistics and Tourism
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Eric Mitema

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