Call for applications – 2023 Africa Platform of Ghent University Association(Short Stay Research Fellowships)

The Africa Platform of Ghent University Association (GAP) welcomes applications for visiting fellows. As one of the six regional platforms at Ghent University, GAP facilitates and fosters academic collaboration between Ghent University Association and academic institutions in Africa. The Africa Platform hosts five visiting research fellows every year. Awardees will spend a minimum period of two weeks at Ghent University or one of the associated University Colleges.

Short Stay Research Fellowships

The Africa Platform fellowships are aimed at postdoctoral researchers (junior or senior lecturers and professors) who are affiliated with an African higher education or research institution. A bilateral agreement or memorandum of understanding needs to be in place between Ghent University and the African institution. An overview of agreements and MoUs can be found here: https://www.africaplatform.ugent.be/partners. With any questions in this regard, please contact Annelies.Verdoolaege@UGent.be.

Two clusters of countries will be taken into account. In 2023, only candidates affiliated to universities in Cluster 1 countries can apply.

• 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.

The fellowships consist of a grant of € 1000 + one return flight ticket, for a minimum stay of two weeks, which is meant to cover (or contribute towards) travel and accommodation costs and living expenses. This means that additional funding will need to be found in many cases – note that we will only consider additional research funding, not personal resources. The visiting scholars will be given an office space and access to facilities (such as the library) as a Ghent University visiting scholar.

The fellowships can be taken up at any time in 2024. Awardees are expected to be present at Ghent University and to take part in the academic activities of the research unit. Visiting scholars will give at least one lecture or seminar to fellow researchers and students. For this reason, awardees are required to have an excellent command of English or French.

Five fellowships will be awarded in 2023.

How to apply

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 Annelies.Verdoolaege@UGent.be 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.

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.

A selection committee with representatives from different faculties will review the applications.

Ghent University conducts an active policy for diversity and equal opportunities and encourages everybody to apply. The selection committee will also strive for a balance in:

• Home institutions (from Africa)
• Ghent University faculties involved
• Senior candidates and junior candidates
• Gender

Timeline

• Application deadline: 1 October 2023
• Selection results: end of October 2023
• Mobility period: January – December 2024

Reporting

At the end of the stay the researcher’s supervisor will be asked  to fill in a very brief evaluation form to indicate the output of the research stay and draw lessons for the future.

Practical matters

The Africa Platform will assist awardees with practical arrangements such as insurance, visa and application for housing at the university residences.

Ghent University issues a visitor’s pass to foreign visitors who spend a short stay (= no more than 90 days) under the supervision of a Ghent University promoter. Each visitor´s pass automatically grants access to the Ghent University Sports Centre and the student restaurants.