AAS Call for Applications: Future Leaders – African Independent Research (FLAIR) Fellowships 2021

The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) in partnership with the Royal Society and supported by the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) has opened a call Future Leaders – African Independent Research (FLAIR) Fellowships 2021, which provides two years of fundings.

(FLAIR) Fellowships are for talented African early career researchers who have the potential to become leaders in their field. These fellowships provide the opportunity to build an independent research career in a sub-Saharan African institution and to undertake cutting-edge scientific research that will address global challenges facing developing countries.

Aims of the Scheme

The objectives of the FLAIR fellowship programme are:

• Developing Africa’s next generation of research leaders – supporting talented early-career African researchers to establish their scientific independence, focus on developing their research and become leaders in their chosen discipline.
• Supporting excellent research – enabling African researchers to address areas of global significance across the natural sciences through high-quality research, advancing knowledge and innovation which aims to benefit their country and address aspects of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Enhancing research environments – working through relevant partners, awards will contribute towards institutional research capacity strengthening and establishing good financial grant practice in African universities and research institutions.
• Fostering collaboration and impact – establishing mutually beneficial long-term links between African Fellows and relevant UK researchers to harness the expertise of the UK research base through equitable partnerships and enhancing knowledge exchange and translation into sustainable policy and practical benefits.

Eligibility

• Are a national of a sub-Saharan African country;
• Hold a PhD by the time you apply;
• Are an early career researcher with a minimum of two years of research experience since completing your PhD and no more than eight years of post-doctoral research experience;
• Wish to hold the fellowship in a research institution in an Official Development Assistance (ODA) eligible sub-Saharan African country;
• Have a clearly defined scientific research proposal focusing on one or more of the Global Challenge areas outlined in the scheme notes.

Read more here. 

Applications deadline May 27, 2020.