AERC/PROC/RFP/TMAE/0505/2023-2024/016

African Economic Research Consortium

Established in July 1988, the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) is a public, not-for-profit organization devoted to advanced policy research and training. The principle objective is to strengthen local capacity for conducting independent, rigorous inquiry into problems pertinent to the management of sub-Saharan African economies. Since 1988, the AERC has brought rigour and evidence to economic policy-making in Africa through economic research, graduate training and policy outreach. Today, the AERC is one of the most active research and capacity-building institutions in the world with a focus on SSA. It is supported by donor governments, private foundations, and international organizations. The Training Programme of AERC augments the pool of economics researchers, policy analysts and policy makers in SSA by supporting graduate studies in economics and improving the capacities of departments of economics and agricultural economics in participating universities. This is primarily achieved through harnessing and pooling human and other resources to produce standardized and high-quality degree programmes. The Collaborative MSc. in Agricultural and Applied Economics (CMAAE) Programme, which is spearheaded by departments of agricultural economics in 17 public universities, is one of the three graduate training programmes of AERC.

The Shared Facility for Specialization and Electives (SFSE)

Each year from August to November, CMAAE accredited universities send their postgraduate students to the Shared Facility for Specialization and Electives (SFSE) which runs for 16 weeks. Beginning from 2020, the AERC implemented an innovative virtual teaching of SFSE courses to students across its network of collaborating universities. The curriculum for each of the CMAAE SFSE courses has been updated and bench-marked against leading Agricultural Economics graduate programmes globally, while teaching materials have been jointly developed for online delivery by teams of reputable international resource persons. Starting from 2023, the AERC implemented a hybrid or blended SFSE, combining both virtual teaching in the first half of the programme, and face-to-face delivery and final examinations in the second half. The SFSE admits approximately 100 CMAAE students after successful completion of core courses in the respective universities. Apart from encouraging a more efficient use of resources, the SFSE offers an ideal environment for the structured exchange of people, ideas, cultures, materials, and methods that stimulate a continued collective improvement and growth in quality. On conclusion of the SFSE coursework and examinations, students proceed to final thesis preparation.

The African Economic Research Consortium now invites applications from qualified and experienced scholars willing and able to teach the following courses, both virtually and face-to-face, from August to November 2024: 

LOT 1: CMAAE FOUNDATION COURSES
Agricultural Policy Analysis Agribusiness Management Agricultural and Rural Development Environmental Valuation and Policy
LOT 2: CMAAE COMMON AND ELECTIVE COURSES
Agribusiness Marketing Management Agribusiness Value Chain Management Agricultural Finance and Risk Management Agricultural Marketing and Price Analysis Agricultural Project Planning and Management Agricultural Science and Technology Policy Analysis Economics of Climate Change Environmental and Natural Resource Economics	Farming Systems and Sustainable Livelihood Analysis  Food Security and Nutrition Policy Analysis Gender and Economic Development International Agricultural Trade and Policy Microfinance, Financial Inclusion and Small Enterprise Development Natural Resource Economics and Management Operations Research in Agribusiness Management Quantitative Methods for Policy Analysis

Scope of Work

The selected lecturers will be expected to:

1. Prepare lesson plans for the course to be taught in line with the CMAAE curriculum and share this with the CMAAE Programme Manager prior to commencement of the shared facility.
2. Teach the course they have been selected for in accordance with the approved SFSE curriculum and within the specified period. In the current year, instruction will be hybrid with a physical and an online component through the AERC Learning Management System (LMS) and other associated online platforms, applications and resources.
3. Set, administer, and grade tests, assignments, and final examinations for the course in accordance with the course outline, dates and guidelines that will be stipulated from time to time. 
4. Prepare a draft end-of semester examination and it’s marking guide/scheme for moderation by an external examiner by the fourth week of the SFSE, or as may otherwise be communicated. 
5. Set a supplementary examination paper and its detailed marking guide/scheme and to mark the scripts for any candidate who sits for the supplementary examination.
6. Mark in good time the final end-of-semester examination scripts for the course taught, and to compile and hand in the grades/marks for all candidates before closure of the SFSE.
7. Facilitate students’ preparation and revision for final examinations by returning all graded continuous assessment scripts (for tests and assignments) to candidates at least one week prior to the start of end-of-semester examinations, and by being available for consultations by the students during revisions for the examinations.
8. Compile all continuous assessment tests/assignments and associated student scores prior to the start of end-of-semester examinations, for eventual presentation to the external examiner.
9. Participate in the CMAAE seminar series by making presentations, attending, and commenting on students’ presentations aimed at assisting the students to develop research proposals for their thesis research after they complete the SFSE. 
10. Prepare a comprehensive course evaluation report at the end of the teaching assignment in accordance with the stipulated guidelines.
11. Submit lecture notes and related teaching materials to the CMAAE Programme Manager by the end of the course.
12. Comply with all other terms and conditions of the SFSE lectureship contract.

Qualifications

Qualifications for visiting lectureships include the following:

1. PhD degree in Agricultural Economics or related field;
2. Demonstrated experience in graduate level teaching in the specific fields of Agricultural Economics one is applying for;
3. Demonstrated experience in supervision of thesis at graduate level to successful completion;
4. Publishing in refereed/peer reviewed outlets (Journal Articles, Books and Book Chapters); 
5. Demonstrated experience in teaching in a similar regional collaborative training programme; 
6. Commitment of availability for the indicated period of teaching;
7. Experience in teaching or delivery using interactive online learning management systems.

Requirements

The online application should include:

1. 1. A cover letter clearly indicating the course or courses you wish to teach, an indication that you will be available to teach, both virtually and physically, between August and November 2024, and valid e-mail, postal and telephone contacts. 
   2. Current curriculum vitae (CV), clearly indicating teaching experience at graduate/post graduate level and the courses taught at that level as well as the number of Masters and/or PhD theses successfully supervised.
   3. Two written references, at least one of which MUST be from your immediate Head of Department. (NB: Applicants who have successfully taught at the SFSE in the last three years are exempted from this specific requirement).
   4. A copy of one of your recent publications, which you will present at the SFSE seminar series if you get selected.
   5. A tentative outline on how you plan to teach the course.

• NB. Please combine all your attachments into one PDF before uploading (starting with the application/cover letter, CV, reference letters, and any other required attachments).

The AERC will undertake, at their discretion, thorough background, and reference checks, face-to-face or telephone/video interviews, as well as a mandatory probationary period for successful first-time applicants.

The AERC will provide an attractive remuneration to successful applicants. Interested applicants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours: 0830 – 1700 Hours. Qualified female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications should be submitted online using the link: 

https://training.aercafrica.org/visitinglectureshipapplication 

so as to be received by March 31, 2024 at 1200 Hrs. The application cover letter must be clearly referenced as VISITING LECTURESHIPS AT THE CMAAE SFSE 2024, Lot No. and Course Title, and addressed to:

 

The Executive Director

African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)

3rd Floor, Middle East Bank Towers, Jakaya Kikwete Road

P.O. Box 62882 – 00200 Nairobi, Kenya

Please Note: 

The deadline for receipt of applications is March 31, 2024. Efforts will be made to acknowledge and respond to all applications individually. However, in the event that you do not hear from the AERC by July 31, 2024, please consider your application as unsuccessful. A general notification to that effect will be placed on the AERC website by August 1, 2024.