Applications for visiting fellows are encouraged by the Ghent University Association’s (GAP) Africa Platform. GAP, one of Ghent University’s six regional platforms, promotes and facilitates academic cooperation between the Ghent University Association and educational institutions in Africa. Each year, the Africa Platform welcomes five visiting research fellows. A minimum of two weeks must be spent at Ghent University or one of the affiliated University Colleges by award recipients.
The postdoctoral researchers (junior or senior lecturers and professors) who are connected to an African higher education or research institution are the target audience for the Africa Platform fellowships. The African institution and Ghent University must have a bilateral agreement or memorandum of understanding in place.
Two groups of countries will be considered. Only applicants who are linked with colleges in Cluster 1 nations may apply in 2023.
- Cluster 1: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mauretania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Tunisia, Western-Sahara;
- Cluster 2: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Benefits
The fellowships include a stipend of € 1000 plus one round-trip ticket for a minimum stay of two weeks, which is intended to pay for (or help defray the cost of) travel, lodging, and living expenses. This implies that additional financing will frequently be required; take note that we will only take into account new research funds; we will not take into account personal resources. The visiting scholars will receive an office and have access to resources (such the library) as a visiting scholar at Ghent University.
Requirements
- Open to African researchers
Selection Criteria and Procedures
The following criteria will be taken into account in the selection procedure:
- The candidate’s profile, such as CV and scientific achievements: 25%
- The motivation, feasibility and academic quality of the research plan: 25%
- Added value/sustainability (impact of the research stay on future departmental and institutional collaboration) – decisive criterion: 50%
- New types of collaboration will get priority, referring to new initiatives with a new scope – priority will therefore be given to candidates who have not had a chance to visit UGent over the last 12 months.
- Interdisciplinary forms of research will get priority.
Timeline
- Application deadline: 1 October 2023
- Selection results: end of October 2023
- Mobility period: January – December 2024
Documents Required for Application
- Personal information;
- A cover letter in which you indicate: the period of your visit, the research group you will be affiliated with, a motivation as to how your current and future research at your home university will benefit from a research stay at Ghent, and whether this visit concerns a new type of collaboration;
- A research plan (research objectives, methods and tools, a work plan for the intended visit, possible long-term cooperation plans, interdisciplinarity of the research, etc.);
- A budget;
- A list of your three most important publications;
- Your signature and the signature of the Ghent University promotor. This means that you should already have a Ghent University promotor at the application stage. If you do not at present have links with Ghent University, the online research directory can help you in your search for a promotor. You also need to submit a short motivation statement by the Ghent University promotor;
- A short CV (max 2 pages) and a proof of your PhD degree in annex to the application form.
Method of Application
Your application should be in English or French, the application form includes the following sections:
- Personal information;
- A cover letter in which you indicate: the period of your visit, the research group you will be affiliated with, a motivation as to how your current and future research at your home university will benefit from a research stay at Ghent, and whether this visit concerns a new type of collaboration;
- A research plan (research objectives, methods and tools, a work plan for the intended visit, possible long-term cooperation plans, interdisciplinarity of the research, etc.);
- A budget;
- A list of your three most important publications;
- Your signature and the signature of the Ghent University promotor. This means that you should already have a Ghent University promotor at the application stage. If you do not at present have links with Ghent University, the online research directory can help you in your search for a promotor. You also need to submit a short motivation statement by the Ghent University promotor;
- A short CV (max 2 pages) and a proof of your PhD degree in annex to the application form.
The application should be submitted by email to [email protected] in one PDF file, no later than 1 October 2023. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. Each individual can only obtain one grant.
For more information, visit Ghent University website
Application Deadline: October 1, 2023
