Labour Market Linkages

research, PA and COBL into students’ curricula to raise awareness among students of the work reality, dynamics and problems in the productive sector. This enables students to conduct own small action-oriented research projects at grassroots level and enable them to apply their theoretical knowledge in the analysis of real-time problems arising in the DVC. In addition, students’ team work and problem-solving skills is developed. Carrying out of training of students to deliver action and client-oriented extension. The aim is to make poverty alleviation a focus of research in DVC and teaching and enhance university teaching and research with community outreach.

Internships

The purpose of this task is to provide students with insight into dairy sector activities and with practical work experience to enable them apply and adapt their theoretical knowledge in DVC and cooperation. Internships facilitate university-dairy sector exchange and diffusion of knowledge and experience. Through this task, students’ qualification and chances on the labour market is improved and the dairy sector sector provides the opportunity to get to know potential future employees. Students on internships gains practical work experience.

Mentoring programme

The purpose of this task is to encourage employment-related qualification and further strengthen the link between the dairy sector and university hence enhancing university teaching and research with community outreach. Alumni working in the dairy sectors are the mentors for current students and assist them in planning their career. With the help of different alumni organisation in the partner HEI, the coordination desks (Task 6-4), will develop a database of mentors and match mentors and mentees. The coordination desk organises a meeting of mentors and mentees before the mentoring activities begin. This desk regularly enquire feedback from mentees on usefulness and progress of the mentoring relationship. This program strengthens the link between the universities and their alumni. This influences policy especially when former students become decision-makers in governments.

Coordination desks

The purpose of this task is to facilitate and institutionalise networking between HEI, dairy sector and civil societies and support conducting of study research projects, internships and mentoring programme. The civil society organizations are able to take work forward in other fora to engage policy makers and linking with them is important. This will enhance contribution to national and regional policies. The project supports the set-up of the desks financially. In each partner university, a zero grazing unit is constructed to assist in teaching and research and demonstrate the smallholder farming setting to advance dairy development in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. The engagement with civil societies and industry is aimed at promoting widespread sharing of information with the purpose of exploiting freedom of information that is utilised for educational, business and legal purposes in the process of ensuring food security. It is only through such linkages that research products are adapted into policy briefings of use to government, business and other stakeholders.