PhD Training Opportunities under the RUFORUM

Announcement
PhD Training Opportunities under the RUFORUM
http://www.ruforum.org/documents/graduate-scholarship-announcement-call-id-dlgfp08

Graduate Teaching Assistantship Program
Over the years, universities in Africa have sought opportunities to send their staff for post-graduate training abroad in a bid to strengthen research and training, at very high costs. The loss of faculty for 4 to 5 years has negatively affected universities. In order to meet the growing demand for Doctoral level scientists in Africa, the Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) programme was initiated by RUFORUM Vice Chancellors1to improve the quality of higher education at African Universities by increasing the proportion of academic staff with PhD qualifications, contributing to locally relevant research and reducing the time away from the home institution. The initiative was officially launched by the African Union Commissioner for Human Resource, Science and Technology, H.E. Dr Martial De Paul Ikounga on 25th July 2014 at Maputo, Mozambique during the RUFORUM Fourth Biennial Conference.
The specific objectives of the GTA are to:
1. Improve the quality of higher education and increase the pool of PhD-level trained academic staff in African universities;
2. Provide opportunities for the doctoral research to contribute more directly to African development
3. Strengthen inter- university collaboration in the field of higher education in Africa; and
4. Promote staff mobility among RUFORUM member universities, and across Africa.
The RUFORUM Secretariat announces the availability of 63 PhD training opportunities under the GTA for the academic year beginning May, 2015. Potential applicants who are teaching staff at RUFORUM Member Universities are invited to submit applications to the RUFORUM Secretariat through a two-step process. Specific criteria for each step are indicated below.
„h Step 1: Based on the list of available GTA¡¦s (See Table 1), identify and apply directly to University for the relevant program of choice to obtain admission into the program.
„h Step 2: Apply to the RUFORUM Secretariat for the GTA.

Selection Criteria:
1 The GTA was initiated by 42 African Vice Chancellors whose universities are members of RUFORUM.
The successful applicants will meet the following criteria:
1. Must be a staff member from a RUFORUM Member University who has been nominated for PhD training by his/her university;
2. Should have support letter from the sending University confirming nomination and support for travel, stipend, medical insurance and research funds;
3. Applicant should have a Master degree relevant to the proposed field of PhD study;
4. Applicant should identify, apply and be admitted to the graduate program by the host University;
5. Applicant should complete the RUFORUM GTA application form which should be submitted at the same time that the application form is submitted for PhD admission.
Expectations and Responsibilities:
(1) Each successful G.T.A. will contribute to the host university by participating in teaching during his/her training in the Department hosting the PhD Training programme
(2) No G.T.A. may be employed by another organization, other than the sending and host university during their time of study.
(3) A 100% tuition fee waiver and accommodation provided by the host university
(4) The sending university will normally be expected to assist the host university to arrange for supervision of field work and thesis where the research is to be undertaken in the home/sending country

http://www.ruforum.org/documents/graduate-scholarship-announcement-call-id-dlgfp08
http://www.ruforum.org/documents/graduate-scholarship-announcement-call-id-dlgfp08

Upon nomination by the sending/ home university, the RUFORUM Secretariat will;
1. Facilitate the placement of nominated candidates to appropriate universities,
2. Facilitate contract signing i) between successful applicant and the host university, and ii) between the sending university and host university
3. Follow up on training at host/sending university, and report to home/sending university,
4. Link the GTA beneficiaries to other RUFORUM graduate students and opportunities
Submission Guidelines:
1. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications directly to the host university but with copies to RUFORUM Secretariat, Training and Quality Assurance Unit, P.O Box 16811, Kampala, Uganda, email: secretariat@ruforum.org
2. Nominating Universities should send official letters of nomination and commitment addressed to the hosting University with a copy to RUFORUM Secretariat
Date of 3rd release of the GTA announcement: 27th January 2015