Postgraduate Training Fellowships for Women Scientists from Sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries (LDC) at Centres of Excellence in the South. The Fellowship is offered to women scientists to pursue postgraduate research in a field of the natural sciences.
Deadline for applications: 31 May 2015.
Programme Details
This fellowship programme is for female students from Sub-Saharan Africa or Least Developed Countries (LDCs) who wish to pursue postgraduate training leading to a doctorate degree at a centre of excellence in the South outside their own country.
- Only women scientists from Sub-Saharan Africa and/or one of the Least Developed Countries can apply.
- Host institutions must be located in a developing country.
- Applications that are incomplete or illegible cannot be considered. Please make sure all the requested enclosures are submitted together with your application.
Purpose
With funds generously provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), OWSD has instituted a fellowship programme for female students from Sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), who wish to pursue postgraduate training leading to a PhD, at centres of excellence in the South (developing countries), outside their own country.
The general purpose of the scheme is to contribute to the emergence of a new generation of women leaders in science and technology, and to promote their effective participation in the scientific and technological development of their countries.
The specific aims of the scheme are:
- To improve access to educational and training opportunities in science and technology for young and talented women graduates from Sub-Saharan Africa and LDCs.
- To increase the scientific productivity and creativity of women scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa and LDCs.
- To empower a new generation of talented women to assume a leadership role in science and technology and their application to sustainable development.
Conditions
The scheme provides fellowships to young female students from Sub-Saharan African countries and/or LDCs, to enable them to pursue postgraduate studies leading to PhD degrees at centres of excellence (renowned research institutions/universities). The institute must be in a developing country other than the applicant's home country.
The fellowship is offered to carry out postgraduate research in the natural, engineering and information technology sciences. Each fellowship will be offered for up to three years and will cover the following:
- Travel expenses to and from the host institute;
- A monthly allowance to cover accommodation and meals while in the host country, the amount of which will be determined in consultation with the host institution;
- Refund of visa costs;
- A contribution for medical insurance;
- Attending one international conference/training course during the period of the fellowship;
- On a competitive basis, attending of scientific communication and proposal writing workshop.
- A monthly allowance to cover accommodation and meals while in the host country, the amount of which will be determined in consultation with the host institution;
- Refund of visa costs;
- A contribution for medical insurance;
- Attending one international conference/training course during the period of the fellowship;
- On a competitive basis, attending of scientific communication and proposal writing workshop.
An applicant who has already registered or who wishes to register as a PhD student at her home institute can choose sandwich option, whereby part of the research programme is undertaken at a host institute in another developing country. In this case the fellowship provides support (travel, accommodation and living expenses) only while at the host institution. The minimum period abroad is six months. The fellowship does not provide support while the applicant is at the home institute.
Alternatively, an applicant can enroll as a full-time research student at an institution outside her country, in this case the fellowship will provide support (travel, accommodation and living expenses) for 3 years.
The host institution will be expected to provide the necessary facilities such as tuition, training, supervision, laboratory supplies etc.
Accompanying persons are not eligible for support.
Host Institution
This is a South-South fellowship scheme, promoting scientific exchange among young researchers from developing countries. While applicants must come from a more restricted list of least developed countries (see list above), host institutes can be located in any developing country.
Eligibility
- Open to qualified women science graduates from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries (see list below).
- If applicants are over 40 years of age, they should include a brief explanation of why their research career has been delayed.
- The minimum qualification is an MSc degree (or equivalent), or an outstanding BSc honours degree in the natural sciences, engineering or information technology disciplines (see list below).
- Host institutions must be located in a developing country. This must be a different country from the applicant's home country.
- Applicants must provide a preliminary acceptance letter from at least one host institute. The letter must be prepared based on the sample on page 10 and be signed by the head of department, potential host supervisor or postgraduate studies coordinator.
- Students from eligible countries already enrolled on a PhD programme in their home country can apply for the sandwich option. This gives them access to expertise and resources that might not be available at the home institute.
- Applicants already on site in the host country will not be considered eligible since this implies that they have already secured sufficient funding for their studies.
- The applicant must be willing to return to her own country after completion of the fellowship.
- Accompanying persons are not eligible for support.
ELIGIBLE SCIENTIFIC FIELDS:
Agricultural Sciences; Structural, Cell and Molecular Biology; Biological Systems and Organisms; Medical and Health Sciences; Neurosciences; Chemical Sciences; Engineering Sciences; Information Technology; Astronomy, Space and Earth Sciences; Mathematical Sciences; Physics.
Please note that applications from students in the Basic (or 'pure') Sciences, such as Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry are encouraged.
ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES:
Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros Islands, Congo Dem. Rep., Congo Rep., Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kenya, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Niger, Réunion, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Western Sahara, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Selection
The fellowships are highly competitive, and the selection will be based on scientific competence and merit.
The applications will be reviewed by a panel of eminent scientists, appointed by the Executive Board of OWSD.
