Deadline: December 1, 2023
Applications are open for the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowships Programme 2024. AfricaLics – the African Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems – is looking for suitable PhD students from universities in African countries to participate in the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme, (2024 cohort) focused on Innovation and Development.
The 2024 VFP cohort activities will kick off with a range of online activities starting in February 2024 and activities are expected to be completed by the end of November /early December 2024. Activities will include a brief introduction to I&D studies as the AfricaLics network identifies this field, a course on writing skills and a course on ‘How to write an Academic Journal Article as well as 3 – 5 Paper Presentation Seminars. Activities will be online, but if funds permit, a 3-month study visit to UJ will also be incorporated. After engagement in the programme, students are offered the opportunity to continue engaging with the AfricaLics community e.g. through participation in AfricaLics Alumni activities, AfricaLics research conferences and our webinar series. In this way, students and young scholars help each other stay engaged and get a chance to help develop the field of African Innovation and Development studies.
Cost
- Return flight costs from your nearest international airport (economy class) to Johannesburg may be covered by AfricaLics if collective fund-raising efforts for the study visit there are successful. The costs may also be covered by the students themselves if they are able to raise funds.
- Students must take out their own health insurance for the study period. Costs may be reimbursed by the AfricaLics secretariat if funding allows.
- If collective fund-raising efforts are successful, the visiting scholars will receive a stipend of app. $600 per month. This amount should cover all costs while in Johannesburg related to living expenses and travel around Johannesburg including to and from UJ campus. Students are encouraged to try to fund-raise for living costs while in Johannesburg themselves as AfricaLics cannot guarantee that collective fundraising activities are successful.
- Joint courses and online mentoring activities will be covered by AfricaLics through the limited support from Sida that they will be receiving in 2024. Visit by home supervisors and mentors to Johannesburg for a PhD VFP workshop will only be realised if additional fundraising is successful.
- If AfricaLics accepts to fund the three-month study visit to Johannesburg, the scholarship will only cover costs related to the visit of the student her- or himself. Costs related to accompanying spouses, children or others are unfortunately not possible for the programme to cover. The scholarship does not cover costs of any additional travel in South Africa that the student may wish to undertake unless as part of selected and approved VFP activities.
Eligibility
Applicants for the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme should:
- Be enrolled as a PhD student at a university in Africa.
- Have completed their first year of studies by December 2023
- Have a background (BSc, MSc etc.) within Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Science and Technology Policy, Geography, History or Development Studies. Applicants may also work within the STEM (science, technology, engineering, or mathematics) subjects or even manufacturing but from a social science perspective.
- Possess adequate skills in English (documentation may be requested).
- Be working actively on a subject relevant to the field of innovation and development as defined above.
- Submit a brief application of one page/500 words explaining their own background, motivation for applying and expected outcomes of participation in the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme
Application
The application must be accompanied by the following documents:
- Brief outline of your current PhD project including PhD training plans (max. 5 pages)
- Curriculum Vitae – CV (including PhD courses attended so far)
- Letter of support from the main PhD supervisor confirming that the PhD student will have completed her/his upgrade/probation by end December 2023
- Letter of support from the University Administration at the university where the PhD student is enrolled
- Copies of academic certificates (copies of Bachelor and Master Certificates as a minimum)
- One writing sample (article or chapter) from current PhD program
You are NOT expected to submit a copy of your passport when applying for the PhD visiting fellowship programme. If you are offered the scholarship and the study stay at UJ materialises, you will be asked to handle any visa issues that may be relevant yourself. Collection of personal data will be kept at a minimum, stored safely and will not be used for any other purposes.
Applications with all relevant attachments should be forwarded to [email protected] by 23.00hrs East Africa time on December 1, 2023.
Click here to download the aplication form
For more information, visit AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship.
