Home | About | Grants & Scholarships | Events | Digital Repository |
Apply

Category: Articles

Jean Baptiste Habinshuti’s experience during COVID-19 Crisis

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

I am on sandwich program at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), USA. The first time that I heard about the outbreak of Covid-19 was in December 2019. It was spreading from Wuhan City, in Hubei Province of China. I did not think that it would spread to this level. I thought, it would remain in China, and certainly not that we would be in one of the largest ever global pandemics in history with the whole world on lockdown, thousands of deaths reported, and the world’s economy struggling.

I am scared, and my daily life is affected. We have been watching and reading news from different sources, including social media, to get updates but in all the cases, the number of deaths and new cases have been increasing at a tremendous rate- there is so much fear. Preventive measures such as social distancing and wearing face masks, hand washing with soap and use of sanitizers, have been declared by WHO and adopted by different countries all over the world.

WPI was closed since 15th March 2020 and there is no more movement allowed in the campus. As foreign students, living in one apartment, to limit our exposure to the disease, we adopted shopping strategies such as purchasing foodstuffs in bulk and keeping them in our fridge, and even purchasing some online. We only go outside to shop when our supplies are low.

As the pandemic spreads, we have worries about our families in Africa and they are also worried about us. We are trying to keep regularly updated on the pandemic and to call our families regularly to raise their awareness and help them to understand the importance of implementing and following the government safety measure.

USA is one of the most affected countries in both confirmed cases and mortality, something that caused more fear to us and our families.  Consequently, staying indoors is the only way to avoid being exposed to the virus. Boredom and psychological instability resulting from doing the same thing every-day and being away from the family members is affecting us. Sometimes, I wake up feeling tired and having a headache, probably due to boredom and uncertainties about our status. We have became so concerned about our roommates that when anyone opens the door, we rush to ask where he/she is going.

As PhD a student, most of my activities revolve around academics but I also get involved in social activities and services, such as Sunday prayer meetings, church services, visiting family and friends, having conversations, etc.  All the aspects of my life have been affected by COVID-19.

In March 2020 we had a trip to visit the World Bank at Washington as Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) students in USA. During the travel we were afraid but fortunately we all arrived back safe.

As far as our research work is concerned, I had done some of the preliminary experiments before the pandemic paralyzed the activities in our University. When the university was closed in March, access to University facilities became impossible, with exception of some remote access. We continued to hold regular meetings with our supervisors to regularly review the slow-moving research progress. Our focus has been on writing. We remain with access to some of the school software on the university network.

I have a lot of work to do, as recommended by our advisors, I am trying to maximize the work on literature part of my thesis and when the things are normalized, most of my time will be focused on laboratory work. I am committed to working hard as I can and see the possibilities of meeting the planned timeline to achieve my goals and objectives on time. The only big challenge is about my research samples which remain detained in France because they contain radioactive material.

We need to get as much support as possible from the University to quickly access facilities, resources, and tools, as well as reviews of our work, to enable us to achieve this on time. We appreciate the support from icipe (RSIF Regional Co-ordination Unit), which will also be critical to ensure that we finish on time in this trying situation.

My Experience as an RSIF PhD Scholar at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology by Waema Maxwell Wambua

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

When I received the official invitation for PhD sandwich placement at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), I was not sure what to expect. After arriving in KIST, I quickly settled in a dormitory which is a few meters from the laboratories. The room is well furnished, well maintained and very comfortable with amazing views out on to the greenery by a forest. The common kitchen and laundry area are all of adequate size for the dormitory occupants.

Life in Seoul is very different from what I have experienced before as the culture is unfamiliar. It was a big challenge at first as I experienced culture shock during my first month here! However, I also enjoy adventures and the unknown, so I loved the new experience of a different culture, academic system, meeting new people from all over the world, eating a different cuisine- Kimchi, Bibimbab, Samgyetang, Mandusgug (the language remains a struggle but I am learning!). Interestingly, Koreans have stereotypes about foreigners just as much as we have stereotypes about them.

My PhD research is on the development of point of care diagnostic tests for infectious diseases. I am working on simultaneous detection of respiratory viruses using a controlled release system of thermos-responsive hydrogel microparticles based multiplex real time RT qPCR platform. My hypothesis is driven by the fact that despite lessons learned and progress made from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak and the current coronavirus pandemic that causes COVID-19, the influx of respiratory viral infections are showing similar symptoms to other existing diseases, making it difficult to diagnose symptomatically. Confirmation and repeated diagnosis cause a lot of social anxiety. Therefore, what is needed are rapid and precise multi-diagnostic methods for various infectious diseases with similar symptoms. Such knowledge will play an important role in helping Africa respond to future epidemics and pandemics.

The gold standard method for RNA detection is Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) whereby the mild temperature of RT often causes unexpected binding between primers and random genes. This one-step RT-qPCR leads to a very low multiplicity. This limitation calls for diagnostic technology that controls the release of PCR elements by storing PCR primers inside thermo-responsive polymer capsules, separating them from the RT reaction to prevent adverse side reactions. So far, I have fabricated thermo- responsive primers immobilized networks by encapsulating the PCR primers into low melting point agarose nano-capsules and then introduced them into hydrogel microparticles immobilized with RT primers. I am comparing the efficiency of the qPCR conventional assay with this newly developed tPIN assay.

I have found KIST an ideal place to undertake my research. KIST enjoys a global reputation for its high-quality and modern scientific research including in the biology sciences. Specifically, their robust academic atmosphere and state of the art lab facilities are excellent. With all these, KIST stands to fulfill my aspiration to become a scientist with important achievements in the future.

As a PhD scholar, I have learned the need to set goals and work to achieve them. I am working to finish my PhD on time and fully cooperate with my supervisors to make this a reality.
I am pleased to be in Korea. The Korean people are very helpful to those who do not speak their local language. Several times when I was lost in Seoul, the people especially the young who understand English would come up to me offering to help. Even though there is a language barrier, my experience is that South Korean people will do their best to help you in any way that they can. However, most of the people within KIST are fluent in English, and certainly within the laboratory where I work. Generally, my experience has been great so far and I recommend Korea to anyone wishing to travel there for work or leisure. You will enjoy its wonderful people, places and environment.

Promoting Doctoral Training for Prosperity in Africa

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

Eusebius J. Mukhwana, PhD

Director General and CEO

Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA)

Nairobi, Kenya

After decades of decline, African higher education is now arguably in a new era of revival. Initially, our higher education systems were set up using the colonial models of each country in the 1950s and 60s. This model which was largely funded by the Government became unsustainable and was struggling to fund and sustain itself. With the advent of liberalization, since the 1980s families and students took over the bigger role of funding higher education in Africa. This transition though painful, has started to bear fruits. Although many people argue that it has limited access to education by the poor and the disadvantaged populations as well as compromised quality. With the prevalence of knowledge economy discourse, national governments in Africa and their development partners have increasingly aligned higher education with poverty reduction plans and strategies. Further, research capacity has become a critical development issue; and widening participation to doctoral education is seen as an instrument for enhancing this capacity.

A Doctoral degree is the pinnacle of educational attainment and the most respected of all higher educational training. The degree certifies the holder as an independent researcher, an expert with extensive knowledge about the chosen field of study, and a professional with a wide range of transferable skills. As such, doctoral graduates have the capacity and capability to make important contributions to knowledge and drive change in society. Unfortunately, in Africa, the role of doctoral graduates in the country’s economic development has been minimal owing to a complex array of social-economic and political realities. But things are changing; and both the appreciation of their role and the number of doctoral students has been rising in many African countries over the last two decades.

Doctoral graduates represent accumulated human capital, which is a valuable human resource that is useful for making significant contributions to a country’s development. This usually occurs through their capability to enhance the knowledge of others, performing various roles that benefit society, applying acquired skills to research that solves society’s challenges, improving the performance of work colleagues and developing new and novel products. Africa has been slow in benefitting from doctoral graduates because of several challenges. These include:

  1. The Continent lacks good facilities and other resources for training doctoral students;
  2. Limited support and opportunities for doctoral graduates within the formal and largely informal sectors of our economy leading to underutilization of PhD graduates’ expertise;
  3. Poor supervision skills for doctoral students;
  4. Old, outdated and tortuous processes of managing the doctoral training programs; and
  5. Doctoral students that are studying, struggling to work and pay for their studies and families.

Research output in Africa remains quite low compared to the rest of the world. Most of the research done by African doctoral graduates is basic and largely academic; and does not benefit many societies. This has led to lower appreciation of these important members of our society. We need national strategies for promoting the work of doctoral students; and there is also increasing need for them to tap into national research priorities. In the absence of such priorities, many “shoot in the dark: thereby compromising their impacts and the usefulness of their research work.

Funding of doctoral research is also a major challenge in many countries in Africa. Often there is reliance on external donors, which means that research priorities may not be very well aligned to national needs and funding remains fragmented and for short periods. And funds even when available are scattered in different silos which are unknown and even unavailable to those in need. This has led to low uptake of funds available in government and even private agencies, leading to failure to tap into a rich pool of creative initiatives and research that could lead to economic transformation of the continent. There is an abysmal dearth of knowledge on how to use research findings by researchers in Africa to catalyze innovation and to make life easier or mitigate everyday life problems of poor rural and urban Africans. Related to this is the issue of Lack of protection of intellectual Property Rights. Most players in the Higher Education sector have no idea of how to get their products evaluated and secured through patents.  Many of the students enrolled in post graduate (masters and doctoral) training do not complete their studies in time; leading to exceptionally low completion rates and high dropout rates. Studies by the Author in Kenya showed that only about 70% of master’s and 50% of doctoral students finish their studies at all in Kenya. Over 80% of these students complete after the stipulated time of two years (for masters) and three years (for doctorate). This situation is largely reproduced across many countries in Africa. These delays and high drop out rate has been attributed to student, supervision and university management issues that have been well discussed in another paper.

Several things can be done to improve the impact of doctoral training and Research in Africa.

  1. There is need to address issues that are causing high dropout rates and low completion rates for doctoral students at African universities. These include matching carefully students with their supervisors, minimizing bureaucracies in student management, better funding of students and establishing postgraduate student support centers;
  2. There is need for a paradigm shift from doing routine research for the sake of it – to more targeted research which addresses the needs of the communities. Research training and research studies should be strategic and aligned to the needs of the country;
  • There is need align research to the needs of the private sector by enhancing the engagement of academia and industry, and also to the needs of governments. This ‘triple-helix’ model is critical for strengthening the profitability of knowledge leading to economic growth.
  1. Africa needs a research commercialization policy that will help in research uptake and ensure that research ideas move up the value chain and create wealth for the continent;
  2. Universities need to conduct research that informs policy, law and national dialogue in order to catalyze national development;
  3. There is need to coordinate policies and legislation to support research as well as strengthen Government-private sector linkages to support doctoral student funding for improved quality of training;
  • Funding from international partners should be appraised to ensure that they address the local needs and is not tied to the priorities of other countries/funding bodies;
  • The research must also get to the end user. There is need to device ways that can disseminate research to ensure that it reaches the end users. Universities should lead the way in using research outputs by directly engaging with communities. Each university needs to establish a knowledge transfer center which is easily accessible to the end users;
  1. As more resources are put in research, renown Professors should get more involved in research work, demonstrate academic  leadership and mentor upcoming scholars;
  2. The commercialization of research and technology transfer needs support after publication. A lot of work needs to be done in publicity, patenting and copy writing;
  3. Linkages with TVET and Industry Institutions play a crucial role in producing practical human resource for the economy. Universities should work with TVET institutions and industry to support fabrication and commercialization of their research products;

These issues have led to their limited involvement in national development.

In response to the findings, three initiatives have been proposed to capitalize on the potential of PhD graduates. Firstly, it is vital for national and regional strategies for doctoral education to include a policy, plan, and budget. Secondly, support and opportunities for PhD graduates, need to be actualized through appropriate remuneration, engagement schemes and greater collaboration between PhD graduates and key stakeholder groups to foster participation; thirdly: it is critical to engage women to further their careers at the highest levels, in order to access a largely missing part of our population in science.

About the Author:

Dr. Eusebius J. Mukhwana is the Director General and CEO of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA); and a stronger believer in the abilities of Africa to industrialize and create prosperity for all its people. This article was written as a contribution to the Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund Weekly Newsletter

Life, study and research at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST): RSIF PhD scholar Sylvia Wairimu Maina’s story

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

My research title is “Deciphering Biosynthesis of Bioactive compounds in African Cabbage (Cleome gynandra)”. I am working on this local orphan crop that is used both as a vegetable and a medicinal plant in promoting human and animal health. I will be profiling different accessions to determine the levels of glucosinolate secondary metabolites compounds present.  Furthermore, I will evaluate the biological activity and applicability of extracts from the plants. The research results will promote useful neglected crops nutritionally and pharmacologically. The research is relevant in many parts of Kenya and across the continent, which has rich and diverse underutilized crops with great potential in food security and health. I am enrolled for my PhD at the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Africa Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans & Animals in Southern & Eastern Africa (SACIDS), Tanzania. I am funded through the PASET RSIF Program. The prestigious RSIF scholarship covers the full cost of my PhD studies at Sokoine University and provides for my internship, including travel, at KIST.

Being an RSIF student has been both a challenging and rewarding experience for me. It has given me the opportunity to explore more than just my research topic objectives; and this has impacted a very significant amount of personal development and learning. I appreciated the chance to share my story and research interest with an international audience at the 5th PASET Forum in Kigali, Rwanda in 2019. The RSIF programme has also given me the opportunity to be mentored, to create connections with peers, to build worthwhile networks, to meet and hear from inspirational people with the focus of developing personal and professional goals.

My journey as an RSIF PhD scholar and female African scientist builds on my past achievements and passion for teaching. I was born and raised in a humble family in Kenya. In boarding school, I was shy, self-conscious, and became overwhelmed by the academic pressure. However, these challenges inspired independence and responsibility. My favorite subjects in high school were mathematics and sciences. In choosing to pursue a career in science, I draw inspiration from memories of my grandfather who used plant extract-based therapy to treat sheep suspected of having sustained snake bites. I obtained my Bachelors in Science (Bsc) in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Masters in Science Degree (MSc) in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, in 2011 and 2014 respectively from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya. While studying, I conducted tutorial classes and practical sessions for undergraduate students. Through this experience, I developed a passion for teaching and upon graduation I worked as a teaching assistant. I started my PhD at Sokoine University of Agriculture in 2018.

The opportunity provided by RSIF to engage in the ‘sandwich’ program at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has surpassed my initial expectations by enabling me to receive personalized advice that focuses on my needs and challenges. I am attached to a very vibrant group of aggressive scholars who are generous with sharing knowledge. This has been a plus point for the team since members are freely able to socialize and discuss about the PhD experiences, get help and advice that helps one improve in research and also make friends. The option of volunteering in the team’s projects has enabled me to challenge myself, a chance which has opened up in me qualities that I didn’t really know were there.My passion is in Biochemistry, Biotechnology and health.  Using a “bottom up” approach, I strive to understand useful compounds in natural products.  The recent technological advances have allowed smart cultivation of compound rich plants, their extraction, identification and evaluation in maintaining health of human, animals and plants. In combination I also use bioinformatics by integrating computers, software tools and databases in an effort to address biological questions.

My greatest challenges in this current period of my PhD collaboration in Korea is maintaining a healthy work–life balance by finding a routine that works best for me. In most instances I have had a lopsided schedule which has affected my social life. Occasionally, I have found myself with unfinished work as I try to run my objectives in parallel, however, through the supportive team of scholars, I have had the chance to navigate through.
The greatest discovery I have made so far is that success means more if I move out of my comfort zone and challenge myself in new things that allow me to grow. I am assured that this decision to take up the RSIF PhD research opportunity will one day prove to be one of the most important and rewarding things I ever did with my life. I thank the Government of Kenya, through PASET RSIF for supporting my studies.

PASET, which is an initiative of African Governments, with support from the Government of Korea and the World Bank, aims at strengthening the science and technology capability of sub-Saharan African countries for economic development. RSIF is PASET’s flagship initiative and the first Pan-African science fund of its kind. RSIF will train applied researchers (at least 40% women), in sciences and engineering, build research capacity in sub-Saharan African universities and conduct research for Africa’s development. This initiative is timely as Africa responds to challenges such as COVID-19. RSIF competitively provides PhD scholarships for 3-4 years training for citizens of sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries at Host Universities in Africa, and ‘sandwich’ training at selected International Partner Organizations.

Life, study and research at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST): RSIF PhD Scholar Noel Gahamanyi’s story.

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

As soon as I completed my field work and portion of my laboratory work that I could do at Sokoine University of Agriculture’s Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance – African Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases of Humans and Animals (SACIDS-ACE) in Tanzania, I was very anxious to start my PhD research internship at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). The opportunity was made possible through a scholarship from the Partnership for skills in Applied Science, Engineering and Technology (PASET) Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund. The prestigious scholarship covers the full cost of my PhD studies at Sokoine University and provides for my internship at KIST.

The entry requirements to KIST were rigorous and each of us had to take part in documents screening, sitting for Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), an oral interview, as well as engage with potential researchers at the institute before being accepted. Five other students supported by RSIF were also accepted besides me. Sylvia Maina Wairimu, Mabwi Humphrey Andalo, and Sodedji Frejus, who are with me at the Gangneung Natural Products Research Institute, while Waema Maxwell and Emmanuel Kifaro are at the KIST main campus (Seoul).

PASET, which is an initiative of African Governments, with support from the Government of Korea and the World Bank, aims at strengthening the science and technology capability of sub-Saharan African countries for economic development. RSIF is PASET’s flagship initiative and the first Pan-African science fund of its kind. RSIF will train applied researchers in sciences and engineering, build research capacity in sub-Saharan African universities and conduct research for Africa’s development. This initiative is timely as Africa responds to challenges such as COVID-19. RSIF competitively provides PhD scholarships for 3-4 years training for citizens of sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries at Host Universities in Africa, and ‘sandwich’ training at selected International Partner Organizations.

As soon as I arrived at KIST, I was provided with a workstation, where I could place my belongings and computer. I immediately began an online Biosafety course on Living Modified Organisms (LMO), which I was informed, was a requirement for accessing laboratory facilities at the institution. The course was very useful and introduced me to the general principles on handling samples and instruments in the laboratory and other aspects of working in the laboratory. The course also included information on how to handle emergencies, such as accidents and, for instance, the use of the fire extinguishers in case of fire.

After receiving primers, master mix, and getting the required reagents, I was able to begin running my samples. My research is on Transmission dynamics and antimicrobial resistance of thermophilic Campylobacter in humans, animals, and the environment in Kilosa District, Tanzania. I am making use of Sequencing technology, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Gel electrophoresis, and an ultra-violet Trans-Illuminator to view bands of amplified DNAs. The research is still ongoing, but I have already been able to prepare and submit a manuscript to a high quality journal. The research is of importance to my country and the wider Africa region.

Life at KIST
Life at KIST has been quite interesting for me. But certainly not without challenges. Initially, I had trouble to express myself in the local language (Hangul). I have not started the Korean language (Hangul) classes yet, but with the help of my friends I am able to move around and buy what I need from supermarkets. I move around by local transport, usually by bus. This is not that different from Rwanda, where I come from.

After a busy day in the office or laboratory, I have access to KIST sports facilities including basketball court, table tennis and fitness room. The facilities are of high standard. I also meet up with other RSIF students every Friday evening for a one-hour prayer and socializing. Every Sunday, I attend a local church.

This has changed since COVID-19. For one, I now follow mass online and spend most of my time in the laboratory with little movement around campus and town. We are finding ways to cope with COVID-19. And most importantly, my research work continues.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity to come to Korea and look forward to finishing my research and going back to Sokoine University in Tanzania, my home university, and then back to Rwanda to start my career. I have been able to meet students from many other countries, both in Asia and Africa. However, I am building strong friendships and partnerships, and when I go back to Rwanda, I will certainly remain in touch to continue with this and other research partnerships. For all the students here, we thank PASET and the Korea Government for the funding that has enabled us to be here. We believe that this internship will enhance the quality of our publications[1], academic programs and research projects.

[1] Joint between the African Host University and the International Partner Institution

Welcome to the RSIF Weekly Newsletters

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

Dear RSIF Stakeholders,
We are indeed pleased to share with you our maiden issue of the RSIF Weekly Newsletter. We hope that the newsletter will be informative and help to share information, news, and opportunities relevant to the African higher education, science, technology and innovation space.

The RSIF Regional Coordination Unit at icipe remains fully operational and has put in place measures to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 . The program has now finalized recruitment of second cohort PhD scholars (69) pending final approval by the PASET Executive Board. These 69 will undergo orientation training from June 2-9 virtually and join the 15 first cohort scholars who are undertaking internship training in Korea, the US and Africa. A call for the third Cohort is currently open until June 15. It is hoped that over 100 scholars will be recruited. Over the coming weeks we will launch a call for additional RSIF African Host Universities and more calls for research and innovation grants. More information can be found at https://www.rsif-paset.org/ .

We invite you to subscribe and share the RSIF newsletter within your network.  Please also share with us any news, opportunities or events that you feel should be shared with the PASET and icipe Family.
We take this opportunity to wish you safety, health and well-being during these challenging times. We also wish our Moslem Brothers and Sisters Happy upcoming Idd-ul-Fitr.

RCU Team
Link to the Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/icipe/rsif-weekly-vol1-1

Meet Africa’s Future Leaders in Science, Engineering & Technology

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

March 5th, a lunch was organized at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington DC, as a showcase for the Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) RSIF initiative. From Kigali to Dakar, many people have joined to reflect on the initiative, such as the RSIF scholars, faculty at the African Host Universities (AHU), World Bank members and others. The main objective of the event was to highlight the experiences from six young and bright African Ph.D. students, members of the first cohort of RSIF scholars from across the continent, who are currently studying in Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) as a part of their scholarship program. In addition to hearing from the Ph.D. students, African governments, universities, and donors (World Bank and Korea) shared their thoughts and support for the initiative.

The Ambassadors and representatives of contributing countries such as Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal, and RSIF donors (World Bank and Korea) were present for this exciting moment. The dynamism and the research topics of the students instilled hope and optimism for the future and we can’t thank them enough for that.

Very little beats tertiary education as a poverty-reducing investment, but it needs to be done right

Posted on by Pauline Achoka
Achieving the NDP’s higher education targets could lift more than 20% out of poverty by 2030. The extra resources can be understood as an important investment only if there is a dedicated commitment to enhancing four performance area.

*****************************************

In the drive to eradicate poverty and inequality in South Africa, nothing could be more important than better economic chances for the youth. Education, employment and rising incomes are very close relatives. Tertiary education is the most critical asset that opens up opportunities for low-income households to lift themselves out of poverty.

There is a two-way relationship between quality education output and job creation. A growing economy will absorb a more qualified and capable labour force. And a more qualified and capable labour force creates a greater incentive for firms to invest in labour-absorbing activities. Click here .. to read this Op-Ed written by member in the PASET Consultative Advisory Group, Dr. Miriam Altman.

 

Africa has the power to harness winds of change

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

The emergence of the Digital Economy and the Fourth Industrial Revolution are radically transforming the way the world works.

Governments and institutions are rapidly converting their public services to digital platforms and entrepreneurs can now access larger markets and capitalize on skills and services from larger networks.

This transformation is enabling many new jobs and generating a great demand for digital skills.

By 2050, 525 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa will be under the age of 24.  With 11 million youth entering the labor force each year, Sub-Saharan Africa has an enormous opportunity to take advantage of the incredible potential of the digital economy. Read more…

The PASET Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) is seeking international experts to review RSIF applications for African Host Universities, PhD scholarships, Research Grants & Innovation Grants

Posted on by Pauline Achoka

 

The Partnership for skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) is an Africa led initiative to address fundamental gaps in skills and knowledge necessary for long-term, sustained economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. PASET established a Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (RSIF) to contribute towards the training of a critical mass of PhD and post-doctoral candidates, and support research and innovation in the following priority thematic areas: ICTs including big data; food security and agribusiness; minerals, mining and materials engineering; energy including renewables; and climate change.

In 2018, the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe) was competitively selected by the World Bank and PASET to house the Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) for the PASET-RSIF. The overall goal of RSIF is to strengthen Africa’s institutional capacity for quality and sustainable doctoral training, research and innovation in transformative technologies in SSA. The RCU is developing a roster of international experts to provide evaluation and review of RSIF applications for African Host Universities, PhD scholarships, Research Grants & Innovation Grants. The RCU is seeking reviewers who are subject matter experts in at least one of the following priority thematic areas: ICTs including big data and artificial intelligence; food security and agribusiness; climate change; minerals, mining and materials engineering and energy. Applications are invited from experienced researchers with a track record of peer review of scientific publications, grant applications, higher education and involvement in scientific innovation and enterprise.

Expert reviewers will evaluate applications submitted to the RCU for the following four windows:

  • African Host Universities to host PhD Scholarships, Research and Innovation grants in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology
  • Scholarships for PhD training to be awarded to nationals of any SSA country interested in pursuing a PhD degree in one of the five thematic areas. Priority will be given to young faculty without PhDs and women.
  • Innovation grants to be awarded to RSIF scholars and faculty to support innovations and the uptake of research into practical implementation through collaborations with industry.
  • Research grants to be awarded to faculty engaged in PhD training in host universities in SSA and to RSIF graduates who obtain a post-doctoral or permanent position in an academic institution or research centre in SSA.

Scope of Engagement

  • To conduct remote desk review of individual applications submitted to the RCU for the following; (i) African Host Universities, (ii) PhD scholarships, (ii) Research Grants and, (iv) Innovation Grants;
  • To complete written evaluations of applications based on selection criteria within a stipulated time and provide recommendations in collaboration with team of thematic experts;
  • To participate in remote/physical meetings to deliberate applications alongside thematic area experts where necessary.

Eligibility

  • Applicants should be subject matter experts in at least one of the five themes targeted by the RSIF calls. This expertise should be evidenced by applicant’s publications (in refereed journals, books, conference papers) as well as research excellence (projects, technologies and other inventions).
  • Applicants should be PhD holders from recognized universities.
  • Applicants interested in reviewing proposals for the innovation grants should exemplify experience in areas of enterprise development, intellectual property, impact investments and innovation.
  • Applicants should have a record of peer review of scientific publications, grant proposals and graduate students’ supervision.

Application Process

Interested applicants are asked to submit their CV using this link: http://cbid.icipe.org/apps/cbid/forms/rsif_reviewers_apply_2019.php

All applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions, please email RSIF Regional Coordination Unit: rsif@icipe.org

For more information on PASET-RSIF visit: https://www.rsif-paset.org/