Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) Post-Doctoral Fellowships for African Researchers 2018

Application Deadline: 10th February 2018

Eligible Countries: African countries

About the Award: The 2 year post-doctoral fellowships builds on, and helps to scale up, the RUFORUM commitment to strengthen postgraduate training and academic mobility in Africa. Since 2012, RUFORUM with support from Carnegie Cooperation of New York and other agencies has facilitated, mentored and contributed to a growing number of doctoral graduates who upon successful completion of their studies return to their home countries and integrate back in teaching and research. Thus, the goal of this call is to increase and ensure high retention rate of these graduates in Africa to help strengthen African universities and research institutions to meet the growing demand for higher education and research for creating knowledge and prosperity in the continent. The emphasis is on facilitating recent PhD graduates in ways that will improve their teaching, research, leadership and mentoring skills. It is important that they are supported in ways that contribute to increasing the critical mass of dedicated scientists that are working together to transform higher education in Africa and contribute to the global knowledge commons.

Type: Fellowship(Academic), Post-doctoral

Eligibility: 

• This call targets the former PhD beneficiary of Carnegie Cooperation of New York funded through RUFORUM from 2012 to 2017 who have graduated by December 2017. However, applications from candidates who have submitted their theses for external examination will also be considered.
• The applicant would need to be attached to a RUFORUM University faculty for the Post-Doctoral fellowship, where his/her main university mentor will be based. The hosting faculty should provide a support letter confirming willingness to host the Post-Doctoral fellow. The Fellow may also identify other mentors based in other institutions, such as the CGIARs, etc but need to be attached to a University.
• As part of the Fellowship, the Post-Doc Fellow will be provided with research funds that will be linked to supporting research activity of at least one PhD and one or more Masters Students who do not have research funding such as students funded under the Intra African Academic Mobility Program. The research areas could be directly linked to the field of training of the Post-Doctoral Fellow but could also cover new areas to broaden the perspective of the Fellow and promote inter-disciplinarity.
• The applicants should submit a research proposal, maximum 10 pages, 1.5 lines spacing, font 12 times new roman. The proposal should articulate the rationale for the Fellowship, provide an overview of the Post-Doctoral Fellowship Programme, the proposed research thrusts, methodology, feasible work plan and clear deliverables. Importantly, the proposal should clearly articulate how the fellow plans to integrate postgraduate students who will be part of the research team but at the same time will be required to use the opportunity to finalize their dissertations leading to award of a degrees. It should clearly also indicate how the Fellow will provide mentoring support to the research students and others and build his/her international linkages.
• A detailed motivation letter will be required from the applicant, supported by a recommendation endorsement from their institution of employment and others where they require attachment.

Selection Criteria: The following key aspects will form criteria of awarding the applicants;

• the intrinsic interest and substantive merit of the work proposed;
• the likely effect the Fellowship will have on the university and the expected future contribution of the Fellow;
• the contribution the research is likely to make to scholarship in the country, the region as well as internationally;
• the commitment to establish a research team and strengthen supervision skills of Masters and PhD students, and the potential spill over to undergraduate students
• the potential contribution of the Fellow to building a critical mass of young scientists in Africa with a strong network to reinforce sharing of knowledge and approaches; and
• The feasibility of the work plan.

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award: The Award for this call is a maximum of US$60, 000 per fellowship and is expected to cover:

• Stipend: $26,400 – equating to $1,200 for 10 months in Year 1 and 12 Months in Year 2 . This stipend is paid in order to allow the Fellow to focus on the research, publications and supervision of their research team by releasing some of their teaching and other duties and to reduce the need for engagement in consultancies.
• Research funds: $26,700 to support the research activities of the Post-Doctoral Team that will include PhD and Masters  Students to conduct research under the supervisor of the Fellow. In the post-doctoral arrangement, partial research support will be given to selected postgraduate students (at least one PhD student ($16,700), preferably a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA), and 1-2 MSc students ($10,000) to cover field research costs, research paper publication and dissemination of findings,
• Special mentor support: $3,600 to be retained by RUFORUM to support the Mentorship Programme. The cost of the mentor covers bench fees, hosting fees, and cost of the mentor visiting some of the research facilities and participating in convening’s along with the Post-Doctoral Fellows.

Duration of Program: 2 years

How to Apply: It is important to go through the Application Process here before applying.

Visit the Program Webpage for Details

Award Providers: RUFORUM