AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowship Program for African PhD Students 2017

Application Deadline: 22nd May 2017

Eligible Countries: African countries

To be taken at (country): Aalborg University, Denmark

About the Award: The aim of the scholarships and the visiting fellowship programme is to help African PhD students working in the field of innovation and development to strengthen their academic/research qualifications; improve 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 international 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 field. Funding for the visiting scholarships is provided by the Swedish Development Agency Sida (Stockholm) 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 (2017-2021).

The AfricaLics secretariat at the African Center for Technology Studies (www.acts-net.org ) is responsible for the project with the AfricaLics Scientific Board providing advice on scientific matters and issues of strategic importance. The AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme more specifically is organized jointly by the AfricaLics secretariat and the research group named Innovation, Knowledge and Economic Dynamics (IKE) at Aalborg University

Type: Fellowship

Eligibility: 

• The scholarship option is open to PhD students from low and lower-middle income countries in Africa whose studies – irrespective of sectoral discipline – focus on innovation and development. Female PhD students are particularly encouraged to apply as AfricaLics endeavors to contribute to increasing the currently low number of female scholars in Innovation and Development research studies in Africa.
• Applicants must be enrolled as PhD students at African universities and must have completed their first year of PhD studies by February 2018. A maximum of four visiting scholarships are available for 2018. The visiting scholarship is complementary to the studies of the PhD students and applicants must already have secured basic funding for their PhD studies from other sources (e.g. African governments, other organisations, self-financing).
• The programme gives priority to students working on topics related to the research themes identified by the AfricaLics network as important to the future of Africa.

Selection Criteria: Applicants for the AfricaLics PhD sandwich programme should:

• Be enrolled as a PhD student at a university in Africa.
• Have completed their first year of studies by February 2018/upgrade/probation and possess adequate skills in English (the types of language tests that are accepted are listed on the AAU web-page: http://www.en.aau.dk/education/apply/master/entry-requirements
• Be working actively on a subject relevant to the field of innovation and development defined as the study and management of processes that link innovation to development. Innovation is broadly defined as spanning from “new to the world inventions” to the diffusion and use of technology new to the user, including competence building among users of innovation.
• Submit a brief application (3-5 pages) explaining own background, motivation for applying and expected outcomes of participation in the PhD sandwich programme together.

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Program: 

1. The International Office at AAU will assist students in obtaining work permit and accommodation for the visit to Denmark. Please be aware that the students will need to apply for the residence permit themselves and pay fees related to the processing of the application themselves. The total amount of the stipend includes an amount equivalent to the fees that have to be paid.
2. Travel costs (economy class) and health insurance will be covered but students have to be registered with the Danish authorities before the health insurance becomes active. This may take some time. Students must therefore take out their own health insurance for the first two weeks of the stay.
3. The visiting scholars will receive a stipend of 14.000 DKK per month (equivalent to app. 2000 USD as per April 2017). A fixed amount has also been set aside to cover student participation in selected course activities and for supervision (over and above the stipend). Finally, there is funding for organizing trilateral meetings during the visit between the PhD student, the main supervisor from home institution and the AAU mentor.
4. Students are expected to apply for and pay fees related to residence and work permit themselves. The total amount of the stipend includes fees in relation to this.
5. The scholarship covers only costs related to the visit of the student him/herself. Costs related to accompanying spouses, children or others are not covered. If family members are accompanying the PhD student during the study period in Denmark, AAU needs to be informed about this at the latest when the student confirms participation in the fellowship programme.

Duration of Program: App. five months starting 1 February 2018 and ending 29 June 2018. Students must arrive on the 1 February to be able to participate in introductory activities, including registration with the Danish authorities and an introductory seminar for the group of PhD students.

How to Apply: The application must be accompanied by the following documents:

• Outline of PhD
• Brief CV
• Letters of support for the application from main supervisor
• Letters of support for the application from university administration/PhD school
• Finally, the applicant should up-load one writing example (draft chapter of thesis or other).

Please use the following application form when you submit your application.

Applications with all relevant attachments should be forwarded to visitingphd@africalics.org by 22ndMay 2017 (COB). Applications not fulfilling the requirements above will not be considered, so please forward any questions you may have to visitingphd@africalics.org and you will be assisted.

PhD students from African countries considering applying for the 15th Globelics Conference in Athens, Greece (11-13th October 2017) and PhD students considering applying for the Globelics/AfricaLics academies in 2018 are encouraged to consider applying for participation in the AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme as well.

Visit Program Webpage for details

Award Provider: Swedish Development Agency Sida (Stockholm)