Funding available for African and Canadian students as part of 2012 graduate research grants

Graduate students from Africa and Canada will have the opportunity to benefit from $300,000 (CAD) in funding, as the Africa Initiative today announces a call for applications for the 2012 graduate research grant program.

Grants of up to $10,000 (CAD) will be awarded to as many as 15 African students applying to study in Canada and 15 Canadian students to conduct field-based research in Africa. Applications for the Africa Initiative Graduate Research Grant, which can be found online at http://www.africaportal.org/exchange, must be submitted by January 15, 2012.

“There is already great enthusiasm for the 2012 grant competition,” said Nelson K. Sewankambo, director of the Africa Initiative. “The students who have been participating in the 2011 program are gaining incredible experience, either by building new networks in Canada or by conducting important and unique field work with local partners in Africa. Those who are successful in the 2012 competition will be making an remarkable contribution to research on Africa.”

As part of the Africa Initiative, a joint undertaking by The Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) in cooperation with Makerere University and the South African Institute for International Affairs, the Africa Initiative Graduate Research Grant will give special consideration to proposals that present new and policy relevant research, and that cover one or more of the areas of conflict resolution, energy, food security, health, migration and climate change.

Successful applicants who are currently enrolled in an African university will spend up to three months at a Canadian university undertaking research funded by the program. The research will lead to a major paper to be considered for publishing.

Successful applicants who are currently enrolled in a Canadian university will spend up to three months in an African country undertaking field-based research funded by the program and produce a major research paper that will also be considered for publishing.

For more details on this program, please visit: http://www.africaportal.org/exchange or contact Ibi Brown, Exchange Program Coordinator for the Africa Initiative, at ibrown@cigionline.org.