Graduation day of the AFF-HAFL scholarship students, 25.09.2015 (left to right: Yonas Yemshaw, Kinuthia Ngugi, Tesfaye Bekele, Oliver Gardi, Kouami Kokou, Kokutse Adzo Dzifa, Urs Scheidegger,Nesibu Kedirkan, Boateng Kyereh, Jacob Amoako, Jürgen Blaser, Mélanie Feurer, Ayélé Dangb
On 25 September 2015, three of the four sponsored African students graduated with a MSc in International Management of Forest Industries from the School of Agriculture, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL) at Bern University of Applied Sciences in Zollikofen, Switzerland. The fourth one completed her studies in March 2016.As part of its gender mainstreaming objectives, women and youth benefiting from the scholarship are expected to become future champions in spreading knowledge and wisdom through AFF and related institutions.
Jacob Amoako (Ghana), Fifonsi Ayélé Dangbo (Togo), Nesibu Yahya Kedirkan (Ethiopia) and Carolyne Kathini Kyalo (Kenya), received grants from AFF-HAFL Scholarship Program covering all expenses including research project costs for the 2014-2015 academic year. A total of 41 candidates from 14 African countries applied for the scholarship.
Winners of the Award were selected following a two-level selection process. The first step was based on a list of selection criteria developed by AFF-HAFL scientific experts where 10 candidates were shortlisted. The successful candidates were then taken through an aptitude assessment in interviews in compliance with admission requirements of HAFL.
Ultimately, the four academics were awarded based on their research proposal and motivation letter towards: relevance of the problem, clarity of research objective, clarity of research question, methodology, work plan and budget. The motivation letter was examined for the ability to articulate the linkages between personal goals and training and the coherence of the stream of thought.
110 candidates from 19 different African countries have since applied for the 2nd edition of the scholarship. Four scholarships have been awarded to Temitope Elizabeth Adeniyi (Nigeria), Lydia Afriyie (Ghana), Fredyas Jaurès Eyebiyi (Bénin) and Matia Mulumba Agabe (Uganda). The students arrived in Switzerland in the beginning of February 2016 and will graduate in September 2017.