The SAAM project

“ Supporting Alliance for African Mobility ” will create a VET network based on peer-to-peer connections between VET centres in Africa and Europe in order to obtain successful results, provide a bigger impact and create real and prosperous connections

SAAM is a pilot project funded by the European Commission with 4 million euros to promote the international mobility of students and professionals between Africa and Europe and thus improve youth employability and the quality of Vocational Training. It has promoted the establishment of mechanisms for the exchange of knowledge, training methodologies and skills between Europe and Africa.

More about the activities

SAAM is an association composed by more than 30 organisations from 8 European Union countries and 16 African countries who have worked together for four years to determine if it is possible to implement a program similar to Erasmus+ VET between the two neighboring continents. This broad partnership has brought together a network of both VET centres, NGOs and umbrella organisations in the field of VET and youth. 

More about the partners
This unprecedented project has been realized through a potent strategic partnership between Africa and Europe, resulting in significant impact onVET teachersVET students VET in both continents.

Objectives

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    To pilot an educational mobility action between Africa and Europe.
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    Learn, improve knowledge, exchange methodologies and good practices to nurture VET systems in Africa and Europe.
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    Bringing both VET systems closer together for future mobility projects.

Fields involved

Phases

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months

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    Phase 1
    European staff travel to African VET Centers
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    Phase 2
    African staff travel to European VET centers
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    Phase 3
    African students travel to European VET centers and companies

SAAM Timeline

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Phase 1: “State-of-Art of the African VET system”

Results

Results: 

EVBB report:
  • African VET system analysis overview (EQAVET indicators)
  • Specific country VET system
  • Highlight good practices
  • Provide recommendations
Objectives

Objectives

Study, observation and understanding of the African VET system
Job-shadowing of European staff in different African VET centres

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Impact

Impact: 

EU staff traveled to more than 20 African VET centres in 16 different countries.

Summary

Summary:

  • EU staff from VET centres traveled to Africa in mixed groups of teachers and staff from different EU countries.
  • The African hosting VET centres organised a two-week job-shadowing period  where the EU teachers had the chance to observe, study and understand the VET system in their hosting country.
  • The EU staff gathered information during their job shadowing period in Africa.
  • EVBB collected and analysed the data taken by the EU teachers and staff and elaborated a report that contains a general overview of the African VET System, a specific overview of the VET system in each African country, and a list of recommendations to fill the gap between the European and the African VET systems, by highlighting the good practices observed that can nourish the European education. 
  • The report and conclusion was based on the EQAVET framework and indicators.  
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Phase 2: "Capacity building of African staff from VET centers"

Results

Results

  • Training modules for African staff capacity building covering the three educational fields of the project: Engineering & Manufacturing, Tourism & Hospitality and Agriculture.
  • One-week training course on international mobility programmes in Brussels (EfVET)
  • Developed action plan to be implemented in their sending VET schools from the different African countries
Objectives

Objectives
African staff capacity building in a European experience
Empower African staff in international mobilities
Connect European and African systems based on understanding and knowledge exchange

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Impact

Impact

  • African staff from VET centres traveled to Europe for a four-week learning mobility
  • EU international mobility experts traveled to Africa together with African teachers & staff to support the implementation of the international mobility action plans
Summary

Summary:

  • Merging the experience in the field and the EVBB report as a baseline, European staff worked on training modules to be completed by the African staff. 
  • African staff traveled to Europe for a one-week training course in Brussels about Educative Mobility, the Erasmus+ programme, Learning Agreements and European VET schools networks delivered by EfVET. The stay in Europe was completed at their peer hosting VET centres of three more weeks.
  • African staff designed an action plan to implement in their education community.
  • An EU mobility expert traveled to each partner country in Africa to support the execution of the action plan, to help in the creation of a mobility department within the school and to guide the preparation of the mobilities for the third phase.
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Phase 3: "International mobility of African students"

Results

Results:

  • Online training modules that prepare students for a mobility with fruitful results.
  • Working process dynamics, documents and a set of good practices about educational VET mobilities between Africa and Europe.
Objectives

Objectives

To bring an educative, social and cultural experience to African VET students

To enhance the CV and increase the employability of the participating students

Analyse the experience and extract best practices for future mobility programmes

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Impact

Impact:

  • 200 African students traveled to Europe for one or two-months to study or do  an internship in a European hosting company
  • Sending and hosting partners experienced a whole cycle of mobility management between Africa and Europe.
Summary

Summary:

  • Full running mobility departments in African VET schools organised the mobility of African students to the Europe. 
  • YESForum created an online training module to prepare the students for an international learning experience in Europe.
  • VET students traveled from Africa to Europe for a one or two-months mobility experience where they studied, lived abroad and immersed themselves in a new culture, allowing a professional and personal growth which led them to become more empowered and act as multipliers of change.
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End of the funding period: SAAM achieved these numbers

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Staff Mobilities
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Student Mobilities
Check here all the results produced

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