The Parties to the Scientific Knowledge Partnership Agreement (the ‘Agreement’) to establish the African School of Regulation (ASR).
This Agreement was signed in December 2021 by the European University Institute (EUI), the University of Cape Town (UCT), the Pan African University Institute of Water and Energy Sciences (PAUWES), the Enel Foundation (EF), the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the Energy Nexus Network (TENN). Other parties subsequently joined the Agreement: the Rockefeller Foundation (RF), the Global Energy Alliance for the People and the Planet (GEAPP), and the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). This initiative is also supported by the European Union (EU) via a Global Technical Assistance Facility (TAF).
The objective of the ASR is to build skills and knowledge, supporting sustainable development and the creation of jobs, thereby generating additional value in Africa in the field of regulation. The ASR aims to be a centre of excellence for education, applied research, independent discussion and knowledge exchange, with the purpose of improving the quality of African energy regulation and policy. In Africa, run by Africans and for Africa.
The ASR will aim to achieve this through excellence and intellectual integrity, which require experienced professionals (both local and global) and independence. The institutional design, organisation and funding of the ASR shall make sure that both requirements are met. The ASR will initially focus on the energy sector, and on the power sector and clean cooking more specifically.
The ASR will draw on specialist global knowledge and expertise on how to regulate the energy sector effectively. This will need an appreciation and understanding of the rapid global energy transition, and the application of this knowledge and experience to the challenges of the African context, including the imperative of universal access to energy. Building new capabilities in Africa requires local institutions with specialist knowledge and expertise, backed by partners who are at the frontiers of international experience.
The ASR shall strive to contribute to the achievement of reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply for all, and the protection of current and future consumers, which require ensuring the economic and financial viability of the undertakings along the entire supply chain. The ASR commits to pursue its goals by building an inclusive environment in the energy sector for all dimensions of human diversity (sex, race, colour, genetic features, ethnic or social origin, language, religion, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation).
Regulatory knowledge must be developed keeping all stakeholders in mind. The ASR, as a multi-stakeholder platform, will promote an open dialogue among regulators, policy makers, academics, utilities, mini-grid developers, solar home systems companies, consultants, investors, financial institutions, energy users and any other stakeholder whose activities are significantly affected by energy regulation. The ASR will aim to build local capacity using a multi-stakeholder approach to develop, teach and disseminate sound energy regulation and policy in Africa. In principle, the ASR will be designed following similar objectives than those inspiring the creation of the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) within the European University Institute, back in 2004 (see https://fsr.eui.eu).
On July 12, 2022, Prof. Ignacio J. Pérez Arriaga was appointed by the Parties to the Agreement as Interim Director of the ASR.
The FSR has been mandated, by the other Parties to the Agreement, to manage the activities to establish the ASR, including the selection of one or more hosting institutions where the ASR will be seated.
The FSR, also on behalf of the other Parties to the Agreement, invites academic institutions and international organisations interested to host the ASR to express such an interest.
So far only the initiative to establish the ASR has been launched, since the ASR will be actually created when it will be inaugurated at an African hosting institution, and the governance and other features of the ASR will be defined. It is our vision that the ASR will achieve, within its first five years, the same level of activities in training, research and policy dialogue, as currently offered by the FSR. Therefore, without prejudice to the future determinations of the governing bodies of the ASR, we expect the budget of the ASR to grow, during its first five years, to about USD 3 million.
Two possible hosting models for ASR will be contemplated. One based on a single seat and the other based on a headquarter and regional affiliations. The decision on the selected hosting model will be taken also on the basis of the proposals received in response to this invitation.
The ASR should be hosted by highly reputable African academic institution(s) and/or by international organisation(s) based in Africa.
Depending on the hosting model eventually selected, we look for one or more hosting academic institutions or international organisations which:
- Are highly reputable universities or other academic establishment; or are international organisations with a mandate in the area of energy.
- Can commit to host the ASR free of charge or under favourable economic conditions for an indefinite period of time or for a period of time not shorter than ten years, providing suitable space for the faculty members and the other staff of the ASR.
- Can provide a secure environment in which the ASR can operate.
- Operate according to and enforce an equal opportunities policy, without discrimination on grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.
- Can be easily accessible from an airport with good connections to other parts of Africa and preferably also to other major international destinations.
- Is located in a country which does not impose unduly entry restrictions to temporary visitors from other countries participating in the activities of the ASR.
- Can facilitate the participation in training, research and policy dialogue events by external contributors, by having a good range of hotels and other suitable accommodation in their vicinity.
- Will be able to provide, against payment at cost, logistical support to the ASR, including the provision of IT and ITC equipment and services, facilities management and travel agency services.
- Can provide a conducive environment for training, research and policy dialogues of the highest standard, including in term of independence and freedom of expression.
Preferably, the academic institution(s) or international organisation(s) hosting the ASR would also:
- Have a proven track record of research, training, and engagement with organisations in the area of energy regulation.
- Have an attractive and well-equipped campus or premises where to run in-person training activities.
- Ensure independence and freedom of expression of the faculty of the ASR by having secured an agreement with the national government whereby the Director and the most senior faculty members of the ASR will be afforded the privileges and immunities provided, by the Vienna Convention, respectively to the head and members of diplomatic missions, except in the case in which they are nationals of the country in which the ASR will be located.
- Provide, through an agreement with the national and local tax authorities, some exemptions from taxes and duties for the ASR with respect to the activities performed as part of its mission and to the salaries and other emoluments paid to its faculty and other staff, as well as freedom to transfer funds into and out of the country, without any hindrance or costs, except, in respect to the latter, those customary for the banking sector.
- Facilitate the relocation of ASR faculty members and other staff moving from other countries to join the ASR in its seat, including with respect to any necessary visa requirements for joining the ASR and any extension of the time to work in the country and, through an agreement with national and local authorities, with respect to temporary tax exemptions for goods brought into the country or purchased in connection with the relocation.
- Provide credit scores for ASR courses.
Academic institutions and international organisations interested in hosting the ASR and wishing to receive further announcements on the selection process, ask clarifying questions, and read the answers to the questions submitted by other potential applicants should register for this purpose by sending an email expressing their interest to the following email address:
asr.submissions@africanschoolregulation.org
The answers to the questions will be made available to all those which have registered.
Academic institutions and international organisations interested in hosting the ASR are invited to express their interest by sending a proposal (PDF file with size of the message not larger than 25MB) to:
asr.hosting@africanschoolregulation.org
An open online informative session will be organised on Thursday January 19th, 2023 at 16:00 CAT.
You can connect with this link:
Rejoindre la conversation (microsoft.com)
Or call in (audio only) +39 02 0069 9402 Italy, Milano
Phone Conference ID: 432 889 717#
Proposals should be received no later than 22:59hrs GMT on February 15th, 2023.
In their proposals, academic institutions and international organisations interested in hosting the ASR should indicate:
- Whether they are interested to host the ASR under one or both hosting models.
- How they meet the requirements listed in points 3(a) to (i) above, providing any detail that they consider useful to inform the selection process. Supporting documents may also be submitted with the proposal.
- Whether and how they meet the selection criteria listed in points 3(j) to (o) above, providing any detail that they consider useful to inform the selection process. Supporting documents may also be submitted with the proposal.
- With respect to point 3(h) above, the logistical support services that they will be able to provide to the ASR and information on the estimated charges levied for the provision of these services.
- With respect to point 3(n) above, the relocation facilitations that they will be able to offer to faculty members and other staff joining the ASR from other countries, including through an agreement with national and local authorities regarding temporary tax exemptions for goods brought into the country or purchased in connection with the relocation.
The Interim Director of the ASR, having carefully considered and compared all the proposals received by the stated deadline against the requirements and criteria listed in the preceding point 3, will present a proposal to the Parties to the Agreement for a decision to be taken within three months after the deadline to receive the proposals. The selection procedure to be adopted by the Parties will make sure to avoid conflicts of interest.
The Parties to the Agreement will approve a document with high level guidelines for the governance of the ASR. Within the subsequent two months after the selection of the host institution(s) is made, a document specifying the terms under which the ASR will operate within the selected host institution(s), on the basis of the proposal submitted by them and the high-level guidelines for the governance of the ASR, will be jointly prepared by the Direction of the host institution(s) and the Interim Director of the ASR and submitted for approval to the Parties to the Agreement. The future governance of the ASR shall be based on the principles of excellence, independence and a practical approach to the actual needs of the African energy sector.
During this process, the selected hosting academic institution(s) and/or international organisation(s) may be asked to provide additional information, in particular confirming its financial standing.
Once the above-mentioned documents are approved, the transfer process leading to the formal establishment of the ASR will start.
In case no agreement could be reached with the selected hosting academic institution(s) and/or international organisation(s), the Parties to the Agreement and the Interim Director of the ASR reserve the right to proceed with the selection of other hosting entity(ies).
Prior to the initiation of the transfer process, the Parties to the Agreement will define a preliminary programme of activities and a corresponding viable financing plan for the first five years of operation of the ASR.
The period for the establishment of the ASR in the selected hosting academic institution(s) and/or international organisation(s) will last no more than twelve months. It will be aimed at transferring the management and operation of the ASR to the selected hosting academic institution(s) and/or international organisation(s) under the new governance. As soon as possible during the transition period, the headquarter of the ASR will be physically moved to the hosting academic institution(s) and/or international organisation(s) in Africa.
A separate selection process for the ASR Director will also take place. It will be run according to an open and objective procedure proposed by the Interim Director of the ASR and approved by the Parties to the Agreement. The opinion of the hosting academic institution(s) and/or international organisation(s) will be sought, and the final decision will be confirmed by the Parties to the Agreement.
