Italy–Africa Cooperation: Presentation of the Results of the ACHIEVE-IT Project (19–21 March)

Italy–Africa Cooperation: Presentation of the Results of the ACHIEVE-IT Project (19–21 March)

From 19 to 21 March 2026, the final event of the PNRR-TNE project ACHIEVE-IT – Academic Collaboration through Higher International Education for a Viable and Equitable Africa with ITaly took place at the University of Salento. The event was dedicated to presenting the results of the activities carried out within the framework of academic cooperation between Italy and Africa.

The project involved the University of Parma as the lead institution of an international network promoted by the University Centre for International Cooperation (CUCI), bringing together 7 Italian universities, partners in 16 countries, and 37 African partner institutions.

Representing the University of Parma at the event were the Vice-Rector for Teaching, Simone Baglioni; the project coordinator, Nadia Monacelli; the Director of CUCI, Roberto Valentino; and the Centre’s project managers, Alessio Pietrolucci and Bianca Restori.

The ACHIEVE-IT project aimed to strengthen academic cooperation between Italy and Africa through the development of structured and long-lasting partnerships based on reciprocity, inclusion, and sustainability, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. Key areas of action included academic mobility, joint training programmes, co-supervised doctoral programmes, collaborative research activities, and advanced training initiatives.

A central component of the project activities was the Advanced Skills Programs (ASP), designed to strengthen the academic and scientific capacities of African teaching staff and researchers through intensive training pathways, as well as through the activation of co-supervised doctoral programmes aimed at building long-term academic relationships based on scientific reciprocity, knowledge exchange, and shared human capital development.

Throughout the project, several international Summer Schools and numerous training activities were also organised both in Italy and in African partner countries, contributing to the consolidation of the academic network promoted by CUCI and to strengthening scientific dialogue among the participating higher education systems.

To view the recap video of the activities carried out within the ACHIEVE-IT project, please consult the following YouTube link:
https://youtu.be/pPOeLAYQxY0?si=7JWnTdxbZ43f3aOX

Italy–Africa Cooperation: Presentation of the Results of the ACHIEVE-IT Project (19–21 March)

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