Program Overview

Program Overview

The MASSTER project is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building program that aims to support six partner higher education institutions in Senegal and South Africa for sustainable development. The program focuses on analyzing the risk factors that cause migration and those that reduce it, as well as the most relevant training programs for farmers and those with income-generating potential.

Objectives

The objectives of the MASSTER project are to:

• Strengthen relations between higher education, secondary schools, and the socio-economic world
• Achieve South Africa's and Senegal's sustainability goals through economic diversification in rural areas
• Support partner higher education institutions in developing and accrediting training courses with income-generating potential
• Provide training of trainers for higher education institution and outreach staff to create mixed pairs of educators from formal and non-formal education

Activities

The program will focus on:

• Analyzing the risk factors that cause migration and those that reduce it
• Developing and accrediting four training courses with income-generating potential
• Providing training of trainers for higher education institution and outreach staff
• Supporting universities in the development of effective mechanisms for the management of migration flows from rural areas
• Promoting critical thinking, the preservation of Africa's natural and historical cultural heritage, and the protection of the environment and ecosystems for sustainable agricultural development

Key Areas

The program will focus on the following key areas:

• Critical thinking
• Innovative pedagogy
• Migrations
• Agrotourism
• Ecological transition
• Digital transition
• Citizenship
• Innovation

Partners

The program partners include:

• Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf (DE)
• University of Naples Federico II (IT)
• Aix-Marseille Université (FR)
• Academy of South Serbia (RS)
• Academy of Professional Studies South Serbia
• Western Balkan Institute (Webin)
• Université Gaston Berger Saint-Louis (SN)
• Université du Sine Saloum El-Hadj Ibrahima Niass Kaolack (SN)
• Université Assane Seck De Ziguinchor - UASZ (SN)
• University of Sine Saloum El-Hadj Ibrahima Niass (USSEIN) - USSEIN
• Center Interprofessionnel pour la Formation aux Métiers de l'Agriculture Saint Louis (SN)
• University of Free State (SA)
• South African Society for Agricultural Extension University of the Free State (SA)
• Stellenbosch University SA
• Tshwane University of Technology SA

Duration and Budget

The program has a duration of 36 months and a total budget of 880,000.