AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme 2025 (Funding available): (Deadline 7 October 2024)

AfricaLics – the African Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems – is inviting suitable PhD student candidates from universities in African countries to apply for participation in the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme (2025 cohort) focused on Innovation and Development.

The aim of the visiting fellowship programme and the scholarships AfricaLics improve the quality of their dissertations and prepare for a career in innovation and development either within academia or outside (e.g. in the private sector or in government/policy making).

The visiting fellowship programme does this by increasing the mobility and level of exposure of the PhD students to international knowledge in the field of innovation and development. The programme forms part of the efforts by AfricaLics to contribute to the development of a vibrant research community in Africa in this emerging and highly multidisciplinary field. The Swedish Development Agency, Sida (Stockholm), has provided for the visiting scholarships as part of the project Enhancing research capacity on Innovation and Development in Africa through the African Network on Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems (AfricaLics) – Phase II since 2015 and will continue to support the online part of the VFP also in 2025.

Costs of PhD Visiting Fellowship

• 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 are successful. If collective fundraising is not successful; students themselves may fund the costs or apply for the funds from their university or other sources.
• Visiting fellows on the AfricaLics VFP must take out a comprehensive health insurance for the study period. Costs may be reimbursed by the AfricaLics secretariat if funding allows.
• Living costs during the study visit to UJ are normally covered through a stipend amounting to approximately $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 they cannot guarantee that collective fundraising activities are successful.
• Costs for participation in joint courses will be covered by AfricaLics. Mentoring will be organised on a voluntary basis unless fundraising for a nominal payment prove successful. Finally, the visit by home supervisors and mentors to Johannesburg (PhD VFP workshop 2025) will only be realised if additional fundraising is successful.
• If AfricaLics agrees to fund the three-month study visit to Johannesburg, the scholarship will only cover costs related to the student’s visit. Any costs related to accompanying spouses, children or others will not be covered. The scholarship does not cover the 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 for PhD Visiting Fellowship

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 2024.
• Have a background (BSc, MSc etc.) in 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 innovation and development.
• Submit a brief application of one page/500 words explaining their background, motivation for applying and expected outcomes of participation in the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme.

Application

The following documents must be submitted with the brief application:

• 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 2024
• 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 with support from the AfricaLics Secretariat and UJ. Collection of personal data will be kept at a minimum and information will be stored safely and will not be used for any other purposes.

Applications with all relevant attachments should be forwarded to visitingphd@africalics.org by 23.00hrs East Africa time on October 7, 2024.

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