Evaluation of the Southern and Eastern Africa Regional Centre for ...

however, not consistent with some years not being recorded. Otherwise, in general,the impression is nonetheless of a less proactive role in directing the Centre.The board meetings are held every second year and some respondents had difficultiesrecalling and identifying issues emerging from the board meetings. In more recentyears, especially the most recent meeting, more substantive issues do appear to bediscussed and decisions taken. Some examples include that the human rights modulewas made compulsory. Other issues concerned deliberations over one particularlecturer whose contract was terminated. Another was the issue of succession, whichagain, was thoroughly discussed and resulted in the Board reluctance to accept theDirector’s decision to resign but finally endorsing the current Deputy of the Centreto take over the leadership. The Board being a core group who have known eachother for several years, now appear able to take some difficult decisions and havegrown more into the role a board should play. In general, therefore the regionalboard has performed a professional peer-review type role that has contributed toquality control of the course. It may though be beneficial for someone from outsidethe university system but with experience of regional research, dissemination andadvocacy, working at a regional level to be invited on to the board.The board is structured through MOUs that have shaped institutional collaborationbetween the Centre/UZ and participating entities. The MOUs have taken a long timeto be realised and the time and effort should not be underestimated. Indeed, afterseveral years MOUs are still to be formally made in the case of University of Nairobi.The MOUs are deemed necessary in terms of ensuring accountability especially whenit comes to transfer of funds (for example, to libraries, and for research).4.2.2 Academic sustainabilityRegional collaboration is evident in the teaching whereby teachers from the Centre’spartner institutions, who are also regional experts on themes relating to women andthe law, are invited to lecture at the Centre. This approach ensures that a regionalperspective is included in the teaching and exposes the students to a number ofexperts in the field. In return there is the remuneration associated with teaching,while some felt it was prestigious to be associated with the course. There was somelimited funding available for library materials but this was neither consistent norreceived by all. There was also some limited funding for research (see below). Whathas been a significant achievement is in establishing a pool of qualified people toteach women’s law in the region. For instance, in Kenya a relatively large number ofgraduates have taken their training into establishing gender related courses in theirrespective universities. The University of Nairobi, according to the regional boardchair, would not have people to teach women and law if they had not graduated fromthe centre (citing she herself). Regional universities had also benefited, for example,the development of new course in a regional university in Zambia, and also a similarinitiative at the University of Mount Kenya and others.The recent publication Women & Law is a good example of regional collaborationwith respect to research and publications. It is edited by the Director and DeputyDirector of the Centre, and includes chapters from regional partners and makes animportant contribution to the discipline by sharing innovative teaching experiencesand methodologies of the Centre. Prior to this 2011 publication, a book forming part45