1. AFRICA CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT IMPACT (ACEs for Impact)
By ACE for Impact Regional Team
November 9, 2017

2. Outline Lessons from ACEs I & II ACE for Impact Project Timeline
Key Focus Areas
Project Components
Draft Sector Prioritization Process
Draft Selection Process
Timeline

3. Current Africa Centers of Excellence (ACE I & II)
Distribution by Country: 46 Centers in 16 Countries
EXAMPLES OF BANK-SUPPORTED RESULTS IN 2011& 2012
Cameroon
IT (1)
Rwanda
IT (1); Energy (1) Education (1); Statistics (1)
Nigeria
Agriculture (3); IT (1); Oil fields (1); Material Science (1); Health (4)
Senegal IT
Maternal Health
Uganda
Agriculture (2)
Material Science Health
Ethiopia
Agriculture; Water; Railways engg; Health
Burkina Faso
Water
Kenya
Agriculture (2)
Energy (1)
Tanzania
Agriculture (2); Water; Health
Ivory Coast
Climate change
Statistics
Mining environ
Ghana
Crop Improvement
Water Mgt.
Infectious Diseases
Malawi
Agriculture (1) Health (1)
Benin
Math
Togo
Poultry Science
Mozambique
Petroleum (1)
Zambia
Mining (1);
Health (1)

4. Lessons Learned Institutional impact Regional engagement
Industry/sector engagement and commitment
Networking and Partnerships
Gender
Sustainability

5. ACE for Impact: Key Focus
Economic Growth & Poverty Reduction
Econ. Transfor-mation
Productivity
Diversification
Objective: Increase quantity, quality and development relevance of post- graduate education in selected universities through regional specialization
Better targeting of high-level skills and applied research
Upfront industry linkages
Increased impact on ACE host institutions
Better coordination with regional & international partners

6. ACE for Impact: Components
Subcomponent 1.1: Support to establish new centers of excellence
Subcomponent 1.2: Support to scale-up well performing centers of excellence
Subcomponent 2.1: Support to emerging centers of excellence to purchase demand-driven regional TA
Subcomponent 2.2: Support governmental purchase of regional TA and education
Component 3: Support for:
- Regional policymaking and collaboration
- M&E, and project implementation
We are doing well but should push for more
From minister of higher ed to minister of finance (ghana, Cameroon, togo)
We need letter from minister of finance to WB (Burkina, Djibouti, guinea

7. ACE for Impact: Sector Prioritization Process
For each sector, through consultations with experts, govts., industry and dev. partners, the team is identifying:
Scope/area within the priority sector to target
Current skills gap within this area in West and Central Africa
Applied research needs for industry
Key partners (national, regional and international)
Regional Specialization
& TA Support
Extractives
Sustainable Agric.
Health
ICT
Sustainable Urban Planning
Education (Sci.& Math; Policy)
Environment
And Others…
Transport/
Logistics
Energy
Environmental science and environmental assessment
Specific

8. Draft Evaluation and Selection Criteria – Component 1.2
Scale-up of Existing high-performing ACE I Centers
Added value going beyond the ACE I model; greater expectations
Stronger institutional impact, focused on global best practices
Prior performance: What are the key outcomes from ACE I funding?
Increased development impact – thematic leadership and network with support to national and regional partners

9. ACE for Impact: Project Timeline
November : World Bank ACE for Impact Project Concept Note Meeting
November : ACE I Steering Committee Meeting
Nov.-Dec. 2017: Secure Letters from Ministries of Finance
Early Feb. 2018: Regional government and partner workshop
Feb. – Mar. 2018: National workshops
Late Feb. 2018: Pre-announcement on the Call for Proposals
April 2018: Call for Proposals launched
June 2018: Proposals due
August 2018: Selection of ACE for Impact Centers
September 2018: Negotiations
December 2018: Approval