On April 25, 2024, the second day of the Kick-off meeting of the Elevate-HER project laid the groundwork for three years of collaboration with a common goal: supporting female researchers in Senegalese higher education institutions (HEIs).
The second day of the Elevate-HER Kick-off Meeting began with an icebreaker activity aimed at helping consortium partners get to know each other better through a Q&A game, creating a relaxed atmosphere before the start of the work sessions.
The participating institutions then took the floor to introduce themselves. Dr. Lalla Aicha BA presented Amadou Mahtar MBOW University (UAM), providing statistics on Teaching and Research Staff (PER), Administrative, Technical, and Service Staff (PATS), and students, highlighting the gender dimension.
For her part, the Elevate-HER project coordinator at the University of Alicante, Ms. Cristina Beans, detailed the work packages assigned to each partner, emphasizing deliverables and submission deadlines. She presented a project timeline spanning three years, including periodic meetings and training sessions at various universities.
The pre-kick-off meeting held online in March 2024 defined the various work packages. UAM was assigned Work Package No. 6 (WP6), focused on project communication and dissemination, in collaboration with the University of Alicante (UA) and the NGO La Xixa.
Presentations on the progress of the different work packages were made by the partners. The University of Sine Saloum El Hadji Ibrahima Niass (USSEIN) presented its framework for the "Quality Assurance" module, the Iba Der Thiam University of Thiès (UIDT) presented the development of the "Discover" module, and Gaston Berger University (UGB) showcased its work on the "Mentorship" module.
Additionally, the Rector of UGB, accompanied by the Vice-Rector of UAM and the Director of the Quality Assurance Cell (CIAQ) of USSEIN, met with the Rector of the University of Alicante, paving the way for future partnerships.
Dr. Amina Gaye, Director of the Center for Language Practice at UAM, also visited the Language Center of the University of Alicante and exchanged with some of its officials.
