Deadline: March 7 2022
The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) invites researchers from East Africa and Anglophone West Africa interested in developing their skills in impact evaluation and implementation science to apply for a four-month fellowship (sabbatical) at the University of California Berkeley, to be completed during Fall 2022 (August – December) or Spring 2023 (January – May) academic semester.
Eligibility
- To be eligible, researchers must be a national of an East or Anglophone West African country (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda, the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon) who hold a staff or student position at a research institution, university, or other organization headquartered in one of these countries.
- Have completed a PhD within the last 8 years, or be enrolled in a PhD program in economics, statistics, epidemiology/public health, or another social science discipline (in exceptional cases, the applicants will hold a Masters’ degree in a relevant field and have plans to pursue a PhD in the future. These cases will require a direct referral by an EASST or DIWA fellow);
- Have a current affiliation with a research institution, university or other research organization in East or West Africa, preferably one that supports policy-relevant, quantitative social science research;
- Plan to return to a research institute in East or West Africa after the fellowship. If currently enrolled in a PhD program outside the African continent, scholars may complete their PhD before their return.
Application Process
- Personal Statement (1 page): Please describe your personal motivations for applying to the Center for Effective Global Action Visiting Fellowship–of all fellowships available to you, why are you particularly interested in this program? What do you hope to accomplish during the semester and beyond?
- Curriculum Vitae/Resume
- Transcript of any coursework completed within at least the last 5 years (i.e. your scores or grades from university courses). Scanned copy is acceptable.
- Research Proposal: Not to exceed 2 pages. Refer to Appendix A “Instructions for Research Proposal” and Appendix B “Research Proposal Example” below. During the fellowship, you should work on the proposal you have submitted, unless you decide to change it (with agreement from Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) staff and your mentor).
- Evidence of Leave Approval from the applicant’s supervisor or department chair demonstrating support and certifying that, if the applicant is selected, he/she will be able to take a 4-month leave of absence.
- Letters of Recommendation (2 required, 1 optional):
- Required: One academic letter that describes the applicant’s research capacity, quantitative skills, and qualifications for the CEGA fellowship. Please use the provided recommendation template (Appendix C).
- Required: One letter from a government agency or policy maker indicating the fellows past policy engagement or engagement potential. Please use the provided recommendation template (Appendix D).
- If you are applying with only a master’s degree (not currently working towards a PhD), you must submit a reference letter from a former EASST or DIWA fellow to apply. Please use the provided recommendation template (Appendix E).
- OPTIONAL: You may attach one working paper or publication.
Benefits
Each visiting fellow will be paired with a faculty mentor affiliated with Center for Effective Global Action , a hub for research on global development headquartered at UC Berkeley. A list of Center for Effective Global Action faculty affiliates is available online here. Center for Effective Global Action staff and PhD students will provide additional mentorship during the fellowship and after the scholar returns home.
Center for Effective Global Action will cover the costs of room and board in Berkeley, health insurance, a monthly stipend, visa fees, and round-trip economy airfare for selected fellows. Please note that the Center for Effective Global Action does not provide financial support for spouses or other family members.
Upon completing the fellowship, scholars are expected to return to a university or research institute in East or West Africa and assume a leading role in promoting the use of rigorous evidence in economic development.
After successful completion of the fellowship, fellows will be eligible to receive “catalyst grants” of $5,000-$7,500 to administer trainings in impact evaluation methods and work to build institutional capacity to conduct rigorous evaluations, as well as pilot research grants of $10,000 to continue working on impact evaluation research developed while at UC Berkeley.
They will also be able to apply for larger research grants of up to $75,000 to conduct an impact evaluation that answers a pressing economic development question in East or West Africa. All fellows will be sponsored to attend CEGA’s annual Africa Evidence Summit, a dissemination event held in a different East or West African country each summer.
Click Here To Apply
