Enhancing Staff Mobility: 13 Graduate Teaching Assistants Placed

Escalating PhD training in Africa: RUFORUM Graduate Teaching Assistantship Programme

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) has facilitated placement of 13 staff members from member universities through an innovative program called Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA). So far 6 member universities are among the first pilot host universities for the GTA program. The host universities include Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR, Malawi), Stellenbosch University (South Africa), Makerere University (Uganda), University of Nairobi (Kenya), and Eldoret University (Kenya).

Besides enrolling into a PhD course at the host university, the successful GTA staff have already taken upon their roles as stipulated in the agreement which include providing teaching, supervision of students and tutoring services. One of the GTA beneficiaries – Mr. Michael Mkosi at LUANAR shares his experiences.

“I have reported and enrolled for a PhD in Animal Science (Fulltime) under the RUFORUM GTA arrangement as per the contractual agreements among sending institution (MZUNI), receiving institution (LUANAR) and RUFORUM secretariat (Facilitating consortium) on 9th October 2015. LUANAR has so far offered me free accommodation at the RUFORUM PhD Hostel, they have waived the Tuition fees and meanwhile they are looking for office space for me. The university has also assigned me two courses to assist in lecturing this semester and so far the facilitation of these courses is going on very well.”

Mr Michael Mkosi – appreciates the GTA program and the hospitality received from the management and staff members in the Department of Animal Sciences at LUANAR.

The table below indicates the information regarding the sending, host universities and programs that have so far been offered.

	Title	Name of the GTA	Sending University	Nationality	Host University	Study Programme
1	Mr	Elias Chirwa	Mzuzu University – Malawi	Malawian	LUANAR	PhD Aquaculture & Fisheries Sciences
2	Mr	Michael Nkosi	Mzuzu University – Malawi	Malawian	LUANAR	PhD Animal Sciences
3	Mr	Robert Israel Jere	Mzuzu University – Malawi	Malawian	LUANAR	PhD Aquaculture & Fisheries Sciences
4	Mr	Joy Rugare	University of Zimbabwe	Zimbabwean	Stellenbosch University	PhD Agronomy
5	Ms	Daisy Dhlamini	University of Swaziland	Swazi	LUANAR	PhD Agricultural Resource Economics
6	Mr	Anthony Mwije	Makerere University	Ugandan	Stellenbosch University	PhD Horticulture
7	Ms	Pamela Nahamya Kabod	Uganda Christian University	Ugandan	Makerere University	PhD Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
8	Mr	Titus Kiplimo Kosgei	Moi University	Kenyan	Makerere University	PhD Plant Breeding and Biotechnology
9	Mr	Charles Kasanziki	University of Rwanda	Rwandese	Makerere University	PhD Agricultural and Rural Innovations
10	Mr	Alphose Murasa	University of Rwanda	Rwandese	Makerere University	PhD Agricultural and Rural Innovations
11	Mr	Stephen Kabugo	Kyambogo University	Ugandan	Placement in pipeline	PhD Animal Sciences
12	Mr	Flavius Murogo	Uganda Martyrs University	Ugandan	University of Nairobi	PhD Drylands Resources Management
13	Mr	Senyanzobe J.M Vianney	University of Rwanda	Rwandese	Eldoret University	PhD Plant Ecology