PROSPER STEERING COMMITTEE REVIEWS PROGRESS AS PROJECT ENTERS IMPLEMENTATION PHASE

The PROSPER Project Steering Committee has reviewed the progress of the project as it enters a critical implementation phase, assessing the status of key deliverables, pilot group activities, financial reporting, evaluation and project dissemination.

The Steering Committee held its virtual meeting on September 9, 2026, bringing together representatives from the project's participating institutions, including the Open University of Kenya (OUK), European University Viadrina Frankfurt, Training Centre in Communication Africa (TCC Africa) and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University (P1PS).

The meeting marked an important stage in the project, which has reached Month 19 and transitioned from the workshop phase to implementation. The Steering Committee noted that the focus is now on advancing activities within the pilot groups and delivering key outputs scheduled for the coming six months.

Key deliverables on track

The Committee confirmed that two major reporting deliverables, the D1.6 Progress Report and D5.2 Interim Report 1, had been completed and submitted to the European Commission on July 23, 2026. The reports will provide an important reference for the consortium's ongoing implementation and the external evaluation of the project.

The Committee also reviewed progress across the project's pilot groups and identified outstanding actions requiring attention.

Under Work Package 2 on International Outreach, partners are working towards the development of a grant opportunities repository, with the relevant deliverable due in January 2027. Work Package 3, focusing on International Relations Services, is similarly progressing towards a characterisation study of international partnerships, also scheduled for January 2027.

Particular attention was given to Work Package 4 on Digital Collaboration, jointly led by OUK and European University Viadrina Frankfurt. The Steering Committee noted that the designation of a faculty member from Viadrina remains an outstanding action necessary to facilitate the identification and mapping of courses between the two institutions. The partners are expected to meet during the week of September 14 to agree on a way forward.

Financial and accountability review

The Steering Committee also reviewed the financial monitoring process, noting that expenditure documentation from participating institutions is being assessed against the approved project budget.

Partners with outstanding financial monitoring documents were required to submit the necessary documentation by September 19, 2026. The meeting further clarified that payments to personnel working on the project are eligible, subject to appropriate institutional documentation and timesheets supporting the work undertaken.

External evaluation to assess project implementation

Another key focus of the meeting was the planned recruitment of an independent external evaluator.

The evaluator will assess the project's activities, coordination and implementation and provide recommendations to strengthen the project during its remaining period and support its sustainability beyond the funding period. Recruitment is expected to be completed by mid-October 2026, with the external quality assessment report due by February 28, 2027.

Strengthening project visibility

The Steering Committee also emphasised the importance of communication and dissemination as the project generates concrete activities and results.

Partners were encouraged to share project activities through their institutional websites and to record dissemination activities in the project tracker. The project is also expected to feature in international conferences, including the ANIE Conference in Addis Ababa in October 2026. OUK is exploring additional opportunities to showcase the project and its outcomes.

The meeting concluded with a review of agreed actions and timelines for the participating institutions, with partners expected to address outstanding activities and maintain momentum towards the next set of project deliverables.