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

When is the application deadline?

10th February 2018

Which countries are eligible for the scholarship?

African countries

What is the award about?

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.

What is the category of this opportunity?

Fellowship(Academic), Post-doctoral

How do I know if I’m eligible for the scholarship?

• 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.

What are the selection criteria?

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