The « APPRENDRE » program: Support for the Professionalisation of Teaching Practices and the Development of Resources
APPRENDRE : a program financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and implemented by the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).
APPRENDRE is one of the key measures of the French Presidential plan “an ambition for French language and multilingualism.” It was launched in 2018 by the AUF which oversees it. APPRENDRE is a 20 million euros program (2018-2024) financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), a public institution that implements French policies in the areas of development and international solidarity.
APPRENDRE is an expertise platform aiming to support the Ministries of education on various aspects related to the professional development of primary and secondary school teachers. It covers 24 African countries1 eligible plus Haiti and Lebanon.
By working hand in hand with the Ministries of Education, the program targets managers of national departments and institutions in charge of formal education and lifelong learning of teachers.
Universities play a pivotal role in teachers’ formal education and lifelong learning. One of the key aspects of the AUF strategy (2017-2021) focuses on the improvement of the quality of education, research and the governance of education systems (as part of sustainable development goal n°4).
In this regard, the AUF is responsible for coordinating and animating APPRENDRE platform by responding to eligible countries’ demands.
A program with objectives in line with national sectoral strategies and stakeholders’ needs
APPRENDRE program aims to:
- Support the Ministries of Education in the design and implementation of professional training for teachers based on an analysis of needs and efficient professional practices without creating additional devices.
- Foster significant changes in the professional culture of pedagogical supervision units: providing academic support and assistance rather than perpetuating practices which revolve around systematic assessments and disciplinary procedures; evolution toward school performance evaluations and management of teacher training.
- Strengthen instructional design skills of national departments and institutions in charge of formal and lifelong learning training of teaching staff;
- Build communities of practices and multi-disciplinary research around primary and secondary student’s learning.
An approach based on a constant exchange of ideas and a collegial work process
APPRENDRE is a provider of expertise and a networking platform offering opportunities for various stakeholders in the field of Education (practitioners, education managers, academics and researchers)
The program offers assistance to supervisors by offering technical support to Ministries of Education in the 26 eligible countries. It provides services, tools, and expertise in the pedagogical, didactic fields and university sector at the request of partner countries. The identification of priority actions is always based on data collection and analysis of stakeholders’ needs. The program works in joint reflection with Ministries of Education. The actions carried out are the result of shared reflections between the partner countries and APPRENDRE’s team.
Considering this, the program favours four operating procedures while financing activities:
1 – National and international expertise (diagnosis, audit, consulting, educational engineering) at the request of Ministries of education.
2 – National training workshops (observation and analysis of teaching practices, development of training modules, teaching files, pedagogical support and capitalisation of efficient working practices).
3 – Research projects in the field of education and support for research structuring
4 – Cross-disciplinary activities, national and international scientific events encouraging experience sharing: organisation of seminars dedicated to national research and innovation in the field of education, consensus conferences, annual thematic seminars, animation of a portal dedicated to resource enhancement, etc.
APPRENDRE is not a training program, and it is not intended to replace sectorial financing. The program’s activities are punctual and specific. They are directly related to the plans laid out by the national education sector authorities and are meant to strengthen the design and monitoring capacities of Ministries.
APPRENDRE in 5 Key points
- An innovative way to improve the quality of education, a major challenge for all partner countries targeted by APPRENDRE, mainly in Africa.
- A flexible and responsive expertise platform characterized by 7 specific thematic groups2, composed of an international network of experts and associates specialized in the field of education.
- An opportunity for organizations and institutes which are part of APPRENDRE’s network3 to enhance their expertise on a larger scale.
- The creation of a large community of highly dedicated educational stakeholders (practitioners, executives, academics, and researchers) working in the field of education in French-speaking countries.
- A significant opportunity to mobilize the entire educational and university chain, while stimulating francophone education research programs.
Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF): A Great Network of institutions sharing the French language
The Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) is a global network of French-speaking higher education and research institutions. It brings together more than 1000 universities and scientific research centers that use the French language. It is now active in 119 countries and represented by regional offices on numerous university campuses and institution buildings. Founded almost 50 years ago, the AUF is the largest association of higher education and research institutions in the world. AUF promotes collaboration between its members and partner organisations on various topics which aim to significantly improve academic systems.