The AAU Biennial
Conference of Rectors
& Vice Chancellors 2023

Windhoek Country Club & Resort Conference Centre,
Windhoek, Namibia

4-7 July 2023

About The Event

The 2023 COREVIP will seek to focus specifically on excellence and successful initiatives, interventions and outcomes in African higher education by highlighting the key enabling elements within the sub-themes.

Where

Windhoek, Namibia

When

Tuesday to Friday
4-7 July 2023



Theme: Advancing Excellence in African Higher Education

The Sub-Themes are:

  • Doctoral Education
  • Institutional Differentiation
  • Partnership/Cooperation & Internationalization
  • University-Industry Linkages
  • Funding & Financing
  • Role of Intellectual Diaspora



Why Attend the Conference of Rectors and Vice Chancellors?

  • We expect 800 participants from Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia and other parts of the World to be physically present
  • Interact with over 400 AAU Member Vice Chancellors present at the conference. Network with African academics from the five regions of Africa
  • If your institution is an AAU member you will participate in the AAU business meetings
  • An Exhibition is planned to showcase emerging projects and products for African Higher Education
  • Receive firsthand information on current initiatives and available opportunities for stakeholders of African Higher Education
  • Opportunity to be included in AAU’s database and mailing list to keep receiving information on African Higher Education and available opportunities – scholarships, fellowships, vacancies, and other relevant information
  • Opportunity to share your thoughts/experiences with participants from Africa and beyond and help enrich the discussions.

  • The COREVIP/General Conference of the AAU is the highest decision making body of the Association. This is an assembly of representatives of all member institutions, and is organized in two parts as follows:

    1. The Business Session:

      The Business Session assesses the activities implemented over the previous four years against a background of the Core Programme of Activities and a budget approved at the previous Conference;
      • approves the plan of activities and budget for the following strategic plan period; and
      • elects the governing board members of the Association including the President and three (3) Vice – Presidents, from among the Vice – Chancellors, Presidents and Rectors of its member institutions.

      • The Scientific/Thematic Session:

        The COREVIP is an assembly of the chief executive officers of member institutions or their representatives, which meets every two years with the purpose of:

      • Examining collectively, themes identified as common concerns and priorities for the development of higher education in Africa;
      • Making recommendations primarily to AAU member Institutions, as well as to the Governing Board and to the Secretariat; and
      • Acting as a mid-term conference and taking stock of the implementation of the decisions of the COREVIP and recommending corrective measures, if any.

  • Event Venue Year Theme Sub-Themes
    COREVIP Kigali, Rwanda June 2 – 5, 2015 Internationalisation of Higher Education in Africa a. Harmonisation and Quality
    b. Mobility and Transferability of Credits
    c. New Modes of Teaching and Learning
    d. Curriculum Relevance and Employability
    e. Emerging Centres of Excellence in Africa
    COREVIP Stellenbosch, South Africa May 30 – June 3, 2011 Strengthening the Space of Higher Education in Africa a. Creating an African Higher Education Space
    b. The Role of ICT
    c. Regional Centres of Excellence
    d. Promoting Open and Distance Learning
    COREVIP Tripoli, Libya 2007 The African Brain Drain: Managing the Drain, Working with the Diaspora a. The African Development Agenda and the Brain Drain: History, Factors and Prospects
    b. The African Diaspora: Contributions to the Revival of African Knowledge Systems, Science and Technology
    COREVIP Mauritius March 17 – 21, 2003 The Role of African Higher Education Institutions in the Building of the African Union a. The Challenge of Poverty Reduction in Africa: The Way Forward from the Higher Education Perspective
    b. African Higher Education Institutions Responding to the HIV/AIDS Pandemic
    c. Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa: The Continuing Challenge to African Higher Education Institutions
    COREVIP Arusha, Tanzania February 1 – 4, 1999 Revitalizing Universities in Africa: Strategy for the 21st Century a. Regional Cooperation in Graduate Training and Research
    b. Information and Communication Technology
    c. Access, Quality and Resource Management
  • The Association of African Universities (AAU), whose headquarters is in Accra, Ghana, was founded in Rabat, Morocco on November 12, 1967, following recommendations made at an earlier conference organized by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Antananarivo, Madagascar in September 1962 for the formation of such an apex organization.

    The Antananarivo recommendations were taken up by a preparatory Committee of the heads of African institutions of higher education, which met in Khartoum in September 1963 and drafted the founding constitution of the Association. With an initial membership of 34, the Association now has over 340 members, cutting across the language and other divides.

    The Association has provided a platform for research, reflection, consultation, debates, co-operation and collaboration on issues pertaining to higher education. It has provided a range of services to its members and served African higher education in a variety of ways. It has established and increased its role in the five sub-regions of Africa and is thus able, at reasonable notice, to assemble teams of experts in relevant fields from the sub-regions.

    The Association possesses a unique capacity to convene higher education institutional leaders and policy-makers from all parts of the continent and on key issues related to African higher education and development, as demonstrated in the WTO/GATS workshop held in Ghana in April 2004. In addition, the Association provides leadership in the identification of emerging issues and support for debating them and facilitating appropriate follow-up action by its members, partners and other stakeholders.

Event Speakers

Here are some of our speakers

TBD

Event Schedule

At this moment the Schedule is not finalised. Please check back soon!

Registration

Plenary Session I: Opening Ceremony
Chair: Prof. Saeed Bakri Osman (AAU President & President of Sudan International University, Sudan)

  • Welcome Remarks
    Welcome Remarks by:
    1. The Vice Chancellor of University of Namibia (Prof. Dr. Kenneth Matengu)
    2. AAU Secretary General (Prof. Olusola Bandele Oyewole)
    3. AAU President (Prof. Saeed Bakri Osman)
    4. Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Namibia (Hon. Itah Kandji-Murangi)
    5. Any other
  • Goodwill Messages by Key Partners
    Goodwill Messages by:
    1. AAU Regional Offices in Africa/USA/Canada/UK/China
    2. African Union Commission (AUC)
    3. Association of Arab Universities (AArU)
    4. European Universities Association (EUA)
    5. Education Sub-Saharan Africa (ESSA)
    6. Others
  • Formal Opening of the 2023 COREVIP
    H.E. Hage Gottfried Geingob (President of Namibia)

Group Photograph, Tea/Coffee Break

Plenary Session II: AAU Business
Chair: Prof. Saeed Bakri Osman (AAU President)

  • Announcement of Conference Bureau, Working Groups & Adoption of Conference Programme
  • Mid-term Review of AAU Programmes (2021 -2023)
    by Prof. Olusola B. Oyewole (Secretary-General, AAU)

Lunch

Plenary Session III: Keynote Presentations Chair: Prof. Orlando Quilambo (immediate past AAU President & Rector of Eduardo Mondlane University, Mozambique)

Topic 1: The Higher Education Space in Namibia: Expediting Reforms post COVID-19 - Hon. Itah Kandji-Murangi (Minister of Higher Education, Training and Innovation, Namibia)
Topic 2: The Impact of the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (CESA) on Academic Excellence

Plenary Session IV: Roundtable Discussion: Advancing Excellence in African Higher EducationProfessor Mohamed Hussein El-Mahrasawy (AAU Vice Chair and President of Al-Azhar University, Egypt)

Plenary Session V: Sponsored Presentation to African Higher Education Stakeholders

Discussions

Tea / Coffee Break

Plenary Session IV: Roundtable Discussion: Students’ Engagement in Building a Resilient African Education System

Discussions

Plenary Session V: Sponsored Presentation to African Higher Education Stakeholders

Welcome Reception (Host)

PARALLEL SESSION 1

Parallel Session 1a: Presentations on Subtheme 1 (Doctoral Education) - Chair: Professor Lilian Imuetinyan Salami (AAU Vice President & Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria)
Parallel Session 1b: Presentations on Subtheme 2 (Institutional Differentiation)
Parallel Session 1c: Presentations on Subtheme 3 (Partnership/Cooperation and Internationalization)

Tea / Coffee Break

PARALLEL SESSION 2

Parallel Session 2a: Presentations on Subtheme 4 (University-Industry Linkages)
Parallel Session 2b: Presentations on Subtheme 5 (Funding and Financing)
Parallel Session 2c: Presentations on Subtheme 6 (Role of Intellectual Diaspora)

Lunch

Plenary Session VI: Stakeholder Interventions in Higher Education Development in Africa - Chair: Prof. Dr. Kenneth Matengu (Vice-Chancellor of University of Namibia)

Discussions

Plenary Session VII: Sponsored Presentation to African Higher Education Stakeholders

Plenary Session VII: Sponsored Presentation to African Higher Education Stakeholders

Tea / Coffee Break

Plenary VIII: Roundtable Discussion: Technical and Vocational Education and Training in Africa: Overlooked or Underrated

Discussions

Dinner (To be confirmed) Venue: (tbc)

Plenary Session IX: AAU Interventions in Higher Education post COVID - Chair: Professor Rungano Jonas Zvobgo (Vice Chancellor of Great Zimbabwe University)

Plenary Session X: Roundtable Discussion

Tea / Coffee Break

PARALLEL SESSION 3: STRATEGIC MEETINGS

Parallel Session 3a: Meeting of ‘Friends of AAU’ and Representative of Regional Offices (by Invitation). - Chair: Prof. Olusola B. Oyewole (AAU Secretary-General)
Parallel Session 3b: Sponsored Side Event
Parallel Session 3c: Sponsored Side Event
Parallel Session 3d: Sponsored Side Event

Plenary Session XI:

Discussions

Lunch

FREE AFTERNOON / EXCURSION

Dinner (Sponsored)

Venue: (tbc)

Plenary Session XII: Presentations from Parallel Sessions 1 & 2 (All six sub-themes) Chair: Professor Tawana Kupe (Vice Chancellor of University of Pretoria, South Africa)

Discussions

Tea Break

Brenden Legros

Plenary Session XIII: Closing Ceremony Chair: Prof. Saeed Bakri Osman (AAU President)

  • Reports from Rapporteur General
  • Presentation of the Conference Communique
  • Official Closing

Lunch

Excursion (Tour of UNAM/Windhoek)

Closing Dinner

Venue: (tbc)




Event Venue

Windhoek Country Club & Resort Conference Centre, Windhoek, Namibia

Windhoek Country Club & Resort Conference Centre, Windhoek, Namibia

Contact Us!
Email Us:
ransford@aau.org / ndarko@aau.org / glikando@unam.na

Contact the Resort
Contact Person: Elroy Cloete (Banqueting Administration Manager)
Email: bqwccr@legacyhotels.co.za
Phone Number: +264 61 205 5748

Register for COREVIP 2023

AAU Member Univerisites
$500

  • Conference Documents
  • Lunch & Tea Breaks
  • Conference Proceedings Document

Non-AAU Members & Other Stakeholders
$600

  • Conference Documents
  • Lunch & Tea Breaks
  • Conference Proceedings Document

Namibian Residents
$250

  • Conference Documents
  • Lunch & Tea Breaks
  • Conference Proceedings Document




Sponsorship Package

These are the sponsorship packages we have for this event

Gold Package
$5,000

  • Opportunity to give a 5 minutes address during a parallel session
  • Full participation in all sessions of the conference
  • Visibility on event portal
  • Visibility in networking areas
  • Visibility in conference programme (Display of logos)
  • Free conference registration for 2 people
  • Visibility in event marketing communication
Diamond Package
$10,000

  • The option to give a 10-minutes address during a plenary session
  • Full participation in all sessions of the conference
  • Profiling during the conference and in the conference Brochure & Reports
  • Free conference registration for 3 people
  • Visibility on event portal
  • Visibility in networking areas
  • Visibility in Plenary room (Pull up banners)
  • Visibility in conference programme (Half Page Advert)
  • Inclusion of organisation brochure in event pack
  • Visibility in event marketing communication
  • Visibility in resulting event reports
Platinum Package
$15,000+

  • Opportunity for a 10-minute speaking engagements and 10-minute interaction with participants
  • Full participation in all sessions of the conference
  • Profiling during the conference and in the conference Brochure & Reports
  • Six months of visibility on events portal
  • Visibility on name badges
  • Visibility in networking areas
  • Visibility in Plenary room (Pull up banners, Promotional video between sessions)
  • Visibility in conference programme (Full Page Advert)
  • Free conference registration for 5 people
  • Inclusion of organisation brochure in event pack
  • Visibility in event marketing communication
  • Visibility in resulting event reports



Frequently Asked Question's

  • The conference will be held simultaneously in English, French and Arabic.

  • Online registration form is available by clicking the link below: registration form

    • The registration fee is US$500 for representatives of AAU member universities, and
    • US$600 for non-AAU members and other stakeholders.
    • Participants from Namibia will pay US$250 per person.

    This amount covers the conference documents, lunch and tea/coffee breaks as well as a copy of conference proceedings.

  • Prior to the conference, conference documents will be shared online with only registered participants. It is therefore important that all participants endeavour to carry along their laptops or other reading devices as there will be no hard copies available.

  • Invitation letters under the signature of the Vice Chancellor of the University of Namibia would be issued to each delegate to facilitate visa processing. Participants are responsible for their travel to and from Namibia, as well as accommodation, extra meals, and any other hotel expenses (laundry, phone calls, secretarial services, etc.) incurred during their stay in Namibia. The AAU will not assume responsibility for any unpaid bills. Group lunches, and tea/coffee breaks on the four conference days are, however, covered by the registration fee.

    Accomodation

    Participants are advised to make advanced reservations for accommodation at the following hotels:

       
    Name of Hotel   
       
    Contact Person   
       
    Email /Phone   
       
    Negotiated Rate (Standard Room)   
       
    Windhoek County   Club and Resort
       
       
       
    Magreth Mate (Key Account Manager)   
       
    mmate@legacyhotels.co.za
       
    +264 81 333 0978   
       
    US$109/per/night   
       
    Elroy Cloete (Banqueting Administration Manager)   
       
    bqwccr@legacyhotels.co.za
       
    +264 61 2055748   
       
    Safari Court   Hotel
       
       
       
    Sergio Gomes Satchikuata (Banqueting Manager)   
       
    Sergio.SATCHIKUATA@movenpick.com
       
    +264 81 330 3736   
       
    US$103/per/night   
       
    Vatima Van Rooyen (Conference Services Coordinator)   
       
    Vatima.VANROOYEN@movenpick.com
       
    +264 61 296 7171   
       
    Arebbusch Country Lodge   
       
    Charlene Grace (Front Office Manager)   
       
    charlene.grace@arebbusch.com   
       
    +264 61 25 2255   
       
    US$77/per/night   

    Please note that:

    1. These hotels require that you confirm your reservations by 15th April 2023 after this date accommodation cannot be guaranteed.
    2. The room rates indicated above are inclusive of bed and breakfast only. It also includes free internet access.
    Accommodation payments should be made directly to the hotels selected by participants, or for a discount, bookings should be channelled through the Local Organising Committee.
    For those who book directly with the hotels, kindly email your proof of payment to the LOC via: corevip2023@unam.na

  • Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay in Namibia. In most cases, the passport’s expiry date should be at least six (6) months prior to the travel date.
    Visa requirements should be confirmed with the travel office in your country of departure. Participants travelling on National passports are advised to obtain a Namibia visa before departure.
    All participants MUST HOLD:

    • letters of invitation from the host institution;
    • return tickets to their country of residence; and
    • proof of sufficient funds for their stay.
    Please note that you can acquire a Namibia visa application form at the Namibian High Commission /Embassy in your country.
    Please also note that delegates needing visas on arrival (those without Namibia High Commissions/Embassies in their country) will need to send the biodata pages of their passports to the Local Organising Committee via email: corevip2023@unam.na

  • A YELLOW FEVER Vaccination Certificate is required from participants coming from infected areas. The countries and areas included in the endemic zones are considered as infected areas and include the following:

    Angola Equatorial Guinea Rwanda
    Benin Ethiopia Sao Tomé & Principe
    Burkina Faso Gabon Senegal
    Burundi Gambia Sierra Leone
    Cameroon Ghana Somalia
    Central African Republic Guinea-Bissau Sudan
    Chad Kenya Tanzania
    Congo Liberia Togo
    Cote d’Ivoire Mali Uganda
    Democratic Republic of Congo Niger Zambia
    Nigeria
    It should be pointed out that the Vaccination Certificate for Yellow Fever is valid ten (10) days after the date of vaccination or in case of re-vaccination as from the date of re-vaccination. Furthermore, participants may be subject to further medical screening, such as Ebola and other communicable diseases on arrival in Namibia, and participants may be under health surveillance during their stay in the country.
    All other health-related protocols, including COVID-19 vaccination requirements for international travellers are to be observed.

  • Kindly note that flights to Namibia come through the Hosea Kutako International Airport. As participants will be met on arrival, kindly send your flight details to the Local Organising Committee well in advance for the necessary transport arrangements to be made on time.
    Free wireless internet services will be provided during the conference. At the Hotels, Business Centres with a limited number of computers may be available for participants’ use at a fee.
    SIM cards and airtime for your cell phones are locally available.
    For other official communication costs (international phone call, etc.), please check telephone service charges with the hotel before use as participants shall pay for the related costs directly to the hotel before or upon check-out.

  • The currency of Namibia is the Namibia Dollar. The commercial exchange rate is subject to change daily. There are banks and licenced currency exchange bureaux located at the airport and in the City. You may exchange from the hotel cashier as well. For more information on currency exchange rates, please visit: http://www.xe.com/.
    It is advised to use banks rather than hotels to get the best available rate. Banking hours are from 09.00 am to 15.30 pm on weekdays. Most major credit/visa cards are universally accepted.

  • The supply voltage in Namibia is 230 V and 50Hz. There are two associated plug types, types D (three round pins in a triangular pattern) and type M (three round pins). You are advised to bring a universal adapter/converter as necessary.

  • During registration in Namibia, a list of excursion sites would be availed to participants who would have to indicate which one(s) they would wish to visit so that the necessary arrangements can be finalised. These excursions will come at a cost to be borne by participants.
    The following are the recommended excursions and their associated costs:

    • Tours organised by Sense of Africa
    •    
      Description   
         
      Cost per person (US Dollars)   
         
      Comment   
         
      Two-Hour Guided City Tour on Foot   
         
      US$32   
         
      Starts at 08:00   
         
      Half-Day Windhoek Tasting Tour   
         
      US$60   
         
      Starts at 14:00   
         
      Half-Day Guided Nature Walk   
         
      US$35   
         
      Starts at 08:00   
         
      Half-Day City / Katutura Tour   
         
      US$49   
         
      Starts at 09:00   
         
      Full Day Gocheganas Nature Drive +Lunch   
         
      US$230   
         
      Starts at 08:30   

    • Tours organised by People’s Tour and Safari
    •    
      Description   
         
      Cost per person (US Dollars)   
         
      Comment   
         
      Windhoek – N/aankuse Wildlife Sanctuary (up close with wild cats)   
         
      NAD   
         
      5 hours    
         
      Windhoek – N/aankuse Wildlife Sanctuary (Carnivore Feeding)   
         
      NAD   
         
      2.5 hours   
         
      City Tour at Windhoek   
         
      NAD   
         
      2 hours   

  • The month of July is characterized by average temperatures of between 6°C and 20°C.
    Daylight hours are approximately from 07.30 to 18.30 during this period of the year.

Contact Us

Address

AAU House, Trinity Avenue, East Legon.
Accra. Ghana