Hayka: A Fruitful Study Visit for the Malagasy Delegation
From May 27 to 31, 2024, a delegation from Madagascar was on a study visit to the University of Montpellier as part of the Hayka project. The visit provided an opportunity for fruitful exchanges between directors of doctoral schools, Professors administrative and technical staff.
Comprising about thirty people—including doctoral school directors, administrative and technical staff, and Professors—a delegation from Madagascar was on a week-long study visit to Montpellier. The goal was to discuss best practices to implement and explore ways 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 staff members Marc Bouvy, Hayka’s educational and scientific coordinator, and Elliott Cholet, project manager.
A total of nine doctoral schools in Madagascar are participating 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 supervision and the doctoral program at the University of Montpellier, as well as roundtable discussions, site visits to university departments (Balard Chemistry Center, DRI, Doctoral College, DIPA, etc.) and laboratories (Lirmm). There were also one-on-one meetings between colleagues from Montpellier and Madagascar. These interactions, beyond the scope of the Hayka project, could pave the way for future collaborations.