Cross-border education: experiences and challenges

Olajide Kufoniyi P.O. Box 4031

U.I. Post Office, Ibadan, NigeriaEmail: jidekufoniyi@yahoo.com

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Presentation Outline

• Context

• Models for Implementing Cross-border Education Programmes

• Example of Cross-border Education Programme & Experiences Gained

• Concluding Remarks

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Context: Some factors driving GI capacity needs in Africa

• Space Science and Technology Development

• Expanding adoption of SDI• Sustainable development (infrastructure,

healthcare, food security, land management, natural disaster prevention and mitigation, etc.)

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Imagine Capacity Requirement for EOS & GI Utilisation in Africa !!

AfricaGIS 2009, Kampala; 26th -30th Oct 2009

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Achieving the Capacity Needs…which way?

• Single, on-campus based• e-Learning and Web-based Distance

Education• Cross-border (Joint) Education Programmes

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Cross-border education: Advantages…..

• Regular update of curriculum including staff and student exchange programmes.

• Part (& later whole) training in the home partner institution & shorter stay Overseas thus training ≥2 persons at the cost of one.

• ….facilitates increased critical mass of skilled manpower in LDCs.

• Multiplier effect of training the trainers• Well-equipped consultancy services for IGR → fund for further development

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Cross-border education: different models

(National Universities Commission NUC, Nigeria ( 2009))

• Twinning/Articulation: foreign university collaborates with home university to offer courses, enrich curricula content and pedagogy and/or offer joint/dual degrees.

• Branch Campus: Foreign university uses its country’s standing procedure to establish a replica of its campus in the home country.

• Open & Distance Learning (ODL): in accordance with home country’s guidelines for open & distance learning.

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Cross-border Education Example: ITC-RECTAS JEP

(2004 – 2008)

• The Joint Courses• Award of Degree and Diploma• Programme Structure and Formats• Quality assurance• Performance of Execution Strategy• Achievements of the JEP• Challenges

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ITC-RECTAS JEP Courses(2004 – 2008)

• MSc with a duration of 18 months: 23 modules of 3 wks each

• Post-Graduate diploma course with duration of 12 months; 15 modules, 3 wks/module, 1st 10 same as MSc modules …. Entirely by RECTAS

• Short term refresher courses taking advantage of the modular design

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Award of Degree/DiplomaCourse Degree/Diploma

MSc •Issued by ITC•Course record with joint logos of ITC & RECTAS signed by both institutions• ... reflected contribution of the partners in the modules •Partially successful candidates issued PM, PGD or Certificate

PGD •Issued by RECTAS•Course record with joint logos, signed by RECTAS •Partially successful candidate issued Certificate

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Structure of JEP MSc …/1

Block # Description Modules

1 Common Core Block 1: Principles of databases2: Principles of RS3: Principles of GIS4: Mathematics & Programming

2 Domain Block 5: Principles of Spatial Data Quality 6: Base Data Acquisition 7: Geodata modelling & processing8: Visualization and dissemination of geodata9: Image processing10: Web tech for GIS & mapping

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Structure of JEP MSc …/2

Block # Description Modules

3 Research Profiles 11: Research skills12: Advanced topic13: Advanced topic(12 &13: elective in-depth subjects towards MSc research) 14-15 Research projects incl. MSc proposal

4 Individual MSc research 16 – 23: Individual MSc research (8 * 3 wks)

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Implementation Formats of Joint MSc

Phases RECTAS Provides ITC Provides

One Modules 1 – 4(3months)

Remainder of course including thesis (15months)

Two Modules 1 – 10 (7.5months)

Remainder of course including thesis (10.5months)

Three Modules 1 – 15(12months)

Individual MSc Research (6 months)

Four Modules 1-11 & 16-23(15 months)

Modules 12-15including proposal writing

Five Entire programme (18months)

Quality control & staff exchange

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Performance of Implementation Formats

Phases Planned Take-Off Actual Take-Off

One 2004 2004

Two 2006 2007

Three 2008 ?

Four 2008 ?

Five 2010 ?

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Quality Assurance• Entrance requirements designed to satisfy rules &

regulations of both partners and accreditation bodies in the Netherlands

• Module evaluation by Course/Module Coordinator & Participants

• Monitoring visit by ITC Programme Director

• End-of-course evaluation by Coordinator & ParticipantsISPRS TC-VI Symposium Enschede 2-4 June 2010

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Performance of Execution strategyExecution Plan PerformanceShared commitments / responsibilities

High

Board of Directors: representatives of both partners

Average

Joint thesis supervision LowDegree assessment & quality control

Very High

Use of ITC e-Blackboard LowImplementation Format Average (10

modules out of15 in 2008)

Staff exchange LowISPRS TC-VI Symposium Enschede 2-4 June 2010

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Summary of Achievements…/1

• Increase in number of trainees attracted into PG courses between 2004 & 2007

• Number deliberately kept at 25 due to limited students’accommodation at RECTAS

• (….. already being addressed thro construction of additional modern 20-room international students’ hostel in RECTAS; student in-take can be increased substantially after)

• Rapid upgrading of RECTAS’ training facilities (lecture materials, campus-wide network, full internet facility, software (e.g. Free ArcGIS & Idrisi)

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Summary of Achievements…/2

• 68 PGD & MSc graduates (30 Franco, 38 Anglo) from total of eight (8) African countries

• Spin-off: RECTAS-Obafemi Awolowo Univ MSc (GIS & RS) from 2002; 25 – 30 admitted each year

• Several joint customised/refresher course participants

• 10 Staff benefited from Short courses at ITC

• 1 on Sandwich PhD (Joint Research Agreement)

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Annual Trainees’ intake from 2004 (Yr 1) to 2007 (Yr 4)

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Number of ITC-RECTAS JEP Graduates (2004 – 2008)

S/N Course No. of Graduates

Remarks

1 PGD 61 44 funded by RECTAS, 17 self-sponsored (highest in history)

2 PM 3 Funded by RECTAS & ITC

3 MSc 4 Funded by RECTAS & ITC

Total 68 30 Franco & 38 Anglo

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JEP Catchment Area

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Key Challenges .../1• Cost of Software upgrade before 2006 [mitigated by free

ILWIS (2004), ArcGIS (2006) & Idrisi (2007)]

• Irregular electric power supply; use of back-up electricity generator most of the time led to high overhead costs

• Dedicated Internet bandwidth (running on hybrid solar energy) of 128/256 kbs lower than required

• Being a bilingual Centre, serious challenge maintaining program standards in both English and French languages

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Key Challenges.../2

• Recognition & accreditation of JEP on both sides to accept degree as being on same level. RECTAS processing accreditation of PGD course by CAMES

• Unsuccessful attempts to recruit PhDs [many MSc’s few PhDs] & late completion of PhD courses by staff

• Limited students accommodation• Standardisation of course calendar• Cost for ITC leg still considered high by private

students• Marketing and publicity on both sides of partnership

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Concluding Remarks ../1

• Positive contribution to capacity building despite the challenges: Little-by-little the bird makes its nest

• Good ICT infrastructure will enhance success (possibility for video-conferencing, virtual library, e-blackboard, etc.)

• Sustainability requires patience and hard work

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Concluding Remarks …/2

• Policy continuity with refinement is essential

Bi-directional staff exchange, student exchange, and transferability of credit earned from one partner institution to another.

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