Canada’s post-secondary institutions to help empower African students with the first 14 BCDI 2030 projects

Ottawa – More than 200 African students will have the life-changing opportunity to study at a Canadian post-secondary institution thanks to the first 14 scholarship projects launched through the Canadian International Development Scholarships (BCDI 2030) program, Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and Universities Canada announced jointly today.

These students will be the first of more than 7,000 women and men in 26 eligible countries to benefit directly from the BCDI 2030 program. At least 51% of beneficiaries will be women; most eligible countries are in sub-Saharan Africa and 75% are francophone.

For a list of eligible countries, please visit the newly launched www.bcdi2030.ca website.

BCDI 2030 enhances social and economic development through high-quality, inclusive education and training opportunities, including technical and professional programs, either in Canada or in partner countries. This empowerment through education is aimed at addressing inequality, reducing gender gaps in women’s access to education and the labour market, boosting people’s employability, enriching lives and transforming communities.

BCDI 2030 received 28 applications for this first round of scholarship projects, worth CA $6 million, which were evaluated by an arms-length international selection committee. Each of the selected projects is a collaborative effort between a Canadian college, institute or university and at least one government-recognized higher education institution in a partner country. A second call for proposals for scholarship projects for studies in Canada will be launched in April 2024.

On this World Science Day for Peace and Development, BCDI 2030 highlights the importance of education, scientific discovery and collaboration to enact change, foster sustainable development and advance equality around the world.

Training and education through BCDI 2030 will focus on key priority areas such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); climate action; artificial intelligence; health sciences; green and blue economy; and governance and administration.

BCDI 2030 is an eight-year, $80 million program funded by Global Affairs Canada and jointly administered by Colleges and Institutes Canada and Universities Canada in partnership with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) and the Association of African Universities (AAU).

The list of selected scholarship projects is below. More information will be available on www.bcdi2030.ca in the coming weeks once agreements are finalized.

Quotes:

“Empowering women through education is vital to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and at the heart of what colleges and institutes do. Each scholarship launched through BCDI 2030 means another student will have the opportunity to contribute to each of the principles behind the goals – including gender equality, human rights, and climate action – and lead change in their community.”
Denise Amyot, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada 

“Canada’s universities are proud to contribute to creating and strengthening international partnerships which are essential for innovation, research and development. The first BCDI 2030 scholarship projects announced today underline important collaborations between post-secondary institutions, and mark the beginning of a promising journey for hundreds of scholars who will become leaders and agents of change in their home countries.”
Philip Landon, Interim President and CEO, Universities Canada

Scholarship projects

Brandon University in partnership with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana)

Camosun College in partnership with Kenya Coast National Polytechnic (Kenya)

Cégep de Jonquière in partnership with

• Institut Supérieur des Études Technologiques de Tozeur (Tunisia)
• Institut Supérieur des Études Technologiques de Médenine (Tunisia)

Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology in partnership with Sunyani Technical University (Ghana)

Marine Institute in partnership with

• Kisumu National Polytechnic (Kenya)
• Mawego Technical Training Institute (Kenya)

Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador in partnership with African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (Cameroon)

Queen’s University in partnership with

• University of Nouakchott Al Aasriya (Mauritania)
• Cheikh Anta Diop University (Senegal)
• École Supérieure Polytechnique (Senegal)
• Military Medical School (Senegal)
• Assane Seck University of Ziguinchor (Senegal)
• Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Burkina Faso)
• Université Libre des Pays des Grands Lacs (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
• Université de Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
• Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (Tanzania)
• Tamale Technical University (Ghana)
• University of Allied Health Sciences (Ghana)
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana)
• University of Ghana (Ghana)
• University of Cape Town (South Africa)
• University of Witwatersrand (South Africa)
• Kilimanjaro Christian Medical College (Tanzania)

Université Laval in partnership with

• Université de Ségou (Mali)
• Université de Dschang (Cameroon)
• Institut National de Statistique et d’Économie Appliquée (Morocco)

University of Manitoba in partnership with University of Nairobi (Kenya)

Université de Montréal in partnership with

• Université Cheikh-Anta-Diop (Senegal)
• Université Abomey-Calavi (dont l’Institut régional de santé publique et des unités de recherche de l’École Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi) (Benin)
• Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Burkina Faso)
• Université Catholique d’Afrique de l’Ouest (dont l’Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé et à l’Institut National de Santé Publique (Burkina Faso)
• École Inter-États des Sciences Médecine Vétérinaires (Senegal)

Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue in partnership with

• École Nationale d’ingénieurs de Sfax (Tunisia)
• Université de Tunis El-Manar (Tunisia)

Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières in partnership with

• Université Hassan II à Casablanca (Morocco)
• Institut supérieur de Technologie d’Antananarivo (Madagascar)
• Institut national des sciences comptables et de l’administration des entreprises (Madagascar)

Université de Sherbrooke in partnership with

• Université Mohamed V (Morocco)
• Université Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah (Morocco)

York University in partnership with African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (Rwanda)

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About Colleges and Institutes Canada
CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s largest post-secondary education network. It advocates, builds capacity, and drives knowledge to strengthen Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics.