The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) invites applications for the PARI-PSETA Scholarship Programme available for Masters Study at the University of the Witwatersrand.
The scholarships will support two talented postgraduate students in the fields of education, sociology, economics and relevant social science disciplines interested in critically exploring the nature, purpose or proposed models of skills development and capacity building in the public service in South Africa.
The Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI) is an instituted affiliated to Wits University which is centrally concerned with better understanding the nature of the contemporary South African state and state-society relations. The Institute is committed to developing this understanding through theoretically informed and sociologically grounded empirical research. The Public Service Sector Education and Training Authority (PSETA) is the SETA responsible for skills planning and supporting skills development in the public sector.
PARI and PSETA wish to support research which provides new insights into how to
measure and develop capacity in the public sector and develop approaches to skills development and training.
Successful candidates do not have to take the meaning of the concepts ‘capacity building’ and ‘skills development’ as given and can interpret these concepts critically and in relation to a wide range of social science literature. Students may apply qualitative or quantitative approaches (such as conducting survey research).
Suggested topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
Research which explores the wider formal institutional and training environment which can support a more capacitated public service – this could include an international comparative approach.
Exploring the nature of training and skills development in public sector departments and agencies and the concepts and assumptions that have shaped these approaches.
Research which explores the nature of the human resource function in government departments – the organisational and institutional factors shaping how human resources are recruited and deployed.
Research on public servants’ career paths in their public service and the organisational and political environment shaping these career trajectories.
Research on the causes and impacts of high turnover and vacancy rates in (some) public sector departments. The South African public service has experienced both high vacancy and turnover rates from at least the 1960s.
Research which can contribute to better predicting and planning for the skills and training needs of the public service.
Scholarship Eligibility
Applications are welcome from students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds, including, for example, economics, politics, history, anthropology, and sociology, as well as law.
Preference will be given to South African candidates, though strong non-South Africans are welcome to apply.
Applicants should have an Honours (or equivalent degree) with a minimum of a 70% pass.
Award of Scholarships
Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by PARI, and the Schools of Social Sciences,
Economic and Business Sciences, and Law.
Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis, taking into account academic merit and the resonance of the applicant’s academic or research interests with PARI’s research themes, PSETA’s mandate, as well as the specific focus area of the scholarships.
Applications should reach PARI by 5pm on 11 August 2014.
For further details and application please visit the PARI-PSETA Scholarship Programme page.
