CALL FOR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS

Climate Research and Education to Advancing Green Development in Africa (CREATE-GreenAfrica)

 Date of release of the Call: 24th July 2024

Deadline for submission of application: 6th September 2024

 Background of the Project

studentsThe European Union (EU), under its Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, has provided funding to support the training of graduate students in African universities under the “Climate Research and Education to Advancing Green Development in Africa (CREATE-GreenAfrica)” project. The project is a mobility programme comprising six African Partner Institutions and one EU Technical Partner. The CREATE-GreenAfrica consortium includes the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM, Tanzania) as the coordinating institution, Mekelle University (MU, Ethiopia), Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU, Zimbabwe), University of Free State (UFS, South Africa), University of Ghana (UG, Ghana), University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT, Nigeria) and European Technical Partner University of Southern Denmark (SDU, Denmark). This project aims to increase climate-oriented skills and qualifications across the African continent through mobility and experience sharing. CREATE-GreenAfrica will significantly contribute to advancing the knowledge and skills of students, trainees, consortium staff and other non-consortium members on climate change adaptation and mitigation by ensuring the participation of women and girls, and the disadvantaged groups in the African continent in general and the consortium in particular.

A total of 35 Masters and 12 PhDs will be trained from 2024 to 2028 in the thematic areas of i) Environmental Sustainability (impact assessment, adaptation and mitigations of climate variability and change), ii) Climate/weather related processes at local and global level for proper forecast, prediction and early warning, iii) Resilience of food production systems to climate change and variability impacts, iv) Gender-climate-food system nexus, policies and institutions related to climate and development, v) Climate change and water resources, vi) Collective action, and natural resource management and Ecosystem based adaptation to climate change. The project will provide scholarships for full degree programs and short-term credit-seeking mobility for students.

The project will support researchers who will be expected to undertake research that contributes to the overarching CREATE-GreenAfrica research objectives, which cover broad areas of climate change and adaptation. This call for application targets 6 full-time PhD (degree seeking), 6 short-term PhD (credit seeking), 6 full-time M.Sc (degree seeking) and 6 short-term M.Sc (credit seeking) programs from Africa to be hosted across the partner African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Successful candidates are expected to undertake research contributing to the project objectives. The students will undertake high-level research that will result in journal articles, conference papers and innovations. The duration of the study is 24 months for full time M.Sc students, 4 months for short-term M.Sc students, 36 months for full time PhD students and 6 months for short term PhD students.

The mobility project aims at:

  1. Producing high-level professionals through academic mobility across Africa that deal with climate change adaptation and mitigation, and other livelihood and environment related issues.
  2. Conducting problem-solving action research activities in climate change adaptation and mitigation and other related environmental issues.
  3. Building the capacity of students/trainees through attachment with climate-smart organizations engaged in private and public businesses using traineeship programs.
  4. Strengthening the partner institutions’ working relationship and capacity to advance climate action in the continent through the development and dissemination of knowledge innovation schemes.

Eligibility

The scholarships are open to all qualified African candidates residing in Africa at the time of application to be trained in the host institutions for respective programs in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa.

Note: Applicants are only allowed to apply to study in an institution outside of their home country. Female and disadvantaged/vulnerable candidates are encouraged to apply. All applications will be handled confidentially.

Criteria for selection of students for scholarship

The following eight steps will be used in the selection process of students to benefit from the CREATE-GreenAfrica project:

  1. The coordinating institution will receive applications and forward them to the target host university, which will subsequently shortlist the candidates.
  2. The coordinator will receive the compilation of shortlisted candidates from the host institution.
  3. The CREATE-GreenAfrica selection committee will review the shortlisted candidates and carry out the selection of candidates to receive scholarships (based on eligibility, authenticity of academic documents and qualification for admission by the target host university).
  4. Communication of results by the coordinator to the applicants, scholarship awardees and host institutions.
  5. Create-GreenAfrica selection committee may go further review, if there is any, appeal regarding the selection process.
  6. Signing of the contracts between the CREATE-GreenAfrica and the scholarship beneficiaries and subsequent sending of the signed contracts to the host universities.
  7. The hosting university will facilitate the travel and settling in/out of the awardees to/from the respective university and subsequently assign an academic mentor to assist them in successfully completing their study.
  8. The awarded candidates will be required to bear the air ticket cost to the hosting institution and will be reimbursed the air ticket cost and any direct cost they incur during the admission process after arrival to the hosting institution.

Table 1: Academic Programs, Host Universities, Countries and Number of Scholarships for PhD and M.Sc scholarships

for Academic Year 2025/2026

A

 

 PhD SCHOLARSHIP POSITIONS

 

PhD Programs

Requirements for the award

University

County

No

1

1.      Natural Resources Assessment and Management (NARAM)

  1. Climate Change and Sustainable Development

 M.Sc./MA equivalent related to the programs selected.

University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania

1 Full time

1 Short term

2

  1. Climate and Food Systems
  2. Climate and Forest Resources
  3. Meteorology and Climate Science
  4. Climate change and Rural Development

M.Sc. or MA in meteorology, geography, Climate change adaptation and mitigation, Natural resources, agriculture, forestry, environmental study and related fields

Mekelle University

Ethiopia

1 Full time

1 Short term

3

  1. Water resources management
  2. Climate change and adaptation

- M.Sc. /MPhil degree in the last 3 years in areas related to hydrology, hydrological modeling and water resources management 

Zimbabwe Open University

Zimbabwe

1 Full time

1 Short term

4

  1. Climate Change and Sustainable Development
  2. Development Studies
  3. Migration Studies

M.Sc. /MPhil/MA or an equivalent related to or with relevance to any of the courses

University of Ghana

Ghana

1 Full time

1 Short term

5

  1. Resource and Environmental Economics
  2. Forest Economics and Management
  3. Agricultural Finance & Project Analysis.
  4. Natural Resource and Environmental Management (Transdisciplinary) with options in:
  • Impact Assessment and Remediation
  • Bioresources Development and Conservation
  • Coastal Zone Management and Climate Change (Transdisciplinary)

M.Sc./MA equivalent related to the programs selected from a recognized University with at least a CGPA of 3.00 on a 5-point scale or 2.40 on a 4-point scale.

University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria

1 Full time

1 Short term

6

  1. Agronomy
  2. Agronomy Interdisciplinary

M.Sc or and equivalent NQF Exit Level 10 qualification in the specific subject field or discipline over a considerable period of time.

University of the Free State (UFS)

South Africa

1 Full time

1 Short term

B

 

M.Sc. SCHOLARSHIP POSITIONS

 

M.Sc. Programs

Requirements for the award

University

County

No

1

1.      Natural Resources Assessment and Management (NARAM) 

2.      Climate Change and Sustainable Development 

3.      Marine sciences

B.Sc./ BA equivalent or related to the programs selected.

University of Dar es Salaam

Tanzania

1 Full time

1 Short term

2

  1. Climate and Society
  2. Meteorology and Climate Risk Management

B.Sc. or BA in meteorology, geography, Climate change adaptation and mitigation, natural resources, risk management, Rural development, community development, International development studies, agriculture, environmental study and related fields.

Mekelle University

Ethiopia

1 Full time

1 Short term

3

  1. Climate change and adaptation
  2. Water resources management

BSc in agronomy/crop science/soil science/geography

Zimbabwe Open University

Zimbabwe

1 Full time

1 Short term

4

  1. Climate Change and Sustainable Development
  2. Development Studies
  3. Migration Studies
  4. Sustainability Science

 Candidates should have a relevant undergraduate or equivalent related to the programs selected.

University of Ghana

Ghana

1 Full time

1 Short term

5

  1. Resource and Environmental Economics
  2. Forest Economics and Management
  3. Natural Resource and Environmental   Management (NREM) (Transdisciplinary)

4.      Environmental Pollution Studies (EPS) (Transdisciplinary)

B.Sc./ BA equivalent or related to the programs selected from a recognized University with at least a CGPA of 3.00 on a 5-point scale or 2.40 on a 4-point scale.

University of Port Harcourt

Nigeria

1 Full time

1 Short term

6

1.      Agronomy

2.      Agronomy Interdisciplinary

Students must have a four year B.Sc Degree in Agronomy, Soil Science and Agrometeorology or an equivalent

Honours Degree in Agronomy, Soil Science and Agrometeorology.

University of the Free State (UFS)

South Africa

1 Full time

1 Short term

 

What does the scholarship cater for?

The scholarship includes a subsistence allowance of 1230 € per month for PhD candidates and 890 € for M.Sc. candidates. This will cover research cost, travel, travel insurance, subsistence and accommodation.

Insurance: During the study, insurance coverage (accident, travel, health) will be provided for the duration of the Scholarship within the limits of the grant provisions.

Tuition fees and research contribution: The Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scholarship Scheme, CREATE-GreenAfrica will cover costs such as tuition fee, Application fee, Student Union, Registration, Caution Money, Student ID and Quality assurance fee in line with the MOU signed by the partner institutions and with EU.

How to apply

All interested applicants should download the application form, fill it and together with certificates and transcripts of results and other required documents and submit through email. The application for scholarship should be sent to the project coordinating office (email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Admission criteria and procedure can be found at the hosting university website and scholarship application form is available at https://create-greenafrica.udsm.ac.tz/scholarships/application-for-scholarships. In order to facilitate and fasten the mobility process, each applicant is advised to apply concurrently to the host University for admission. Admission process varies between hosting universities during scholarship application.

 

Scholarship Applicants for the University of Dar Es Salaam

Admission letter is required when applying to the scholarship to the University of Dar es Salaam. Please submit scholarship admission form, admission letter or proof that you have applied for admission to the University of Dar es Salaam and other required documents in a single file.

To apply for admission to the postgraduate program of the University of Dar es Salaam, please use the link:

https://admission.udsm.ac.tz/

There is no application fee for international students during application of admission to the postgraduate program at the University of Dar es Salaam. Application fee will be paid with the direct cost during registration process.

The awarded students will be reimbursed the direct cost and all cost paid during the registration process together with other scholarship benefits.

 

Scholarship Applicants for the University of Ghana

Admission letter is required when applying to the scholarship to the University of Ghana.

Please submit all required information together with admission letter or proof that you have applied for admission to the University of Ghana and other required documents in a single file.

To apply for admission to the postgraduate program of the University of Ghana, please use the link:

https://admissions.ug.edu.gh/graduate-admissions/how-to-apply

The awarded students will be reimbursed the application fee together with other scholarship benefits.

 

Scholarship Applicants for the University of the Free State, Mekelle University, Zimbabwe Open University and the University of Port Harcourt

The scholarship application to these universities does not require admission letter. Students who apply for scholarships to these universities will be required to apply for admission after receiving the scholarship award.

 

Please click here to download Call for Scholarship Advert

Please click here to download the scholarship application form.

 

PLEASE NOTE

The deadline for admission varies for each university.

Visit this page https://create-greenafrica.udsm.ac.tz/admission for admission information for each partner university.

 

TG1: These are students from the institutions of the hosting institutions which are:

  1. University of Dar es Salaam
  2. Mekelle University
  3. University of the Free State
  4. University of Port Harcourt
  5. University of Ghana
  6. Zimbabwe Open University.

TG2: These are students expected to come from other universities outside the hosting institutions and from sub-Saharan Africa non-partner university country such which are:

  1. Democratic Republic Congo
  2. Eritrea
  3. Kenya
  4. Somalia
  5. Sudan
  6. Guinea
  7. Benin
  8. Senegal
  9. Chad
  10. Burkina Faso
  11. Zambia
  12. Botswana
  13. Mozambique

 

ISSUED ON 24TH JULY 2024