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About ABEM

What is the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme?
What is ABEM?

The African Biomedical Engineering Mobility (ABEM) project is funded by the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme of the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency of the European Commission. ABEM will build human and institutional capacity in Africa for needs­-based health technology research and development by supporting the development of biomedical engineering programmes at partner institutions and contribute toward harmonising biomedical engineering curricula across the continent.

The project will train up to 32 MSc and 10 PhD graduates, and offer development opportunities to up to 10 staff members over a period of 60 months.

Who are the partners involved in ABEM?

Six African partner institutions:

KU Kenyatta University (coordinating partner) Kenya
AAU Addis Ababa University Ethiopia
CU Cairo University Egypt
MUST Mbarara University of Science and Technology Uganda
UCT University of Cape Town South Africa
UNILAG University of Lagos Nigeria

Technical partner:

UNIPI University of Pisa Italy

Associated partner:

UIRI Uganda Industrial Research Institute Uganda

Academic aspects of the scholarship

Do I qualify for the scholarship – what are the eligibility criteria?

To be eligible for the scholarship, masters and doctoral students must:

  • Must be a national and/ or resident of an eligible country.
  • At the time of the application for a scholarship, be registered/admitted in their final year or have obtained their most recent degree (or equivalent) from:
    • 1. one of the higher education institutions included in the partnership (Target Group 1);
      or
    • 2. a higher education institution not included in the partnership but established in an eligible country (Target Group 2)
  • Have sufficient knowledge of the language of instruction in the host institution.
  • Meet the specific requirements of the host institution.

For staff to be eligible for ABEM scholarships, they need to comply with the following criteria:

  • Be a national and resident in any of the eligible countries.
  • Work in or be associated with a partner higher education institution.
  • Have sufficient knowledge of the operational language in the host institution.

 

What are the different target groups?

Target Group 1 refers to students registered at or staff employed by one of the ABEM partners. i.e. Kenyatta University (Kenya), Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), Cairo University (Egypt), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (Uganda), the University of Cape Town (South Africa) and the University of Lagos (Nigeria).

Target Group 2 refers to students registered in or having obtained a degree from a higher education institution not included in the partnership but established in an eligible country (see below).

Regions of Africa Countries
Central Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and São Tomé and Principe
Eastern Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania
Northern Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Morocco
Southern Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe
Western Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea- Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo
What are the programmes I may apply for?

Areas of specialisation and mobility types are dependent on the institution. A detailed list of the available programmes can be found under the section ‘Partners’.

 

What should I consider when deciding on my host institution?
  1. Ensure that you have mastered the language of tuition of the host institution.
  2. Carefully consider the identified programmes and areas of excellence in each partner institution.
  3. Ensure that you have the necessary academic background for the programmes of interest before you apply.
  4. Be aware of the real cost of living at each partner institution, considering the monthly subsistence allowance of the scholarship.
  5. Consider your ability to adapt to the different realities and the climate at the location of the  host institution.

 

Financial aspects of the scholarship

What does the scholarship cover?
The ABEM individual scholarships cover one roundtrip flight ticket, visa costs, participation costs (which may include tuition fees, registration fees and service fees), comprehensive insurance coverage (health, accident and travel) and a monthly subsistence allowance from which scholarship recipients are to cover accommodation expenses. The monthly subsistence allowance is calculated per mobility option (and can be viewed under ‘Scholarship Information and guidelines’). Full details on the financial conditions of the scholarship can also be found under ‘Scholarship Information and guidelines’.
What are the participation and travelling costs involved?
Participation and travelling costs vary, depending on the type of programme to be pursued under the mobility scheme, as well as the institution and country to which the participant travels. This information is communicated to successful applicants (after receipt, review and assessment of their applications).

The selection process

What happens after I have submitted my application?

Prior to scientific evaluation of the applications, the Coordination Office will verify all applications and will invalidate those that do not comply with the eligibility criteria established by the programme, the partnership and the host institution.

Eligible applications will be considered by the ABEM Selection Committee, which comprises representatives from each partner institution who are experienced academics in the field of biomedical engineering. Student applications will be scored and ranked using the scale shown in the Guidelines.

The Coordinating Office will send the home and host institutions a list of selected scholarship holders for participation in the ABEM mobility project. All applicants will be informed by e-mail of the application outcome and the applicant’s online account will be updated accordingly.

Can I appeal the outcome of an unsuccessful application?

Yes. Applicants who do not accept the selection outcome will be provided with the reasons for the outcome decisions made by the committees responsible for validation and evaluation. Details on the appeals procedure will be provided in the outcome e-mail to be sent to all applicants.

Logistical aspects of the scholarship

How do I apply for the scholarship?

Visit the section “Apply now” on the website for instructions on how to complete your application. ONLY ONLINE APPLICATIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED.

Which permits or documentation do I need to take up a scholarship offer?

Details of additional documentation needed, or which visa to apply for, are communicated to successful applicants (after receipt, review and assessment of their applications).

How do I apply for admission to Master's and PhD programmes once I have been awarded a scholarship?

Applications should be made using the university’s formal application procedure – see the Partners section.

How do I stay in touch?

Write to us using our online contact form and an email reply will be returned to you, or contact us via email. Visit our Facebook and Twitter pages to see more about ABEM.

 

 

Where can I find examples of the mobility agreement (signed on acceptance of scholarship offer) and the learning agreement (signed when the mobility commences)?

Examples of the mobility agreement and the learning agreement are shown in Appendix A and Appendix B of the Guidelines.

Protection of personal data

How will the project protect my personal data?

All submitted applications will be stored as read-only documents in a protected database. The legal requirements of the partner universities concerning the manipulation of personal data will be observed and the information submitted online will remain confidential. The data will only be accessed by authorised persons at the host institutions and at the Coordination Office. Members of the Selection Committee will have confidential access to the data.