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 among directors of doctoral schools, Professors , and administrative and technical staff.
Composed of about 30 people—including doctoral school directors, administrative and technical staff, and Professors —a Malagasy delegation 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 Marc Bouvy, Hayka’s educational and scientific coordinator, and Elliott Cholet, project manager, both from Montpellier.
A total of 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 National Research al Research Institute for 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—notably on academic advising 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. This, beyond the Hayka project, could lead to future collaborations.