The MASTET Consortium agreed on three mechanisms for recognition of studies, depending on the level of study of the student applying for credit-seeking mobility. The mechanisms apply to:

• First-year Master students
• Second-year Master students
• PhD students

Recognition of Studies for First-year Master Students

All MASTET master programmes have a duration of two years. The first year is devoted to course work, while the second year focuses on research projects.

First-year applicants for credit-seeking mobility must ensure that the master programmes in their home universities conform to this two-year structure. When this basic requirement is met, the mechanism for recognition of studies follows a seven-step process:

1. Prior to application for mobility, the applicant sends an email to the focal point at the host university to request for first and second semester courses of the master programmes for which they intend to apply.
2. The applicant submits the list of first and second semester courses to their Head of Department at the home university for course equivalents to be established for the semester which the applicant intends to carry out mobility at the host university.
3. The semestral course equivalents document is duly signed by the Head of Department of the home university and sent to the focal point of the host university. The document must attest that the courses which the applicant will take at the host university are equivalent to courses at the home university for the semester in which mobility will be carried out. The document must also attest that the credits earned at the host university by the applicant will be transferred to the home university when the applicant returns home.
4. The focal point of the host university sends the semestral course equivalents document to the MASTET Coordinator and to the applicant.
5. The applicant submits the application for credit-seeking mobility and attaches the semestral course equivalents document to the application.
6. When the applicant completes the mobility, a transcript of records for the semester of mobility is sent to the Head of Department at the home university of the applicant.
7. The home university transfers the credits earned at the host university to the student.

Recognition of Studies for Second-year Master Students

Students who apply to start credit-seeking mobility in the second year of their programmes should already have research projects and supervisors before they travel to the host universities. Their six-month mobility periods are devoted entirely to their research projects. It is highly recommended that the focal point at the host university should assign a co-supervisor to each student.

Since the research projects are defended in their home universities when the students return, there is no need for the transfer of credits from the host universities. The credits earned are implicit in the quality of the thesis submitted to examiners and defended before a panel of experts at the home universities.

Recognition of Studies for PhD Students

PhD students can only start credit-seeking mobility in the second or third year of their studies when they are working on their research projects. The PhD course work is completed in their first year of studies at their home universities.

Their mobility is similar to that of second-year master students — there is no course work at the host universities. The ten-month mobility period is spent working on research projects. The students defend their theses at their home universities upon return. Consequently, no credits are transferred from the host universities.

Perspectives for the Tuning Africa Project

The MASTET Consortium has recommended that all partner universities should work through their respective Ministries of Higher Education to submit MASTET programmes to the Tuning Africa Project for recognition of studies at the continental level. However, very little progress has been made in this regard to date.