UNITAFRICA

A University Network for Educational Cooperation between Africa and Italy

A Shared Vision between Continents

The UNITAFRICA project stems from a simple yet highly ambitious idea: to create a network between Italian and African universities in order to jointly build advanced education pathways based on exchange, reciprocity, and innovation.
Promoted by CUCI – University Centre for International Cooperation at the University of Parma, UNITAFRICA positions itself within the framework of international academic cooperation as a strategic initiative capable of connecting knowledge, territories, and people.
This is not merely about exporting educational models or establishing new mobility channels. UNITAFRICA aims to foster deep, lasting, and transformative relationships between the university systems of both continents, thereby strengthening skills, infrastructure, and the social impact of higher education in a shared development perspective.

Beyond Cooperation: An Educational Pact among Equals

UNITAFRICA is a Transnational Education (TNE) project designed to promote a university cooperation model based on mutual learning. The core of the initiative is a network comprising 21 Italian universities and 78 African universities across 18 countries, ranging from West Africa to Southern Africa.
Through a coordinated set of educational, scientific, and institutional activities, UNITAFRICA seeks to enhance the quality of African higher education, support the development of young researchers, and broaden academic mobility and exchange opportunities for students, faculty, and administrative staff.

Project Objectives

The project addresses multiple interconnected objectives:

Improve the teaching, scientific, and managerial skills of African and Italian partners through joint advanced training programs.
Strengthen academic ties between Africa and Italy by promoting local expertise and scientific excellence.
Promote mobility for students, doctoral candidates, and researchers by creating structured and sustainable personal and professional development paths.
Contribute to the local and regional development of African territories by activating new competencies, applied knowledge, and international collaborations.
Foster a culture of cooperation based on equality, co-design, and mutual recognition.

Educational Activities

UNITAFRICA offers advanced training programs targeted at various members of the academic community:

Young researchers and early-career scholars
Doctoral candidates, post-doctoral researchers, and specialized trainees
University faculty members
Technical and administrative staff

Courses are held in-person or in hybrid mode, with a mandatory in-class component (at least 50%) to ensure a high level of interaction and exchange.
The training content is structured around six major thematic areas, selected for their relevance in African contexts and transformative potential:

Rural Development: sustainable land management, agriculture, and food supply chains.
Public Health and Hygiene: water access, community health, and the One Health approach.
Energy and Environment: renewable energies and natural resource management.
Entrepreneurship Development: growth of local economies and production chains.
Cultural Heritage: sustainable tourism, memory, and identity enhancement.
Social and Human Sciences: critical approaches to social transformations.

Project Governance and Structure

UNITAFRICA is organized into six operational Work Packages, each focusing on a specific area:

WP1–WP3: general coordination, development of shared tools, and analysis of training needs.
WP4 – Skills Development: design and implementation of thematic courses.
WP5 – Capacity Building: strengthening organizational and institutional capacities.
WP6 – Communication and Dissemination: visibility activities, stakeholder relations, and production of content and materials.

A key element of the project is the PIT – Platform for International Training, a digital space for accessing teaching materials, shared resources, and scientific results.

Communication, Participation, Impact

UNITAFRICA is not merely a technical project, but a participatory platform. Its communication approach is designed to engage, share, and foster dialogue.
Through public events, newsletters, multimedia tools, and collaborations with cultural and diplomatic institutions, the project promotes an inclusive narrative on the value of university cooperation.
The expected impact is twofold: academic and territorial. On the one hand, it strengthens the African higher education system and expands scientific networks between Italy and Africa. On the other, it creates conditions for long-lasting change in local territories by developing skills and building sustainable development pathways.

Timeline and Future Outlook

UNITAFRICA will run for 18 months, from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026, but it is designed to generate long-term effects that can reshape how Italian universities engage with the world and build partnerships with African counterparts.

Discover the 2025 UNITAFRICA Summer Schools

Social and Gender Equality as Systemic Strategy for Social and Sustainable Innovation
Parma, June 22 – July 2, 2025
Discover the program >>

Land Protection Against Natural Hazards
Parma, July 6–16, 2025
Discover the program >>

Contacts

For more information about UNITAFRICA, collaboration opportunities, or details on ongoing activities:
CUCI Email: Cuciparma@gmail.com
Office: Strada Massimo D'Azeglio, 85, 43125 Parma PR