Hayka: A Fruitful Study Visit for the Malagasy Delegation
From May 27 to 31, 2024, a delegation from Madagascar visited the University of Montpellier on a study tour as part of the Hayka project. The visit provided an opportunity for fruitful exchanges among directors of doctoral schools, Professors administrative and technical staff.
Comprising some thirty people, including directors of doctoral schools, administrative and technical staff, and Professors, a delegation from Madagascar was on a week-long study visit to Montpellier. Objective: to exchange ideas on best practices to implement and discuss how to improve the quality of doctoral education in Madagascar as part of the Hayka project. Welcomed by President Philippe Augé at the start of the week, the delegation was accompanied by Montpellier-based Marc Bouvy, Hayka’s educational and scientific coordinator, and Elliott Cholet, project manager.
In total, nine doctoral schools in Madagascar are involved in Hayka. Funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ program, coordinated by the University of Montpellier, and carried out in collaboration with six Malagasy universities, the University of Mons in Belgium, and the French Research Institute Research Sustainable Development (IRD), this collaborative program (2023–2025) aims to improve interdisciplinary training and enhance the employability of doctoral students in Madagascar.
Throughout the week, numerous lectures were held, particularly on academic supervision and the doctoral program at the University of Montpellier, as well as roundtable discussions, visits to university departments and facilities (the Balard Chemistry Cluster, DRI, the Doctoral College, DIPA, etc.) and laboratories (Lirmm). There were also individual meetings between colleagues from Montpellier and Madagascar. This, beyond the Hayka project, could contribute to future collaborations.