Are you a female African doctoral student specializing in one of the emerging development fields? If you’re seeking virtual training, mentorship, and financial support for your research pursuits, don’t miss out on the opportunity presented by the Mawazo Fellowship Programme. In this article, we’ll provide you with all the information you need to know about this fellowship, including the eligibility criteria, focus areas, advantages, and application process. By the end of this article, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of the programme and how to apply. Keep reading to learn more about the Mawazo Fellowship Programme and take the first step towards advancing your research in emerging development fields.
Degree Level:
The Mawazo Fellowship Programme is for African women pursuing a PhD degree and spans over a 15-month period. The fellowship is non-residential and offers virtual training, mentorship, as well as financial support to aid the progression of research for African women in the fields of emerging development.
Subjects:
While the Mawazo Fellowship Programme accepts applications from all eligible PhD students, it particularly encourages those working in the following thematic areas to apply
- Agriculture and Food Security
- Business, Trade, and the Economy
- Climate Change, Natural Resources, and the Environment
- Education and Pedagogy
- Energy and Engineering
- Gender, Rights, and Governance
- Information and Technology
- Life and Health Sciences
- Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Benefits:
- Access to Mawazo’s virtual training and professional development program through the MLEx e-learning platform.
- Connections with expert and peer mentors through a structured mentorship program, and exposure to leaders from various sectors.
- Funding for research activities with access to grants worth up to US$2,500.
- A stipend of $500 for discretionary use.
- Data bundles worth $150 to help access the MLEx platform.
- Research and editorial support from the Mawazo team and their partners.
- Visibility via Mawazo Voices, their public policy and engagement, strategic communications, and strategic partnerships program.
Eligible Nationalities:
African Women
Eligibility Criteria:
- Gender: Applicants must identify as a woman, including cisgende
- r women, transgender women, Assigned Female at Birth non-binary, AFAB gender non-conforming, and other AFAB genderqueer individuals.
- Nationality: Applicants must be citizens of an African country.
- Language proficiency: Applicants must have good command of written and spoken English.
- Education: Applicants must be enrolled for their PhD at an accredited university in an African country and have completed their coursework (if applicable) and passed their departmental or graduate school proposal defense.
- Research topic: Applicants must demonstrate that their PhD research is related to African development and is relevant to a global, regional, national, or subnational policy priority.
- “Big Idea”: Applicants must demonstrate that they have a “Big Idea” to transform Africa through their research.
- Leadership potential: Applicants must demonstrate potential for leadership both within and outside academia, and a strong passion to leverage their expertise for impact in society.
- Availability: Applicants must be available to fully participate in the programme in 2023-2024.
Application Procedure:
- Submission: Interested candidates must fill in and submit their applications through the online application portal. Applications will not be accepted by email or in hard copy.
- Deadline: The application deadline is March 12, 2023.
- Application Requirements: Applicants must provide the following:
- A completed online application form
- A current 2-page CV
- A letter confirming current enrollment in an accredited PhD program
- A letter confirming completion of coursework (if applicable) and passing the departmental defense
- A recommendation letter from the applicant’s PhD supervisor
- A recommendation letter from a second referee
- Additional Information: For further details and instructions on how to apply, applicants should download the application guidelines and FAQs document from the official website.
Applicants are encouraged not to miss this opportunity to advance their research in emerging development areas and transform Africa with innovative ideas.
