Following the sixth call for proposals of the Wehubit program, implemented by Enabel, the Belgian development agency, 5 EdTech projects (all with a duration of 18 months) have been selected: The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and Research of Niger, will strengthen the dissemination of an e-learning platform in the Abdou Moumouni University.
Recent times have shown that the provision of public services, including higher education, can be severely affected by crises. Whether originating from sanitary or security circumstances, these events can prevent youth – and especially vulnerable youths – from receiving quality higher education. In this sense, the need for (partially) digitalized access to higher education has become increasingly apparent and necessary.
ACTION
In terms of the technology, the project will support the implementation of a digital distance learning platform (LMS or Learning Management System) for all departments of the Abdou Moumouni University (UAM) in Niger, the country’s oldest and largest university. The objective of the project is to provide the necessary conditions to scale-up the use of said LMS to other academic institutions in Niger.
ORGANIZATION
The Wehubit Programme was launched in 2018. It looks for and supports actors that aim to deploy and scale-up existing digital solutions. The programme primarily supports tested solutions that contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. The grants are awarded to public organisations or civil society organisations that support digital social innovation projects. Currently, the Wehubit programme supports 27 very varied projects (including the 5 new ones) in twelve of the partner countries of Enabel. Calls for proposals are regularly launched on the Wehubit website (wehubit.be). Since 2021, the programme has a new component: the Knowledge Exchange Network and the e-Library. They were created with a view to facilitating the exchange of good practices, lessons learned and knowledge deliverables.
PARTNERS
The Wehubit program aims to stimulate digital social innovation and is primarily targeted at public sector and non-profit organizations. In our sixth call for proposals, we have a diverse panel of partners:
– Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie
– Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche du Niger
RESULTS / IMPACTS
The project aims to achieve the following interlinked results:
– Together will all stakeholders, define the regulatory framework and economic model for hybrid and/or distance learning at national level;
– At university and ministerial level, the project aims to establish a multi-stakeholder techno-pedagogy task force to support and facilitate the digital transition of the UAM’s education;
– Based on these first experiences, the project aims to stimulate the digital transition of higher education throughout Niger. It will do so by carefully documenting, publishing and promoting its lessons learned and good practices.
In numbers:
– 100 university teachers will be trained in the design, scripting and posting of courses on the university’s LMS
– 10 techno-pedagogues will be mobilised in order to facilitate the digitalisation transition of university courses