The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) 2023/2024 Visiting Fellowship for early-career African social scientists (Fully Funded to UC Berkeley, California)

Application Deadline: February 23rd, 2023

The Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) invites African researchers to apply to the 2023-2024 CEGA Fellowship Request for Applications (RFA). The CEGA Fellowship Program equips early-career African social scientists with the skills to carry out rigorous impact evaluations of economic development programs and become champions for evidence-informed policy. Selected researchers will audit courses, develop skills in impact evaluation, access a personalized mentorship program to develop their research ideas, and build their research networks. Successful fellows will be invited to join the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA). 

CEGA invite researchers from East and West Africa to apply for one of two opportunities:

1) A Resident fellowship during Fall 2023 or Spring 2024 in-person at the University of California, Berkeley or Northwestern University

2) A Non-Resident Fellowship, a virtual version of the flagship resident fellowship where fellows engage remotely for 12 weeks, at about 15-20 hours per week.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants to the CEGA Fellowship Program must:

• Be a national of an East African or Anglophone West African country (Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda, the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte D’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Somalia, and Cameroon);
• Be fluent in English;
• Have completed a Master’s degree or 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;
• 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;
• [Resident Only] Plan to return to a research institute in East or West Africa after the resident fellowship at UC Berkeley or Northwestern University. If currently enrolled in a PhD program outside the African continent, scholars may complete their PhD before their return.

Benefits

• The CEGA Resident Fellowship program will cover the costs of room and board in Berkeley, health insurance, visa fees, and roundtrip economy airfare for selected fellows. In addition, fellows will be provided a monthly stipend to cover any other expenses that may occur during their stay at UC Berkeley (local transportation, personal hygiene items, etc.). If taking a leave without pay from work will be challenging, the Non-Resident Fellowship may be a better option for you

Application Procedure:

To respond to the 2023-2024 CEGA Visiting Fellowship Request for Applications (RFA), please submit the following information and documents through this Submittable portal by Thursday, February 23rd, at 5 pm GMT:

1. Personal Statement (1 page): Please describe your personal motivations for applying to the CEGA Visiting Fellowship–of all fellowships available to you, why are you particularly interested in this program? What do you hope to accomplish during the fellowship and beyond? Please also comment on your ability to commit to the fellowship (Resident or Non-Resident) and how this will fit into your current commitments.
2. Curriculum Vitae/Resume: In your CV, please also include relevant quantitative coursework you have completed.
3. 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 CEGA staff and your mentor).
4. 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.
5. Name and contact information for two referees: Please provide a name, email, phone number, and affiliation for two individuals (supervisors, senior colleagues, professors) who can speak to your research capacity, quantitative skills, and qualifications for the CEGA fellowship.
6. OPTIONAL: You may attach one working paper or publication.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Center for Effective Global Action (CEGA) 2023/2024