Inter-African Scholarship Program (INTERAF)
1967 – 1970
Between 1967 and 1970, AAI created and administered the Inter-African Scholarship Program (INTERAF), which provided undergraduate training for Africans at African institutions of higher education. Through the widespread utilization of AAI program offices in Africa, AAI activities included participant selection and placement, student support services, and financial disbursements. In addition, AAI secured funding for INTERAF from other donor agencies, including the Ministry of Overseas Development in the United Kingdom and the Canadian International Development Agency. In this three year period, more than 685 Africans from 33 countries received scholarships and attended 27 African universities.
AAI recognized that African universities increasingly were developing the capacity to provide tertiary level training, yet was mindful that resources were unevenly distributed. Therefore under the INTERAF program, AAI aided the organization of African universities for the purposes of African capacity-building. AAI was instrumental in involving African educators and government leaders in policy formulation and program participation from the outset, resulting in overwhelming support for the program and its goals. From its creation, it was AAI’s objective to have INTERAF managed by an African institution. In 1970, AAI ceased to have administrative responsibility for INTERAF, turning management of the program over to the Association of African Universities.
Total number of participants trained: 685 +