The programme was developed in cooperation with the University of Saida and the Africa-UniNet Board. In collaboration with members of the General Assembly and interested stakeholders, the programme is continuously being expanded and refined. It is based on three pillars: Network Administration, Scientific Exchange and Networking and Cooperation Opportunities.

Network Administration: According to the Africa-UniNet Statutes, General Assembly Meetings must be held regularly, either in Austria or in an African country. In 2026, the new Africa-UniNet Board must be elected, and a new President and Vice-President must be appointed. There are also ideas to adapt some processes of the Africa-UniNet Statutes based on lessons learned.

Scientific Exchange: A key objective of Africa-UniNet is to establish a platform for scientific exchange. So far, about 100 Africa-UniNet projects have been implemented. The General Assembly Meeting provides an opportunity to share project results and showcase scientific achievements. The cross-cutting topic “Open Sources and Open Innovation in Higher Education and Research” will be examined in greater depth. This panel discussion will feature contributions from Algeria as well as practical experiences from Africa-UniNet. A second scientific panel will be organised at the suggestion of the Africa-UniNet Board and the General Assembly. Furthermore, Africa-UniNet project partners will have the opportunity to discuss their lessons learned in the scientific panels and to present their results at a poster exhibition.

Networking and Cooperation Opportunities: There are currently few scientific collaborations between Africa-UniNet's member institutions and Algerian universities and research institutions. The event will therefore also be used to gain a better understanding of the Algerian higher education sector. Furthermore, funding opportunities will be discussed, and the potential for cooperation within national and EU funding frameworks will be explored. Participating institutions will get the opportunity to introduce and present themselves, with the aim of exploring potential future collaborations. It is also envisaged to invite a representative of the Austrian Embassy in Algiers to provide an overview of the political and economic relations.
 

All participants are invited to indicate on the registration form whether they would be willing to contribute to the General Assembly programme, either through the scientific sessions or the poster exhibition. Those who express an interest will be contacted during the next stage of programme planning. Please note that it may not be possible to include all contributions.

We look forward to your participation! Please register until 31 March 2026. 

There is no registration fee. Catering, as listed in the programme, will be provided for all participants. Africa-UniNet cannot cover any additional costs, except for those of Africa-UniNet representatives as specified in the respective section.

Representatives of all active Africa-UniNet member institutions are invited to participate in the meeting. Good and balanced representation of member institutions is necessary to further strengthen the network and to carry out the upcoming elections and revision of the statutes. Please note that member institutions must have paid the 2026 membership fee by 28 February 2026.

Africa-UniNet can only finance one Africa-UniNet representative per active Africa-UniNet member institution (membership 2026)  for this General Assembly. In case the official Africa-UniNet representative is unable to attend the meeting, she/he can nominate a substitute. Please inform the Africa-UniNet Office accordingly. Only participants registering by 31 March 2026 can be considered.

For the Africa-UniNet Representative (or a substitute) of an active member institution, the following costs (only) will be covered by Africa-UniNet:

• Flight costs to and from the home institution to Oran or Algiers. All flights must be booked through the Africa-UniNet Office and will be arranged using the most cost-effective option available.
• 3 nights of accommodation in Saida, plus 1 night in Oran or Algiers on arrival and 1 night in Oran or Algiers on departure. Accommodation will be arranged and booked by the hosts; individual hotel bookings are therefore not possible.
• Catering will be provided during the General Assembly as outlined in the programme.

Transfer from Oran or Algiers to Saida and back will be organised and financed by University of Saida.

Africa-UniNet cannot organise or reimburse any other costs, including further travel costs, medical insurance, visa fees, transport to and from the airport of departure, additional lay-overs, vaccination, additional meals, per diems etc.
 

Project partners of Africa-UniNet projects are invited to participate in the meeting. Their presence is vital to share project results and to showcase the impact of Africa-UniNet in the scientific community. Project partners of the 3rd and 4th Call are particularly encouraged to participate and are asked to present their results at a poster exhibition.

Travel and accommodation expenses for project partners under the 3rd and 4th Call (only) may be covered from their respective project funds, up to the maximum amount specified in the contract, provided this does not lead to a reduction in project activities and the total approved budget is not exceeded. A further requirement is that participating project partners present a poster at the poster exhibition during the event. If you wish to use project funds for this purpose, a budget reallocation within the project is required; please contact the Africa-UniNet Office by 31 March 2026.
 

Representatives from Algerian higher education and research institutions will be asked to join the meeting to introduce participants to the Algerian higher education sector and to facilitate direct contact with other Algerian universities and research institutions. Their presence will help to promote Africa-UniNet in the scientific community in Algeria.

OeAD will be represented by colleagues from Africa-UniNet, APPEAR, KoEF and Erasmus+ and will present both national funding opportunities as well as EU initiatives. It is also envisaged to invite a representative of the Austrian Embassy in Algiers to provide an overview of the political and economic relations.

The programme is open to all researchers, students and administrators who are interested in Africa-UniNet, in research collaborations between institutions in Austria and Algeria, or in research collaborations between institutions in Austria and Africa-UniNet member institutions at large.

Please note that all participants will be accompanied by the Algerian hosts throughout their entire stay in Algeria. For this reason, arrival and departure dates are not flexible and the timeline is quite dense. We thank you for your understanding.

• Registration must be completed by 31 March 2026. Please make sure that the information provided during registration is correct. The list to be sent to the Algerian Ministry for facilitation of the visa must include the name as indicated in the passport, the birth date, passport number and short narrative CV. The short narrative CV might also be published in the programme booklet.
• Arrival: Saïda is located in north-western Algeria, about 3-4 hours drive from Oran and 7-8 hours drive from Algiers. To make the long journey more comfortable, please plan to arrive on 26 September in Algiers or Oran. Accommodation for the night of 26 September to 27 September will be arranged by the host. University of Saida will provide a free transfer on 27 September. It will depart from Algiers at 8 a.m. and from Oran at 10 a.m.
• Departure: There are two options available for departure: (1) Free transfer by University of Saida to Oran or Algiers including a city tour on 30 September. Accommodation for the night of 30 September to 1 October will be arranged by the host. Departure from Oran or Algiers on 1 October. (2) Or participation at your own expense in a guided excursion, transfer to Oran and departure from Oran on 3 October. This option is only available to participants flying from Oran. Please indicate your departure option on the registration form.
• The guided excursion will depart from Saida on 30 September and will include a visit to the Sahara, followed by a final visit to Oran on 2 October. Departure from Oran on 3 October. Participation in the excursion is limited to attendees who will be returning from Oran. Participants should be in reasonably good physical condition, and accommodation may be basic. The details of the excursion depend on the number of participants and will be announced at a later stage. Registration for the excursion is required as part of the event registration process. Please note that registration is binding. Estimated cost: EUR 200, payable in Algerian dinars on site. Please note that credit cards are not accepted.
• Flights must be confirmed no later than 30 April 2026, and flight details must be submitted to the Africa-UniNet Office by this deadline. All participants who are eligible for flight payment will have their flight bookings handled by the Africa-UniNet Office. In any case, please contact the Africa-UniNet Office concerning flight booking after registering for the event.
• Accommodation will be arranged and booked by the hosts; individual hotel bookings are therefore not possible.
• In May, the final list of participants will be submitted to the Algerian Ministry for facilitation of the visa, after which the official invitation letter will be issued.
• Visa applications must be submitted in early June 2026.