AfricaLics – the African Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems invites applications from suitable PhD student candidates from universities in African countries to participate in the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme focused on Innovation and Development in 2020.
The programme allows successful candidates a study period of five-month based at the Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Science, Aalborg University, Denmark.
Within the AfricaLics community, innovation is broadly defined as spanning from “new to the world inventions” to the diffusion and use of technology new to the user or context in which it is introduced and includes competence building among users of innovation. Technology here can mean both a physical product as well as a process or new way of doing things. Innovation and Development Studies research as defined by the AfricaLics network includes the study and management of processes that link technological and social innovation with development. This includes studies and improved understandings of how learning and competence building systems contribute to development processes.
Scholars in the field may have a background in economics and/or other social sciences (Sociology, Political Science, Science and Technology Policy, Geography, History or Development Studies), but some also work within the STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) subjects or even manufacturing. They work within a broad range of areas including energy and sustainable development/transformation, health, agriculture, manufacturing and work organisation, big data and the fourth industrial revolution. To understand more about the field of innovation and development and see if your work fits within this research area, please look at the papers published in relevant journals including (but not only) the following: Research Policy, Innovation and Development, African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Technology in Society. Journal of Product Innovation Management, Technovation, Industry and Innovation
Worth of Award
- Successful PhD candidates are responsible for applying for and paying the costs (including administration fee) for their residence and work permit themselves, but the International Office at AAU will assist students in the process of obtaining this.
- The total amount of the stipend that the PhD candidate will receive during the study period in Denmark includes an amount equivalent to the fees that have to be paid, but costs will not be refunded directly. Advance payment is also not possible.
- The organisers at AAU will provide information on accommodation options in Copenhagen, but visiting fellows must organise and pay for accommodation themselves using funds available from the stipend. One option is to apply for accommodation at the Danida Fellowship Centre
Additional information on terms and conditions
- 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.
- The visiting scholars will receive a stipend of 16,000 DKK per month (equivalent to app. 2140 USD as per September 2020). This includes funds for accommodation. Tax exemption has to be applied for after the candidates arrive and cannot be guaranteed, so it is advisable to bring extra funds for the first two months of the visiting fellowship period. If an agreement is made that Danida Fellowship Centre in Copenhagen houses the visiting fellow, the stipend amount may change.
- A fixed amount is available to cover student participation in selected course activities and for supervision (over and above the stipend).
- Funding is available for organizing trilateral meetings between the PhD student, the main supervisor from home institution and the AAU mentor during the study period at AAU.
- 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. Unfortunately, this fellowship cannot support accompanying family members and they strongly encourage fellows to not bring family members for the study visit as this will reduce time available for focussing on the PhD work.
Eligibility
- The scholarship option is open to PhD students from countries classified by the DAC as low and lower-middle-income in Africa whose studies – irrespective of sectoral discipline – focus on innovation and development.
- Female PhD students are particularly encouraged to apply as AfricaLics endeavours to contribute to increasing the currently low number of female scholars in Innovation and Development research studies in Africa.
- Likewise, PhD students from low-income countries are particularly encouraged to apply as AfricaLics endeavours to increase research capacity in Innovation and Development in low-income countries in Africa.
- Applicants must be enrolled as PhD students at African universities and must have completed their first year of PhD studies by July 2020.
- A maximum of five visiting scholarships are available for 2019. 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.
How to apply
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 July 2020 (upgrade/probation)
- 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. Language tests that are accepted are listed on the AAU web-page
- Be working actively on a subject relevant to the field of innovation and development as defined above.
- Submit a brief application 1 page/500 words explaining own background, motivation for applying and expected outcomes of participation in the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme
The application must be accompanied by the following documents:
- A brief outline of your current PhD project including training plan (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 August 2020
- 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 the 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, they will ask you to confirm that you have a passport that is valid for the duration of the scholarship and at least six months after (or whatever is required at the time of application for a residence and work permit in Denmark).
Please use the application form when you submit your application.
Deadline: Applications with all relevant attachments should be forwarded to [email protected] by December 12, 2019 (COB).