Background Annex VLIR-UOS, country approach and NETWORK basics Brussels, 2 July 2015

Contents 1.Intro VLIR-UOS 2.Country Policy 3.IUC basics

1. Intro VLIR-UOS

Who are we? VLIR-UOS-film 2013

VLIR - 5 Flemish universities, 16 university colleges Ghent University University of Antwerp Hasselt University KU Leuven Vrije Universiteit Brussel

What’s in a name: VLIR vs. VLIR-UOS Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR) – University Cooperation for Development (UOS) Foundation created in 1998 under the umbrella of the Flemish Interuniversity Council Funded by the Belgian minister for Development Cooperation Annual budget of € 33 million

We support partnerships between universities and university colleges in Flanders and the South looking for innovative responses to global and local challenges

STRENGTHENING HIGHER EDUCATION and its globalisation

From KNOWLEDGE to APPLICATION

COOPERATION PROJECTS between professors and researchers

20 partner countries

SCHOLARSHIPS for students and professionals in Flanders and the South

54 countries for scholarships

2. Country Strategy Approach

Country Strategy Approach Paris and Accra Declaration Political Agreement VLIR-UOS and CIUF- CUD with Belgian government of 22 April 2010 Geographical concentration ~ 20 countries Country strategies

Based on country strategies Framework for cooperation 2012: DR Congo, Cuba, Ecuador, Uganda, Tanzania and Vietnam 2013: Ethiopia, South Africa :Suriname and Burundi : Peru, Kenya, Bolivia, India, Morocco

17 What is a Country Strategy? Strategic framework => Country Strategy Document (policy document) Captures the niche or matches –the Southern ‘demand’ (local needs and priorities) –with the Flemish ‘supply’ (offer of expertise and human resources) DEMAND STRATEGIC NICHE FOR PROGRAMMING SUPPLY

From strategy to country programme Policy initiated calls Strategy Selection Programme Competitive calls

Opportunities and expectations from country strategies and programmes 19 Clear framework – country strategy paper as context Increase of societal impact through coherence with development priorities Higher visibility of actions and results High level policy dialogue Donor coordination, network facilitation (alumni), synergies, harmonisation and alignment Promoting Flemish HE Link with regional initiatives / spin-offs

INTERVENTION TYPE LEVEL NATIONAL (NETWORK, PLATFORM and other national-level projects) COUNTRY IUC INSTITUTION TEAM & SOUTH INITIATIVES DEPARTMENT/ FACULTY SCHOLARSINDIVIDUAL Mix of interventions

3. NETWORK basics (post IUC)-Network University Cooperation (NETWORK)

Characteristics of the NETWORK A well-defined theme with obvious and high impact at the country level Addresses nation-wide needs in the educational and research area Less of a capacity building initiative, but the focus is more on multiplication of opportunities, extension and harvesting (post IUC) –CTU – Vietnam; UCLV – Cuba and ESPOL- Ecuador Should focus on cross-institutional interactions –such as in inter-university curriculum development, joint degrees at Master and Ph.D. levels –Links with other networks –Links with Flemish universities Co-funding should be included through the universities and other donors Need for strong logistic and managerial support structures at level of the coordinating university

23 Network CUBA COORDINATIONFLEMISHLOCAL AcademicGeorges Eisendrath (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) Roberto Vicente (UCLV) OperationalFrançoise De Cupere (ICOS Vrije Universiteit Brussel) NETWORK ADVISORSFLEMISHLOCAL P1: Research in ICT related sciences Ann Nowe (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) Rafael Bello Pérez (UCLV) P2: Open ICT systems and management Rudy Gevaert (UGent)Hector Cruz Enriquez (UCLV) P3: ICT in support of educational processes and the knowledge management in Higher Education Marc Goovaerts (Uhasselt)PL from UCI coordinated by Universidad Central Marta Abreu de las Villas (UCLV) Other partner universities: Universidad de Pinar del Río Universidad de las Ciencias Informáticas (UCI) Universidad 'Oscar Lucero Moya' de Holguín Universidad de Camagüey 'Ignacio Agramonte y Loynaz' (UC) Universidad de Oriente (UO) NATIONAL - Network Cuba – ICT for development

24 A successful programme Spirit of partnership, dialogue and mutual respect Participation of high level academic leadership is crucial (decision making structures in the university) Incorporation into local structures and systems (university, regional/national)  Ownership Good communication and efficient and transparent procedures at all levels Support structure – programme support unit Agreed upon, transparent, management structure => management manual and procedures

NETWORK STRUCTURE

Comparison of mandates IUCNETWORKPLATFORM COORDINATORS ( FL, Local) Project leadersProject leaders South / Network Advisers North Promotors of individual TEAM and South Initatives Team MembersTeam members / Transversal advisers Other stakeholders in the national platform MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE Programme Support Unit lead locally by Programme Manager Programme Support Unit – mandates can differentiate Platform support unit – mandates can differentiate ICOS supports Flemish coordinator and coordinates operational structure North Role of ICOS remains to be defined, in principle more limited support needed towards the Flemish coordinator

27 Programme cycle – 5 year strategic planning phases / Annual Activity programmes Country level Network University Cooperation Programme Cycle Phase In - Pre Partner Programme Phase 1 – Network capacity building Phase II PP: Network consolidation YearO Partner ships

Network University Cooperation (Network) Network University Cooperation (NETWORK) budgetary boundaries NETWORK with 2 projects (2 proj + PSU at ‘hub’) 80% budget for projects and 20% for PSU On average EUR/Year; on average EUR/university and EUR for a PSU – administration and coordination costs at level of the ‘hub’/facilitator university – indicative number of universities including ‘hub’ = 5 Notes: All Network University Cooperation Programmes will include mandatory an administrative structure (Programme Support Unit and coordination cost structure) at level of the ‘hub’/facilitator university Proj: Project: subtheme of the network-theme involving departments of different universities around a collective development agenda in a specific discipline/expertise area PSU: Programme Support Unit and administrative overhead structure at level of the ‘hub’/facilitator university

South team Brussels VLIR-UOSDesk officer specific IUC partnerships and cross cutting themes Mr. Peter De Lannoy Coordinator Overall management and follow-up of South Programmes, including IUC Focal point for Latin America and the Caribbean Region – Cuba, Ecuador and Peru Partner Programmes: UCuenca, UNALM, UCLV, UO, NETWORK Cuba & Ecuador Mr. Christophe Goossens Programme Officer Focal point for South Africa, Mozambique, Vietnam and India Partner Programmes: UL, UWC, UEM, Hué and Network Vietnam (Also back-up contact person for UB) Cross Cutting: ICT initiatives expert group, biostatistics project, NSS active projects Mr. Wannes Verbeeck Programme Officer Focal point for Ethiopia, Tanzania, Suriname and Bolivia Partner Programmes: MU, JU, NM-AIST, Mzumbe, Adekus (Also back-up contact person for UNALM, Network Ecuador and the DRC programme) Cross Cutting: RIP Programme Herman Diels Programme Officer Focal point for Uganda and Kenya Partner Programmes: MMU, Platforms Uganda (2), MU-K-Kenia TEAM (former Own Initiatives) Programme Kathleen Wuytack Programme Officer Focal point for DR Congo, Burundi and Morocco Congo policy follow-up, in-country donor and ANG meetings Congo- Transversal Programmes UniversiTIC, AQ and Langues Partner Programmes with UNIKIS, UCC, UCB and UB Koen De Koster Programme Officer Focal point for M&E First phase: focus on new M&E approach related to country programming and monitoring South Initiatives in countries without a strategy. Countries: to be seen in view of 2017 and new intake, currently Indonesia, Rwanda, Palestina Kristof Van Der Perren Administrative Assistant IUC, Country programmes and South Initiatives (SI) Events and website, Process management IUC evaluations, IUC Contract and Mobility Procedures General administrative support for IUC and South Initiatives Dominique De Bondt Administrative Assistant General administrative support for TEAM, PRDC and RIP projects and secretariat of the VLIR-UOS Director and financial department