Open Call - PhD Visiting Fellowships 2025

Background

AfricaLics – the African Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems – is inviting suitable PhD student candidates from universities in African countries to apply for participation in the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme (2025 cohort) focused on Innovation and Development.

Successful candidates will participate in a fellowship programme combining online pre- and post-activities with a study period of 3 months at the University of Johannesburg (UJ)[1] in South Africa. The three-month study visit to UJ is, however, subject to the availability of funding. While the AfricaLics Secretariat and Scientific Board are searching for funds to finance the study visit, successful candidates are also expected to help search for funds to finance their study visit at UJ themselves (see section on funding issues).

Mentoring will be provided by a range of African and international scholars in Innovation and Development studies, who are members of the AfricaLics and Globelics communities. The programme will also receive support from the Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Sustainable Development (TRCTI) Please see: https://www.uj.ac.za/faculties/cbe/SARChI-TRCTI).

The 2025 VFP cohort activities will kick off with a range of online activities starting in the first half of February 2025. The study visit at UJ is expected to take place from 1^st September to 30^th November 2025 and will be followed up by a few additional online activities in December 2025. After engagement in the programme, students are offered the opportunity to continue engaging with the AfricaLics community e.g. through participation in AfricaLics Alumni activities, AfricaLics research conferences, our webinar series and the activities organised by national chapters of AfricaLics e.g. in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso. Through such activities, VFP alumni can continue to support the development of African Innovation and Development studies and benefit from network activities.

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; a new process e.g. for manufacturing a product and new way of doing or organising 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. The programme gives priority to students working on topics identified by the AfricaLics network as important to the future of Africa. For more info on the main thematic areas addressed by AfricaLics, please see: https://www.africalics.org/thematic-areas/.

Scholars in the field may have a background in economics and/or other social sciences (e.g. Sociology, Political Science, Science and Technology Policy, Geography, History or Development Studies). Some work within the STEM (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) subjects or even manufacturing. All scholars, regardless of their disciplinary backgrounds look at one or more elements at the intersection between innovation and development. They work within a broad range of areas including energy and sustainable development/transformation, health, gender, 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 papers published in relevant journals including (but not only) the following: African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development; Innovation and Development; Research Policy; Journal of International Development; International Journal of Technology Learning, Innovation and Development; International Journal of Technology Management and Sustainable Development; Journal of Development Economics; Journal of Science and Technology Policy; Journal of Evolutionary Economics and Journal of Technological Forecasting and Social Change (see: https://www.africalics.org/innovation-and-development-studies-resources/).

On the AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme

Overall aim and organisation of the programme

The aim of the visiting fellowship programme and the scholarships is to help African PhD students working in the field of Innovation and Development to strengthen their academic/research qualifications; improve the quality of their dissertations and prepare for a career in innovation and development either within academia or outside (e.g. in the private sector or in government/policy making).

The visiting fellowship programme does this by increasing the mobility and level of exposure of the PhD students to international knowledge in the field of innovation and development. The programme forms part of the efforts by AfricaLics to contribute to the development of a vibrant research community in Africa in this emerging and highly multidisciplinary field. The Swedish Development Agency, Sida (Stockholm), has provided for the visiting scholarships as part of the project Enhancing research capacity on Innovation and Development in Africa through the African Network on Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems (AfricaLics) – Phase II since 2015 and will continue to support the online part of the VFP also in 2025.

The AfricaLics secretariat (hosted by the African Centre for Technology Studies) is responsible for the research capacity-building project. The AfricaLics Scientific Board provides advice on scientific matters and issues of strategic importance. The AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme 2025 is jointly organized by the AfricaLics secretariat and UJ’s DSI-NRF Trilateral Research Chair in Transformative Innovation, 4IR and Sustainable Development (‘UJ-TRCTI’) in South Africa with support from the AfricaLics and Globelics scholars based at other relevant African and international universities active in the field of Innovation and Development. Selection of mentors for the students in the 2025 cohort will be done in a way that ensures the best possible match with the successful PhD visiting fellows.

Eligibility and selection criteria

The scholarship option is open to PhD students from countries in Africa classified by the OECD/DAC as low and lower-middle-income countries whose studies – irrespective of sectoral discipline – focus on the relationship between innovation and economic, social or environmentally sustainable 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 strengthen research capacity in Innovation and Development in low-income countries in Africa.

Applicants must be enrolled as PhD students in a relevant programme at an African university and must have completed their first year of PhD studies by December 2024. A maximum of six visiting scholarships will be available in 2025, but the final number of accepted visiting fellows will depend on the in-depth assessment of applications and funding availability. The visiting scholarship is complementary to the studies of the PhD students at their home universities and applicants must already have secured basic funding for their PhD studies from other sources (e.g. African governments, other organisations, self-financing). In addition, students interested in the programme must commit to help fund-raising for the physical study visit to UJ e.g. through applications to their home university or to organisations such as Codesria, AERC, KIC NRF SA or WARA (see https://www.westafricanresearchassociation.org/fellowships/warc-travel-grant/), etc.

Study period and work plans

The visiting scholarship provides successful PhD students with the opportunity to engage in several online activities including a course on writing skills and a course on ‘How to write an Academic Journal Article’ and up to 5 paper presentation seminars during the study period which runs from 1^st February 2025 to 15^th December 2025. VFP participants will be offered the opportunity to apply for and participate in the AfricaLics PhD Academy 2025. Details regarding when and where the PhD Academy takes place will be provided early in 2025.

The study period at UJ is scheduled to take place from 1^st September to 30^th November 2025. It will expose students to an international research environment focusing on Innovation and Development studies, including transformative innovation processes and the 4IR. Students will do presentations of their project work and benefit from interaction with other visiting fellows and PhD students working on innovation and development issues scholars at UJ-TRCTI. The study visit will provide students with time off from duties in their home country to focus on consolidating and improving their research, analysing data collected from fieldwork and writing articles or chapters for their PhD thesis. If funding allows, we will organise for home supervisors and mentors to meet up with their students during a one-week VFP workshop in Johannesburg, where the focus will be on tools for better PhD supervision and alignment of views between students, home supervisors and mentors on the direction that the work of each PhD student should take.

During the fellowship period, each student will be “matched” with one or two scholars with competencies in the field in which the student is active, who will act as mentors for the PhD visiting fellows. In this way, the AfricaLics Visiting Fellowship Programme will help strengthen research capabilities in Innovation and Development drawing on internationally renowned scholars. The final selection of mentors depends on the topic and background of successful applicants.

Mentors for the 2025 cohort will be volunteers from the AfricaLics and Globelics network. Mentors are not formal supervisors, and full responsibility for the PhD study process remains with the PhD student and his/her supervisors from the university where the student is enrolled. Close interaction between the PhD student, home supervisor(s) and the mentors is required to ensure the study stay contributes constructively to the studies of the PhD student. Hence, trilateral meetings will be organised from the beginning of the scholarship period, and the students are expected to stay in touch with mentors through e-mail exchanges and share comments received from mentors with their home supervisors. Meetings will mostly take place online, but if funding allows at least one meeting will be a face-to-face meeting as home supervisors and mentors visit their students in Johannesburg for in-depth discussions on progress made by the PhD students and discussions on research and research capacity building in the field of Innovation and Development in Africa more generally.

Activities under the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Programme should form an integrated part of the PhD work plan for each applicant. The plans typically include various elements such as:

Initial theoretical studies/taught courses and fieldwork in the home country or country where the student is already enrolled as a PhD student (first year must have been concluded by December 2024).
Participation in online AfricaLics VFP courses and seminars (introduction seminar, writing courses, paper presentation seminars, and wrap-up activities).
Participation in online AfricaLics webinars (monthly events) which showcase research in the field of Innovation and Development.
Participation in exchange or mobility enhancing programmes – e.g. the three-month study visits to UJ to focus on writing up thesis or articles (subject to funding).
Participation in the 2025 AfricaLics PhD Academy (online or on-site, subject to funding). PhD candidates are responsible for applying for participation in the 2025 AfricaLics PhD academy. Students may also apply to participate in other PhD courses or academies such as e.g. those organised by our parent network, Globelics (see globelics.org).
Application for participation in future conferences: AfricaLics PhD visiting fellows are encouraged to work on and submit papers to upcoming relevant conferences such as e.g. the Globelics Conference 2025 and the AfricaLics Conference 2026. Participation in such events provides exposure to the wider AfricaLics/Globelics community, networking opportunities, and the possibility of finding collaborating partners for future research projects. AfricaLics PhD visiting fellows must apply for participation in such events on the same conditions as all others. AfricaLics may offer travel support to the extent that funding is available.
Return to home country and continue work on PhD dissertation to finalise and submit according to rules and regulations at the university where the student is enrolled.

The visiting fellows are encouraged to remain engaged with the AfricaLics network after the fellowship period through activities in the AfricaLics alumni network and participation in AfricaLics Conferences and other events.

Activities of the alumni network are advertised here: https://africalics.org/alumni-events/. Current and former participants in the AfricaLics VFP are listed on the AfricaLics website (see: https://africalics.org/vfp/.

Student Requirements and Application Form

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 December 2024
Have a background (BSc, MSc etc.) in 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).
Be working actively on a subject relevant to innovation and development as defined above.
Submit a brief application of one page/500 words explaining their background, motivation for applying and expected outcomes of participation in the AfricaLics PhD visiting fellowship programme

The following documents must be submitted with the brief application:

Brief outline of your current PhD project including PhD training plans (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 December 2024
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 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 and the study stay at UJ materialises, you will be asked to handle any visa issues that may be relevant yourself with support from the AfricaLics Secretariat and UJ. Collection of personal data will be kept at a minimum and information will be stored safely and will not be used for any other purposes.

Please use the application form when you submit your application. You can download the form through this link

Applications with all relevant attachments should be forwarded to visitingphd@africalics.org by 23.00hrs East Africa time on 7^th October 2024.

Applications not fulfilling the requirements above will not be considered, so please forward any questions you may have to visitingphd@africalics.org and you will be assisted.

Successful candidates will be notified by mid-December 2024 or early January 2025, following which they will be required to sign a study agreement form and – later in the process – deal with any issues related to visa issues for the study visit to South Africa. The final notification date will be communicated once the review process has commenced.

Visa

Successful PhD candidates are responsible for ensuring that their passport is valid for the time they will be staying in Johannesburg in South Africa and for dealing with any issues related to the legality of their stay in South Africa (letters of invitation will be forwarded). Details of how to apply for your visit visa in South Africa will be sent to successful candidates in due time.

Accommodation and workspace

If funding for the study visit to UJ is secured either by an individual participant in the 2025 VFP cohort or by the AfricaLics secretariat/network as part of collective fundraising efforts, the AfricaLics secretariat and staff at UJ will help organise accommodation for students during the study visit in Johannesburg. The accommodation will be near the business school campus of the University of Johannesburg where the students will have their working space.

Additional information on terms and conditions

Return flight costs from your nearest international airport (economy class) to Johannesburg may be covered by AfricaLics if collective fund-raising efforts for the study visit are successful. If collective fundraising is not successful; students themselves may fund the costs or apply for the funds from their university or other sources.
Visiting fellows on the AfricaLics VFP must take out a comprehensive health insurance for the study period. Costs may be reimbursed by the AfricaLics secretariat if funding allows.
Living costs during the study visit to UJ are normally covered through a stipend amounting to approximately $600 per month. This amount should cover all costs while in Johannesburg related to living expenses and travel around Johannesburg including to and from UJ campus. Students are encouraged to try to fund-raise for living costs while in Johannesburg themselves as we cannot guarantee that collective fundraising activities are successful.
Costs for participation in joint courses will be covered by AfricaLics. Mentoring will be organised on a voluntary basis unless fundraising for a nominal payment prove successful. Finally, the visit by home supervisors and mentors to Johannesburg (PhD VFP workshop 2025) will only be realised if additional fundraising is successful.
If AfricaLics agrees to fund the three-month study visit to Johannesburg, the scholarship will only cover costs related to the student’s visit. Any costs related to accompanying spouses, children or others will not be covered. The scholarship does not cover the costs of any additional travel in South Africa that the student may wish to undertake unless as part of selected and approved VFP activities.

Contact us

Questions regarding the AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowship Programme and the call should be forwarded to: visitingphd@africalics.org

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[1] The University of Johannesburg (UJ) is one of the largest contact universities in South Africa of the 26 public universities that make up the higher education system. UJ is a diverse, inclusive, transformational, and collegial institution, with a student population of over 50 000, of which more than 3000 are international students from 80 countries.