The Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II)

Application Deadline: June 30th 2019

The World Bank is partnering with eight Governments in Eastern and Southern Africa in an innovative project with the aim of improving the quality of training and research in higher education, and reducing the skill gaps in key development priority areas.

The Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project supports the governments of Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia in strengthening selected African Centers of Excellence (ACEs) to deliver quality post-graduate education and build collaborative research capacity in the following priority areas:

(i) Industry, (ii) Agriculture, (iii) Health, (iv) Education, and (v) Applied Statistics. The ACE II Project implements three components, namely (i) strengthening the 24 higher education institutions into regional ACEs in Eastern and Southern Africa in a set of defined regional priority areas (US$ 140 million); (ii) providing capacity building support to these ACEs through regional activities (US$3 million); and (iii) supporting coordination and management of the implementation of components (i) and (ii) (US$5 million).

As Regional Facilitation Unit (RFU) for the ACE II Project, the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) leads the implementation of key elements of Component 2 of the project, aimed at building strong and sustainable regional partnerships and collaborations to produce competent Masters and PhD holders for the regional market and improve quality of teaching in higher education, and the quality of production and services in public and private sectors.

To encourage the participation of young African female students at postgraduate level, IUCEA wishes to implement a Fellowship Program aimed at providing competitive Masters Scholarships to academically deserving future talents to promote regional female student mobility. Eligible female applicants who can demonstrate interest and ability in the priority areas are encouraged to apply for the 30 Fellowships available for the 2019/2020 academic year.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

In order to be eligible for this Fellowship, the applicant must:

1. be a female national of one of ACE II participating countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) or Burundi
2. be under the age of thirty five (35) years
3. be a holder of a Bachelor’s Degree from a reputable university in the relevant field, at the level of Upper Second Class Honours
4. have obtained admission from an ACE outside one’s own country of current nationality to study full-time in any of the priority disciplines of the ACE II Project: (i) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) or Industry, (ii) Agriculture, (iii) Health, (iv) Education, and (v) Applied Statistics; and
5. have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement as evidenced by academic transcripts, and academic awards, if any.

THE FELLOWSHIP AWARD

The provided financial support for each Fellowship Program will cover:

1. University tuition fees: Approximately USD 3,000 per year (payable directly to the Host University according to an official invoice)
2. Stipend: USD 800 per month to support living expenses such as housing, food, utilities, local transportation, medication and settlement expenses
3. Research: USD 4,800 to support student research, payable upon approval of research proposal
4. Allowance: USD 2,000 one-off allowance to cover visa, laptop and books
5. Air ticket: A round-trip economy fare for the most direct route between the beneficiary’s home country and the study destination of Host University

Note: Candidates must complete all academic work within 24 months and the scholarship will not be extended beyond this period.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND PROCEDURES

To apply for this Fellowship, interested candidates are advised to fill in the application form found at ace2.iucea.org  or www.iucea.org attach all requested documents, and send by e-mail to [email protected] with a copy to [email protected]. All applications must be received not later than 5.00 PM East African Time on June 30 2019. For proof of eligibility, an applicant should ensure that the following is provided:

1. Completed application form;
2. Recent passport-size photograph;
3. Summarized CV with names and contacts of two referees;
4. Certified copies of academic certificates and transcripts;
5. Certified copies of passport or national identity card indicating citizenship;
6. Copy of admission letter from one of the host universities (please refer to the attached table on Countries, ACEs and Universities); and
7. Two (2) reference letters with contact details.

Download Application form / List of ACEs 

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the IUCEA/World Bank Masters Scholarships 2019