Belgium/Europe-Africa meeting in Brussels

On September 9 and 10, the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) invited representatives of the European Commission's DG RTD, DG INTPA, DG NEAR, DG EMPL and DG EAC to Brussels for discussions with university rectors and presidents from North Africa, West Africa, Central Africa and the Great Lakes, Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, and Europe, as well as members of its governing bodies.

With a view to facilitating a joint exploration of the issues, challenges and opportunities for higher education, research and innovation in the Africa-Europe partnership, this meeting and dialogue helped to deepen the involvement of stakeholders in cooperative ventures designed to advance shared scientific and societal objectives. Europe partnership, this meeting and dialogue helped to deepen the involvement of stakeholders in cooperative ventures designed to advance shared scientific and societal objectives.

The inaugural session recalled the fundamentals of the vision shared by Europe and Africa, and the transition to new models of international and multilateral cooperation. By encouraging the adoption of innovative strategies based on equitable partnerships and focused on capacity-building, it is part of a dynamic of change towards responsible and sustainable cooperation.

The discussions were then structured around 5 thematic areas of relevance to all parties concerned: - Mobility programs within higher education - Digital transformation & generative I.A. - Capacity building in research and innovation - Youth, employability and entrepreneurship - Education and training of trainers.

Each theme was the subject of a separate round-table discussion, enabling us to consider together the programs most likely to deliver the tangible impacts expected by the parties involved. Stakeholder contributions focused on the flagship instruments in Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, the Global Gateway, the Euro-Mediterranean Portal for Research and Innovation, as well as, in the case of Erasmus, on the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.innovation, as well as, for the AUF, the Programme International de Mobilité et d'Employabilité Francophone, the Centres d'Employabilité Francophones, and the Apprendre and Entreprendre programs.

All participants and institutional partners of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie in Belgium gathered for more informal exchanges at a cocktail reception on September 9.

Source: www.auf.org/nouvelles/