Source of funding: Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education.
Project partners:
University of Agder, Coordinator
University of Rwanda
Makerere University, Uganda.
Project main activity: Master students mobility.
EQIP is a 5MNOK 5-years project, funded by DIKU, the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education.
The University of Agder is the coordinating partner for this project, which is implemented with two partner universities in East Africa: the University of Rwanda and Makerere University.
Goal:
Increasing graduate employability:
The main goal of EQIP is to increase the employability of graduates through student and staff mobility, internationalisation of study programmes and promotion of transformative pedagogy.
Objective:
Provide high quality education for future job markets.
EQIP main goal shall be achieved through the following specific goals:
Produce regionally and globally competitive graduates with an international mindset, sustainable livelihood and consciousness about gender balance, inclusivity and mutual respect.
Transform curricula and educational methods for selected study programmes and courses at University of Agder (Norway), Makerere University (Uganda) and University of Rwanda in order to increase the employability of graduates.
Increase faculty competence for developing and delivering flexible and engaging curricula relevant for the 21st Century global job market.
Enable co-creation of knowledge and internationalisation of study programmes through a framework for mutual student mobility to undertake selected courses, work placements, field work and research within partner countries.
Promote and implement transformative pedagogy through mutual staff mobility for the creation and delivery of joint courses and co-supervision of students’ projects so as to produce globally competitive graduates.
Key focus areas
Promotion of Transformative Pedagogy
Internationalisation of Study Programmes
Advancing Technology Enhanced Learning
EQIP intends to enhance the quality and internationalisation of master study programmes through increased student mobility and transformative pedagogy. Therefore the study programmes under consideration are those which can produce graduates with competence to transform the way educational programmes are delivered.
These include Master of Multimedia & Educational Technology (UiA), Master of Instructional Design and Technology (Mak), Master of Information Systems (Mak), Master of Software Engineering (UR) and Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction (UR).
The University of Agder (UiA) will also send up to 10 students to Uganda (Mak) and Rwanda (UR), in connection with Master thesis projects and work placements.
Twenty six (26) students from Mak and UR will participate in courses, project work and work placements in Norway.
The mutual student mobility will involve students in authentic learning using transformative pedagogy and state-of-the-art educational technology. Virtual/online mobility will support close academic collaboration among partners, to address local and global challenges.
EQIP will focus on intersecting courses which can have impact in transforming other study programmes, through Technology Enhanced Teaching and Learning.
The overall strategy of UiA defines mobility as one of the important means to achieve the strategic goal of fostering attractive and recognized studies and learning environments.
Recently, the UiA has adopted a strategy for collaboration with African universities in research and higher education.
Internship as a possibility in all study programmes is a part of UiA strategy from 2016. International internships are increasingly seen as an experience that can contribute to the student’s employability.
Fields of education and training:
Information, multimedia design, computer and communication technology