OWSD Postgraduate Fellowships for Developing Countries

Overview

Applications are being accepted for the OWSD Postgraduate Training Fellowships for Women Scientists from Sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) at Centres of Excellence in the South.

The OWSD fellowship is awarded to women scientists from Sub-Saharan Africa and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to pursue a PhD at a centre of excellence in the South in a field of the natural sciences.

Applications are accepted from female scientists in all branches of the natural sciences.

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 Ph.D., 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 Ph.D., 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 sciences. Each fellowship will be offered for three years and will cover travel expenses, a modest monthly living allowance, the amount of which will be determined in consultation with the host institution.

An applicant who wishes to register as a PhD student at her home institute can choose a 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

Applicants should select renowned institutes in developing countries, from outside their own country, and are encouraged to apply for postgraduate admission in advance.  To this purpose, it is recommended that applicants contact the chosen host institute(s) with the CV and short research proposal, mentioning that they are intending to apply for a OWSD fellowship. When submitting the application to OWSD, however, it is not obligatory that the applicant has either applied and/or obtained admission at the host institute.

In case of difficulty in selecting host institutes, OWSD can provide a list of centres of excellence in the South, compiled by TWAS. This information will be provided if the applicant informs OWSD of the precise field of proposed research (see next paragraph). 

For a list of Institutions in mathematics see for instance:

http://www.maths.wits.ac.za/sams/pmwiki.php?n=Main.Links

In addition, acceptance could be facilitated by selecting from one of the institutions that has an agreement of collaboration with OWSD:

• The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), China. For a full list of CAS institutes see english.cas.ac.cn/CASI;
• The Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GSCAAS), China,www.gscaas.net.cn/vacancy/index.htm;
• Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia, www.upm.edu.my. Departments/schools of natural sciences are eligible;
• Rhodes University, South Africa, www.ru.ac.za. Departments/schools of natural sciences are eligible;
• University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa, www.uct.ac.za. Departments/schools of natural sciences are eligible;
• i-Themba Labs, South Africa, www.tlabs.ac.za. i-Themba Labs specialize in materials science, applied medical science, biotechnology, biophysics, radiobiology, radiophysics, radiopharmaceutics, accelerators based sciences, nuclear sciences and nanosciences. 

Eligibility

The fellowships are open to qualified young women science graduates (generally below 40 years of age) from countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and/or LDCs.

The minimum qualification of applicants is an M.Sc. degree (or equivalent), or an outstanding B.Sc. honours degree, in the natural sciences.

Important: Following recent discussions with donors, earlier restrictions that limited eligible research projects to those in the basic sciences have been dropped. Therefore, applications can now be accepted from female scientists in all branches of the natural sciences.

Applicants already on site in the host country will not be considered eligible.

The host institute where the applicant wishes to pursue her doctorate degree must be in a developing country other than her own.

The applicant must be willing to return to her own country after completion of the fellowship.

List of Least Developed Countries (LDC)

Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros Islands, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Yemen and Zambia.

Note: Sub-Saharan African countries that are not in the list are eligible under the programme. 

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. 

Application

Applicants should complete all parts of the application form, and enclose copies of all university degree certificates, and the university-issued transcripts, which should include grades, courses taken, etc.

If the applicant has already gained admission at an institution of excellence in the South (i.e., in a developing country), a copy of the letter of acceptance from the institution must be enclosed.

If the applicant is registered for a doctorate degree at an institution in her home country, and wishes to pursue part of her research at another institution under a "sandwich programme", a letter of recommendation from the home institute supervisor must be enclosed.

Two referee letters from senior scientists familiar with the applicant's studies must be enclosed with the application in sealed envelopes OR must be sent by email to info@owsdw.org. The subject line of the email must contain: OWSD/PG/candidate’s surname. Only signed reference letters can be accepted.

Applications must be clearly typewritten in English and completed in all parts; OWSD will not process incomplete and/or illegible applications. OWSD will inform the applicant as soon as the application is processed. 

The application form is available as a MS Word document.

• Application Form (MS Word version)

• Sample research outline

Deadline for submission of applications is 31 July 2012

http://owsdw.ictp.it/



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