Call for applications: Short-term MSc, short-term PhD, traineeship and staff mobility scholarships CREATE-GreenAfricaproject

 Date of release of the Call: 16^st June 2026

Deadline for submission of application: 30^th July 2026

Background of the Project

The 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 University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM, Tanzania) who is the coordinating institution, Mekelle University (MU, Ethiopia), Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU, Zimbabwe), University of Free State (UFS, South Africa), University of Ghana (UG, Ghana), Port Harcourt (UNIPORT, Nigeria) and European Technical Partner University of Southern Denmark (SDU, Denmark). The project aims to strengthen climate-oriented skills, academic qualifications, , research excellence, innovation, and institutional collaboration across Africa through academic mobility, research exchange, and shared learning experiences. CREATE-GreenAfrica seeks to advance the knowledge, technical competencies, and research capacity of students, trainees, and staff in climate change adaptation and mitigation. The programme further promotes inclusive participation by encouraging the involvement of women, girls, and disadvantaged or vulnerable groups across the African continent in general and the consortium in particular.

A total of 37 master’s and 15 PhD candidates will be trained between 2024 to 2027 in the following thematic areas:

1. Environmental Sustainability (impact assessment, adaptation and mitigation of climate variability and change),
2. Climate/weather related processes at the local and global levels for proper forecast, prediction and early warning,

• iii) Resilience of food production systems to climate change and variability impacts,

1. iv) Gender-climate-food system nexus, policies and institutions related to climate and development,
2. Climate change and water resources,
3. Collective action, and natural resource management and ecosystem based adaptation to climate change.

The project has provided scholarships for full degree programs as well as short-term credit-seeking mobility for students. The project has supported researchers undertaking researcher that contributed to the overarching CREATE-GreenAfrica research objectives, which cover broad areas of climate change and adaptation.

This call for application targets 3 PhD students, 7 MSc students, 10 Traineeship, and 10 Staff mobility from consortium member universities to be hosted across the partner African Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The duration of the scholarships under the program is six months for short-term PhD students, four months for short-term MSc students, three months for traineeships, and three months for staff mobility participants. The program further emphasizes that staff mobility beneficiaries are expected to establish professional and institutional networks that will sustain collaboration beyond the period of EU financial support.

Successful student will be expected to undertake research, industrial linkage and capacity building contributing to the project objectives. The students will undertake high-level research that will produce journal, conference papers and innovations where possible.  PhD and MSc student exchange program participants are expected to present a clearly defined research and academic work plan prior to the commencement of their mobility period. The proposed research activities, coursework, and academic objectives must be reviewed and formally approved by the designated supervisors and relevant academic units at the host universities before travel schedules and mobility arrangements are finalized and approved. This requirement is intended to ensure academic relevance, proper supervision, alignment with institutional priorities, and effective utilization of the exchange opportunity.

Staff mobility participants are expected to establish sustained institutional partnerships as part of the project goals, particularly in relation to curriculum harmonization, credit transfer systems, joint research and academic initiatives, and the promotion of free labor mobility, as outlined in the project objectives and the EU–AUC Joint Action Plans for the African Higher Education agenda. Staff mobility is also intended to promote experience sharing among participating institutions, joint supervision of postgraduate students, and collaborative continental level training initiatives that support the development of a harmonized accreditation framework and eventual single accreditation processes across African higher education institutions.

Staff exchange initiatives are expected to contribute significantly to the realization of the strategic goals of the European Union and the African Union by strengthening cooperation among higher education institutions across Africa. Such collaborations are intended to support the broader continental agenda, including the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which requires the free movement of skilled professionals, academic integration, and strengthened institutional cooperation throughout the continent.

The scholarship distribution for each host university is as follows:

The student and traineeship mobility project aims at:

1. Producing high-level professionals through academic mobility across Africa who 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 on the continent through developing and disseminating knowledge innovation schemes

Eligibility

These scholarships are open to only students and staff from consortium member university which are classified as TG1 group. Students and staff participating in the program must be actively enrolled or employed at consortium member universities at the time of application and throughout the mobility period. Applicants must also confirm that they are not concurrently benefiting from any other European Union-supported mobility or scholarship programs during the same period.

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

Criteria for the selection of students for a scholarship

Short-Term PhD (Credit-Seeking) Applicants – University of the Free State (UFS) as the Host Institution

Applicants for the short-term PhD mobility scholarship at the University of the Free State (UFS) must meet the following requirements:

• be registered for a PhD degree at a consortium member university or another eligible African Higher Education Institution (HEI);
• demonstrate satisfactory academic and research progress;
• submit evidence of advanced PhD research aligned with the CREATE-GreenAfrica thematic areas, particularly in agronomy, soil science, agrometeorology, or other climate-resilient agricultural systems;
• provide recommendation letters from supervisors or host departments;
• demonstrate that the proposed mobility period will contribute to the successful completion of their doctoral research and training;
• be willing to undertake mobility at a host institution outside their home country in accordance with the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme regulations;
• demonstrate proficiency in English, the language of instruction within the consortium;
• Priority will be given to final-year PhD students at an advanced stage of their research and dissertation development;
• hold an MSc degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, or a related interdisciplinary agricultural field;
• demonstrate the relevance of the proposed research to climate change adaptation, sustainable agriculture, or environmental sustainability;
• show evidence of strong academic and research competence relevant to the proposed mobility activities.

Selection and Scholarship Administration Process for CREATE-GreenAfrica Mobility Beneficiaries

The following seven 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 and authenticity of academic documents).
4. Communication of results by the coordinator to the applicants, scholarship awardees, and host institutions.
5. Review, if there is any, appeal regarding the selection process.
6. Signing of the contracts between 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.

The awarded candidates will be required to bear air ticket cost to the hosting institution. The student/staff will be paid the scholarship funds after arriving and completing the procedure for the scholarship in the hosting university.

What does the scholarship cater for?

The scholarship includes a subsistence allowance of 1,230 € per month for PhD. candidates, 890 € per month for MSc. candidates, 1,230 € per month for Traineeship candidates, 2,370 € per month for Staff Mobility. This will cover research cost, flight cost and local transport, travel insurance, subsistence and accommodation.

Insurance: During the study, health insurance will be provided for the duration of the Scholarship within the limits of the grant provisions in line with the MoU signed by the partner institutions and the EU.

How to apply

All interested applicants should download the application form, fill it out, and together with certificates and transcripts of results and other required documents, submit it through the email:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. copied to contact person of the host university.

Awarded scholarship candidates will be notified by the coordinating university as soon as the selection committee selects the candidates and notify the commencement of the start of the scholarship. Program started with close consultations and discussions between host institutions and candidates. All program participants are expected to submit program reports to the host and coordinating institutions before completion of the program.

Inquiries: For more information on the CREATE-GreenAfrica project, contact focal persons in each of the partner universities below:

PLEASE NOTE

Visit create-greenafrica.udsm.ac.tz to download the scholarship application form

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

1. University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
2. Mekelle University, Ethiopia
3. University of the Free State, South Africa
4. University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria
5. University of Ghana, Ghana
6. Zimbabwe Open University, Zimbabwe.

 More information can be found at https://create-greenafrica.udsm.ac.tz/scholarships/call-for-scholarship

Please click here to download the scholarship application form.

ISSUED ON 16^TH JUNE 2026