Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Guest Scholarship Programme for post-doctoral research in Sweden

The programme aims at strengthening and developing research relevant to capacity building and fighting poverty in programme countries. An estimated 20 scholarships will be offered for the academic year 2014/2015.

The scholarship application call for the academic year 2014/2015 is now open. Application deadline is 24:00 CET, Wednesday, 15 January 2014.

Countries


The programme is targeted at candidates from the following countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Target group


The programme provides researchers with a PhD degree with an opportunity to conduct research at Swedish universities and research institutes. Priority will be given to applicants with a PhD degree from 2009 or later.

Duration of scholarship


The scholarships will be granted for long-term visits (6, 9 or 12 months) during the academic year 2014/2015 (1 September 2014 to 31 August 2015).

Fields of research


The following disciplines only are eligible during this call for applications:
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Natural Sciences
  • Technology
  • Environmental Science related to Agricultural Sciences or Natural Sciences or Technology
The next call for applications for the academic year 2015/2016 will be open for the following disciplines only:
  • Business and Social Sciences
  • Health and Medicine
  • Environmental Science related to Social Sciences

Scholarship benefits


The scholarship amounts to SEK 18,000 per month. The scholarship includes one travel grant of SEK 15,000 and insurance coverage. The scholarship cannot be prolonged or extended.

SI Network for Future Global Leaders


All Swedish Institute scholarship holders are invited to become members of the SI Network for Future Global Leaders; a network which offers unique opportunities during and after the stay in Sweden. Together with other talented people from all around the world, the scholarship holder is invited to take part in a variety of events, exchange ideas and create networks which benefit both career and personal development.

Who is eligible?


The scholarships are intended for holders of a PhD degree within any of the above-mentioned disciplines eligible for 2014/2015 for full-time research in Sweden. The applicant is not eligible for this scholarship if any of the following is true:
  • Has already lived in Sweden for two or more years when the scholarship period is due to begin.
  • Already has a Swedish permanent residence permit.
Applicants who have previously been awarded a scholarship from SI for study or research at a Swedish university will not be given priority.

Selection criteria and areas of priority


Applications are evaluated by the Swedish Institute and an academic board. The primary evaluation of the application takes into account the applicant’s academic background and personal motivation, research quality and expertise in the project field of the host department. Also the strength of the research proposal with regard to its scientific quality, originality, methodological approach, and relevance is evaluated. In the final selection of candidates SI will consider the distribution of scholarships with regards to academic fields, universities, purpose of study, nationality and gender.

The application should clearly state how your research project can contribute to the development in your country.

Insurance


Scholarship holders are insured by the Swedish State Group Insurance against illness and accident during the scholarship period.

Scholarship limitations

  • The scholarship is designed to cover living costs for the scholarship holder. There are no grants for family members. No funding for bench fees is provided.
  • The granted scholarship period cannot be altered or extended. In case of a postponed arrival date, the scholarship period can be decreased accordingly.

How to apply


Please read the application instructions here.

Application deadline


The scholarship application call for the academic year 2014/2015 is now open. Application deadline is 24:00 CET, Wednesday, 15 January 2014.

Monday, December 2, 2013

Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund 2014 Research Fellowships: Call for Applications

Closing date for applications: February 28th 2014

The Biosciences eastern and central Africa - International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, located in Nairobi, Kenya, is a shared agricultural research and biosciences platform that exists to increase access for African researchers to affordable, world-class research facilities. In addition, the BecA-ILRI Hub provides research-related services and capacity building opportunities to eastern and central Africa and beyond. 
The Africa Biosciences Challenge Fund (ABCF), managed by the BecA-ILRI Hub, provides fellowships to scientists and graduate students from African national agricultural research organisations and universities to undertake biosciences research-for-development projects at the BecA-ILRI Hub. The purpose of the ABCF fellowship program is to develop capacity for agricultural biosciences research in Africa, to support research projects that ultimately contribute towards increasing food and nutritional security or food safety in Africa, and to facilitate access to the BecA-ILRI Hub by African researchers.
 We seek applicants with innovative ideas for short to medium term research projects (up to 12 months) that can be undertaken at the BecA-ILRI Hub. Projects must be in the areas of food and nutritional security or food safety in Africa. 
Scientists and graduate students conducting research in the following areas are particularly encouraged to apply:
  • Improved control of priority livestock diseases including African swine fever (ASF); contagious bovine and caprine pleuropneumonia (CBPP and CCPP); peste des petits ruminants (PPR); Rift Valley fever (RVF); East Coast fever (ECF); capripox virus diseases of ruminants;
  • Harnessing genetic diversity for conservation, resistance to disease and improving productivity of crops and livestock (livestock focus: African indigenous breeds, particularly of goats, chickens, and cavies and other micro-livestock);
  • Molecular breeding for important food security crops in Africa;
  • Plant transformation to address food insecurity in Africa;
  • Plant-microbe interactions;
  • Tissue culture and virus indexing for production of virus-free planting materials in Africa;
  • Orphan crops including amaranth, baobab, taro, wild mushrooms, enset;
  • Crop pests, pathogens and weed management research, including biological control;
  • Food safety, including addressing aflatoxin and other mycotoxin contamination in food and feeds;
  • Nutritional analysis of food and feeds;
  • Rapid diagnostics for crop and livestock diseases;
  • Genomics and metagenomics, including for microbial discovery;
  • Studies on climate-smart forage grasses and mixed livestock-crop systems;
  • Microbial technology for improving adaptation of staple food crops and grasses to biotic and abiotic stresses;
  • Soil health in agricultural systems;
  • Special opportunities also exist to connect with leading international scientists linked with the BecA-ILRI Hub in the following areas: wheat rusts, insect pests, nitrogen fixation. (For these opportunities please apply by Dec 31st 2013)
  • Other special opportunities exist to connect with CGIAR Research Programs on Livestock & Fish and Agriculture for Nutrition & Health to explore how their proposed research might fit into the on-going efforts to improve pro-poor food systems in Tanzania (smallholder dairy), Uganda (smallholder pigs), Egypt (aquaculture) and Ethiopia (small ruminants). Such collaboration would allow the candidate’s research to contribute more directly to an impact-oriented research-for-development agenda, and offer additional opportunities for joint activities. For more information, please contact: Dr. Amos Omore a.omore at cgiar dot org (Tanzania dairy); Dr. Danilo Pezo d.pezo at cgiar dot org (Uganda pigs); Dr. Malcolm Dickson m.dickson at cgiar dot org (Egypt aquaculture); Dr. Barbara Rischkowsky b.rischkowsky at cgiar dot org (Ethiopia small ruminants).
 We particularly welcome applications from women candidates. 
 Applicant requirements
  • National (passport holder) of a BecA-ILRI Hub target country: Burundi, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda. In exceptional cases we may consider applicants from other African countries.
  • A researcher at a national agricultural research organization or university in a BecA-ILRI Hub target country
  • Currently engaged in research in food and nutritional security or food safety in Africa, or in a research area with relevance to agriculture in Africa
  • MSc or PhD in biosciences, agriculture or related subject. In exceptional cases we may consider applicants with a bachelor’s degree.
  • Good working knowledge of written and spoken English
  • Completed online application form
  • A signed letter of approval for your application from the head of your institute.
Costs covered by the fellowship 
  • Research at the BecA-ILRI Hub
  • Travel
  • Medical insurance
  • Accommodation
  • Living allowance
Please note that fellowships do not cover the cost of fieldwork or research at the applicant’s home institute.
Timeline
  • Closing date for applications: February 28th 2014.
  • We will begin to notify early applicants from Dec 1st 2013. The notification process will be completed byApril 30th 2014.
  • Implementation of projects: from January 2014
CLICK HERE TO APPLY ONLINE: https://beca.fluidreview.com 
 The ABCF Research Fellowship programme is supported by the Australian Government through a partnership between Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the BecA-ILRI Hub; and by the Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture (SFSA), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), and the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida).
Thank you in advance for considering this opportunity. We look forward to hearing from you.
Email: Beca-Hub at cgiar dot org 
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION GUIDELINES HERE:
Attachments: Download this file (Application Guidelines.pdf)Application Guidelines.pdf[ ]129 Kb