AfricaLics is inviting suitable PhD student candidates from universities in African countries to apply for participation in the AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship Programme (2026 cohort) focused on research in Innovation and Development (I&D).
The VFP was established in 2015, and since then, a total of 45 African PhD students from low and lower-middle-income countries have participated in the programme, obtaining training and mentorship support.
Successful candidates for the 2026 cohort will participate in a fellowship programme combining online pre- and post-activities with a study period of 3 months at the University of Johannesburg (UJ)in South Africa.
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The 2026 VFP cohort activities will kick off with a range of online activities starting in the first half of February 2026. The study visit at UJ is scheduled for 1st September to 30th November 2026 and will be followed up by various additional online activities in December 2026 and in early 2027. After engagement in the programme, students are offered the opportunity to continue engaging with the AfricaLics community, through participation in AfricaLics Alumni activities, AfricaLics research conferences, our webinar series, and activities organised by national chapters of AfricaLics in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso.
The aim of the AfricaLics VFP and the scholarships is to help African PhD students working in the field of Innovation and Development to strengthen their academic/research qualifications; improve the quality of their dissertations and prepare for a career in innovation and development either within academia or outside (e.g. in the private sector or in government/policy making).
Name of Organizer
AfricaLics (African Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation, and Competence Building Systems), in partnership with the University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa.
Requirements/ Eligibility Criteria
- The scholarship option is open to PhD students from countries in Africa classified by the OECD/DAC as low and lower-middle-income countries whose studies – irrespective of sectoral discipline – focus on the relationship between innovation and economic, social or environmentally sustainable development. Female PhD students are particularly encouraged to apply as AfricaLics endeavours to contribute to increasing the currently low number of female scholars in Innovation and Development research studies in Africa.
- Likewise, PhD students from low-income countries are particularly encouraged to apply because AfricaLics endeavors to strengthen research capacity in Innovation and Development in low-income countries in Africa.
- Applicants must be enrolled as PhD students in a relevant programme at an African university and should preferably have completed their first year of PhD studies by December 2025.
- The final number of accepted visiting fellows will depend on the in-depth assessment of the quality and relevance of applications, funding available and possibilities to secure relevant mentors that matches the topics of PhD candidates applying for the fellowship.
- The visiting scholarship is complementary to the studies of the PhD students at their home universities, and applicants must already have secured basic funding for their PhD studies from other sources (e.g. African governments, other organisations, self-financing).
Deadline
15th November,2025.
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Apply for the AfricaLics Visiting PhD Fellowships 2026 – fully funded opportunities for young African PhD students in Innovation and Development. Includes accommodation, stipend, mentorship, and study at University of Johannesburg. Apply before 15th November 2025.
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