Decent work - Burkina Faso and Togo

Prof. Jérôme Rossier, Institute of psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

I’m a full professor of vocational and career counseling psychology at the Institute of Psychology of the University of Lausanne, after having studied psychology at the University of Lausanne and at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. I’m the editor of the International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance and member of several editorial boards of scientific journals such as the Journal of Vocational Behavior or the Journal of Research in Personality. I’m teaching areas and research interests include counseling, personality, psychological assessment, and cross-cultural psychology. I published more than 200 articles or book chapters and I’m currently editing a book about Psychological assessment in multicultural and multilingual context. I participated actively in many international research projects, in particular in African countries such as Burkina Faso, South Africa, or Togo since more than 15 years. I’m currently member of the Psychological and educational sciences evaluation panel of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and of the Scientific advisory committee for VET research of the State secretariat for education, research and innovation (SERI), of the Federal department of economic affairs, education and research (EAER).

Prof. Jonas Masdonati, Institute of psychology, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

After obtaining a doctorate in education from the University of Fribourg and working as a practitioner and researcher in the fields of counseling and vocational training, I joined Université Laval (Québec) as a professor of counseling. Since 2015, I have been a professor at the UNIL Institute of Psychology, where I am responsible for the counseling and career guidance programs. My research focuses on school and vocational transitions, career reorientations, building identity in the workplace, integration and vocational training, values and the relationship to work, and the processes and effects of career counseling.

Prof. Jean-François Kobiané, Senior Lecturer, Institute of Population Sciences, University Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

Senior Lecturer in Demography at the Institute of Population Sciences of the University of Ouagadougou (Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP) University Joseph Ki-Zerbo (Burkina Faso), I was Head of the Population and Education Research Unit from 2006 to 2012, Deputy Director from 2010 to 2012 and Director from 2012 to 2018. My research interests include, among others, the measurement and consequences of poverty, education, health, transition from youth to adulthood (entry into marital and reproductive life, access to employment ...), the evaluation of public policies ... I have coordinated many research projects ((both in Burkina Faso and outside the country) using mixed approaches. In terms of quantitative data I have expertise in the collection and analysis of both cross-sectional and longitudinal data (retrospective biographical surveys, longitudinal monitoring through population observatories). I am the co-editor of four books, author of two books and author or co-author of some fifty papers and book chapters on these topics.

Prof. Issa Abdou Moumoula, Departement of Psychology, University Norbert Zongo, Burkina Faso

Following a diploma in counseling and vocational guidance psychology at INETOP (Paris) and 12 years’ professional experience in career counseling, I obtained a PhD in counseling psychology from the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers. My initial research focused on how young people in transition from high school to university see their future and make their educational choices. The findings of this research enabled us to model the educational intentions and professional projects of high school students in Burkina Faso in the form of cognitive maps of training curricula and professions. I was a founding member and member of the steering committee of the UNESCO Chair on Lifelong Guidance and Counseling. My research interests focus on modeling and improving guidance systems, transitions, decent work issues and psychological assessment of people. I am co-applicant for the project “Adapting and strengthening educational guidance and career counseling to promote decent work in two West African countries: Burkina Faso and Togo”.

Prof. Paboussoum Pari, Department of Applied Psychology, University of Lomé, Togo

With a master's degree in occupational psychology from Université Paris X-Nanterre (1992, France), a post-graduate diploma (DESS) in ergonomics from Université Paris V-René-Descartes (1993, France) and a PhD in occupational psychology from the University of Lomé (2008, Togo), I have been teaching at the University of Lomé for 22 years and am a co-applicant for the r4d project “Adapting and strengthening educational guidance and career counseling to promote decent work in two West African countries: Burkina Faso and Togo". My research interests include work representations and motivations, organizational commitment, work organization and psychosocial risks. I am currently Head of the Department of Applied Psychology, in charge of the professional master (in occupational and organization psychology) and of doctoral education. I also head the research team on "reconciling spheres of life with psychosocial risks".

Dr. Yawo Adzéoda Holu, Career counseling psychologist, Assistant, University of Lomé, Togo

With a PhD in educational and training psychology from the University of Lomé (2016, Togo), I am a substitute lecturer at the Institut National des Sciences de l’Education of the same university where I have been in charge of practical work on research methodology and educational and vocational guidance since 2011. I also teach research methodology at the Ecole Supérieure des Affaires (ESA) and the Institut Supérieur ESIBA Business School in Lomé, and the educational psychology course (psychology of learning, family education, parenting practices, teaching strategy: andragogy, educational measurement system) at the Faculty of Theology of the Assemblies of God (FA.TAD) in Lomé. Following my post-graduate diploma (DESS) in educational and training psychology, since 2005 I have been the guidance counsellor psychologist at the Department of Academic Affairs and Education (DAAS) of the University of Lomé. I am the author of some scientific papers and work mainly on school guidance, motivation, vocational maturity, self-esteem and school and academic success.

Dr. Pazambadi Kazimna, Assistant-Professor, Department of Applied Psychology, University of Lomé, Togo

With a post-graduate diploma in occupational psychology from the University of Lomé-Togo (2007) and a PhD in occupational and organization psychology from the University of Lomé (2012, Togo), I was recruited by the University of Lomé as a teacher-researcher in 2014. I am a member of the Togo team in the framework of the r4d project " Adapting and strengthening educational guidance and career counseling to promote decent work in two West African countries: Burkina Faso and Togo". I am also a member of the research team on “reconciling spheres of life with psychosocial risks". My areas of research include social representations in the private sector, organizational commitment, entrepreneurship and decent work.

Dr. Abdoulaye Ouedraogo, Assistant-Professor, Institute of Population Sciences, University Ouaga 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

A sociologist with a Ph.D. in educational sciences from the University of Geneva (Switzerland), I am an assistant professor and teacher-researcher at the human science education and research unit (UFR / SH) of University Ouaga 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo. I am a member of the Laboratory for Gender and Development (LabGed)an associate researcher at the Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP) and the local leader of the R4D project. My teaching and research interests bear on analysis of the link between education and development, education and training systems, adult education, learning processes in adults and the quality of education. My current research focuses on representations of decent work, entrepreneurship in the formal and informal economy in Burkina Faso, and well-being and personal balance.

Dr. Donatien Dahourou, Assistant-Professor, Institute of Population Sciences, University Ouaga 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

Following a Diplôme d'Etudes Universitaires Générales (DEUG) degree in 1989 from the University of Ouagadougou, I obtained a bachelor’s and master's degree in experimental psychology and educational psychology from the University of Lille 3 in France, then a Master of Advanced Studies in psychology (majoring in the development and education of children and adolescents) in 1992 from Université René Descartes/Paris 5 and the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes / EPHE 3rd section). I worked as a psychologist in emergency care centers for children and teenagers in Paris from 1992 to 1997. From 1992 to 1997, I also produced a psychology dissertation on the issue of integrating information in moral judgment among adolescents and young adults in Burkina Faso. As a teacher-researcher at the University of Ouaga 1 Pr. Joseph Ki Zerbo since 1998, I teach experimental methodology and developmental psychology. I work on various topics such as cognition, the integration of information in judgment processes and personality, with a particular emphasis on intercultural approaches. Engaged in the field of psychology in Burkina Faso, I accompany, support and advise various associations. I am also a member of the board of the Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) in Burkina Faso.

Akila Alfa, PhD Student, Department of Applied Psychology, University of Lomé, Togo

Currently a PhD student at the University of Lomé in the field of applied psychology, I am working in the context of the r4d project "Adapting and strengthening educational guidance and career counseling to promote decent work in two West African countries: Burkina Faso and Togo", on the theme of analysis of the educational system and the needs of the labor market in Togo: validation of a theoretical model of entrepreneurial intentions. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in occupational and organization psychology from the University of Lomé and a master's degree in the same field in 2015 following a public defense on the "meaning of work and employee commitment". My experience in this field has allowed me to hold various positions between 2013 and 2018, including: occupational psychologist in a practice; HR Manager; head of the psychology and guidance department of a higher institute. My research interests revolve, among others, around topics related to school and vocational guidance; the meaning of work; decent work and youth entrepreneurship.

M’wambère Judith Meda, PhD Student, Department of Psychology, University Norbert Zongo, Burkina Faso

I obtained an A4 series Baccalaureate (philosophy and literature) in 2011 from Koudougou High School, a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2013, and a master’s degree in psychology of learning and education in 2018 from the Norbert Zongo University in Koudougou. In March 2018, I started an internship in a clinical psychology practice in Ouagadougou. At the end of this internship I was selected in August 2018 on behalf of the Ministry of National Solidarity, Women and Family to provide psychological support in the framework of an operation to take homeless women and children off the street. Since December 2018 I have been a PhD student in counseling and occupational psychology as part of the r4d research program "Adapting and strengthening educational guidance and career counseling to promote decent work in two West African countries: Burkina Faso and Togo".

Barkissa Rouamba, PhD Student, Institute of Population Sciences, University Ouaga 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

With a master of advanced studies (DEA) in applied economics (education, health and work) from the New Postgraduate Program (NPTCI) and a professional master in statistical and econometric methods from the Cheick Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD) obtained in 2018, I am an intern at the population and education research unit of the Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP) of University Ouaga 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo. My areas of scientific interest are in employment, education, vocational training and gender issues. In 2018, I participated in training programs in entrepreneurship by the National Agency for the Promotion of Employment (ANPE / Burkina Faso) and in civic leadership by the Regional Leadership Center (CRL) YALI in Dakar. I also contributed to the analysis of survey data (Senegal component) from the CERDI "Resilience" project covering Senegal and Burkina Faso. In 2017, I contributed to the design of the index of export and import unit values for 2015 and 2016 for Senegal (2014 = 100) at the foreign trade office of the Senegalese National Agency of Statistics and Demography (ANSD). In 2015, I served my country as a professor of mathematics in the framework of the National Service for Development (SND).

Masamaésso Tchonda, PhD Student, Department of Applied Psychology, University of Lomé, Togo

Having obtained my baccalaureate, I went on to study at the University of Lomé (Togo) where I obtained a post-graduate diploma (DESS) in educational and training psychology in 2011. I worked successively as a trainee psychologist in the juvenile squad, school counselor, volunteer and then acting executive director of non-governmental organizations for the promotion of children's rights. I also worked in human resources, in particularly in the public works company CECO BTP, currently CECO SA, respectively as head of training and HR manager. My research focused on analysis of the professions held by graduates in connection with their university curriculum for my master's degree, and on the self-esteem and vocational maturity of high school students as part of my DESS. I am currently a PhD student in the framework of the r4d project.

Kokou Amenyona Atitsogbe, Project Coordinator, University of Lausanne, Switzerland

With a professional master in occupational psychology from the University of Lomé (Togo), a research master in vocational guidance and counseling psychology from INETOP-CNAM, Paris (France), I started a doctoral dissertation in career counseling psychology at the University of Lausanne (Switzerland) in 2015, then held a position as a graduate assistant (Oct. 2016-Feb. 2019) which served to strengthen my experience in research and teaching. My thesis is a cross-cultural research project in Switzerland and Togo focusing on perceived barriers to university-job transition and career adaptability. My areas of interest include career guidance and integration, cross-cultural psychology, psychometrics and personality psychology. Since March 2019 I have held the position of SNF Junior Researcher within the Research center in vocational psychology and career counseling (CePCO) and am coordinating the r4d project conducted in Burkina Faso, Switzerland and Togo.

Saiba Bakouan, Coordinator, University Norbert Zongo, Burkina Faso

Following my psychology studies at Norbert Zongo University in Koudougou (Burkina Faso) where I obtained a research master, in 2015 I was admitted to the recruitment contest for 10 guidance counselors on behalf of the Ministry of National Education (MENA). The same year, I enrolled in a PhD at the University Abdou Moumouni in Niamey (UAM Niamey) co-supervised by Norbert Zongo University. In 2016, I joined the Human Science Research Laboratory (LABOSH) as an associate doctoral member. I also work in the field of monitoring students with learning difficulties, as well as in supporting youngsters in their school and academic choices as and their socio-professional integration as an educational and vocational guidance counselor at the Centre national de l’Information, de l’Orientation Scolaire et Professionnelle et des Bourses (CIOSPB) in Burkina Faso.

Dr. Yawo Adzéoda Holu, Co-coordinator, University of Lomé, Togo

Dr. Pazambadi Kazimna, Co-coordinator, University of Lomé, Togo

Idrissa Ouili, Coordinator, University Ouaga 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso

I am a teacher-researcher at the Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP) of University Ouaga 1 Pr Joseph Ki-Zerbo in Burkina Faso and the head of the Ouagadougou Population Observatory. I hold a PhD in economics from the University of Montreal (Quebec, Canada). My research interests are in multidimensional poverty analysis and impact assessment methods in both developing and developed countries. My current research includes the socioeconomic determinants of multidimensional poverty of children in Burkina Faso; monetary poverty and multidimensional poverty, family size/structure, subjective well-being over the life cycle in developed countries.