Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Transdisciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education – ‘ADVALUE’ addresses the need for qualified doctorates and future academic professionals in agricultural sciences who impact the research and teaching capacities of their Higher Education Institutions and contribute to local and regional achievement of SDG goals with the development of sustainable agricultural value chains. In line with this, the specific objectives of ADVALUE are

1. 1. modernised doctoral programmes with innovative course offers in transdisciplinary research methods and value chain approaches,

1. 1. strengthened stakeholder involvement to ensure needs orientation and innovation potential,

1. 1. capacity building of staff and students, and

1. 1. improved quality assurance and development in doctoral education.

The joint development of four doctoral modules (scientific working, transdisciplinary research, rangeland management, and agricultural value chains) involves about 120 staff and 160 students in online and offline events. The online training and collaboration provide access to more persons beyond 32 EU study trip participants, 80 pilot training participants and other conference travels. After pilot testing and evaluating the new courses, the implementation in about 30 degree-programmes at the four partner universities in Kenya and Uganda is possible as well as the adaptation of the project results through dissemination of the actively participating network partners to ensure sustainability of the project’s outputs. Accompanying these activities, strategies of further improving the quality of doctoral education are elaborated and discussed, including the public exchange on two project conferences (multiplier events).

ADVALUE emphasises stakeholder involvement on all levels, from the local universities’ cooperation with working life partners up to the national exchange and support by associated governmental partners, as well as the international exchange.

The project addresses the need for qualified doctorates and future academic professionals in agricultural sciences who impact the research and teaching capacities of their Higher Education Institutions and contribute to local and regional achievement of SDG goals with the development of sustainable agricultural value chains.

Partners

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU)

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU)

German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture

Nuertingen-Geislingen University (NGU)

Makerere University

Uganda Christian University (UCU)

Pwani University (PU)

University of Nairobi (UoN)

Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEST)

Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO)

National Council of Higher Education Uganda (NCHE)

The National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)

European Alliance in Agricultural Knowledge for Development (AGRINATURA)

Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)