Carnegie supports RUFORUM post-doctoral fellowships

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), a network of 85 universities supporting capacity-building for agricultural training in Africa, has received a US$1.5 million grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York, to support its post-doctoral fellowship programme on the continent.

The two-year grant will support a total of 19 post-doctoral fellows who have completed their studies over the past five years with financial support from the forum and the New York charity.

Selected fellows will get an opportunity to start building their scientific careers, lead research teams and acquire international exposure, as well as receive training and mentorship under the initiative, according to a RUFORUM statement.

“The two years are expected to allow fellows time to transition, settle down, and find their level and sense of direction in their new career path. This will allow them to quickly become leaders and also initiate support for training of a new generation of African scientists,” according to the statement.

Beneficiaries of Carnegie PhD grants between 2012 and 2017 and who are working as university academic staff or attached as post-doctoral fellows in any of the RUFORUM member institutions can apply for the fellowships.

Each fellowship has been allocated a total of US$60,000 that will include US$26,400 as a living stipend, US$26,700 to support research work, and US$3,600 to facilitate mentorship of the fellow. – Compiled by Maina Waruru