3is - Inclusive, Impactful and Integrated higher education in Eastern Africa

The 3is project proposes the implementation of an innovative capacity building action, addressed to Higher Education Institutions in least developed regions, less experienced, and located in remote areas in Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. In collaboration with European partners, the participating African universities will design policy instruments and action plans in the areas of internationalization, inclusiveness, educational innovations and academic excellence, community and industry outreach, and regional integration. These instruments and plans will be developed at each location in collaboration with associated partner organizations representing the local communities and industry, least favoured groups, policymakers, and others. They will be the outcome a process of collaborative work that will build on known best practices, but will take well into consideration the local socio-economic, cultural, and environmental idiosyncrasies of each place. Provided with these policy and action plans, the newcomer African universities will be able to device a path to excellence by leveraging on the increased competence of their staff; their stronger links with the private sector and local communities; by increasing their competences to work at international level, and also to increase their capacity to participate or coordinate future Capacity Building for Higher Education projects. It is also expected that these universities will start responding in the short and medium term to barriers against the accessibility of students and staff with fewer opportunities. Finally, in what concerns the Eastern Africa region, the results of the project are expected to contribute in the mid- and long-term to an enhanced cross-border cooperation, mobility of students and staff, and to a more just and mutual recognition of diplomas, thus contributing to more innovative, more peaceful, more developed, and a more sustainable region.