Page 17 - AERC Strategic Plan 2 July2020

THE AERC 2020–2025 STRATEGIC PLAN

Thirty Years of Evolution

Over three decades, AERC has continually demonstrated an ability to evolve to meet the
changing needs of a developing region. Since 1991, the AERC has supported academic
infrastructure in public universities by providing graduate libraries; accessibility to the
internet; computer labs for graduate students; scholarships and institutional grants;
and up-to-date curricula at master’s and PhD level. The AERC signed memoranda of
understanding (MoUs) with public universities to abide by these conditions. The idea
was to support public universities to mount quality degree programmes and thus
increase the supply of policy analysts, researchers, and public servants with adequate
knowledge and capability to become policy leaders, thought leaders, and policy analysts.
AERC’s footprint has expanded to 37 universities, improving their capacity in over 30
countries; policymakers in fragile and post-conflict states; over 20,000 experts whose
skills and research ideas have been enhanced; and a variety of sectors from economics
to agriculture, environment, finance, monetary systems, and policymaking institutions.

The training programme expanded to offer CMAP to students at 26 universities in 21
countries across SSA. Universities were categorized based on their ability to mount quality
core courses and electives, instituting a gradual progression system to enhance university-
teaching capacity and provide skills transfer. The Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP)
comprising eight African universities was added in 2002 to further strengthen the supply
and quality of economic researchers, policymakers, and academics.
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Collaborative Training Programmes

» CMAP (1992) – 26 universities in 21 SSA countries (3,151 alumni);

» CPP (2002) – 8 universities in 6 SSA countries (400 alumni inclusive of other non-
CPP African PhD students supported under PhD thesis research grants);

» CMAAE (2005) – 17 universities in 13 Eastern and Southern African countries
(879 alumni);

» Bridging Programme for Fragile and Post-Conflict Countries – 72 Master’s and 29
PhD alumni; and

» Joint/Shared Facility for Electives (JFE/SFSE) – menu of elective courses: CMAP
(12), CPP (11), and CMAAE (21).

As the development focus shifted to agriculture, nutrition, and food security in the region,
the Collaborative Master in Agricultural and Applied Economics (CMAAE) was introduced
in 2005 to improve country-level policies and capacity of universities in this agricultural
sector. CMAAE now extends to 17 universities in Eastern, Central, and Southern Africa.
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