ACET Call for Applications: Young Leaaders in Resarch (YLR) Program 2026 Cohort
The African Cener for Economic Transformation (CET) is calling for applications for its Young Leaaders in Resarch (YLR) Program 2026 Cohort, to early-career African researchers in economics and related fields to lead policy-relevant, context-driven research that advances Africa’s transformation agenda.
Eligibility:
- Early-career researchers 35 years old and under with a background in economics or a related field, who are African Nationals or hold permanent residency in African countries
- Independent researchers are welcome if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Research supported: Policy-relevant research in line with the year’s thematic areas, contributing to Africa’s economic transformation. The following topics of research will be accepted.
- Gender Equality: Expands equal access to skills, finance, and decision-making for women and girls, accelerating inclusive productivity and policy uptake across ACET’s seven focus areas.
- Regional Integration: Deepens cross-border trade, mobility, and standards to scale markets and investments, unlocking shared prosperity across ACET’s seven focus areas.
- Innovation & Digital Policy: Builds enabling rules and digital public infrastructure for fair competition, data governance, and inclusion, catalyzing jobs and efficiency across ACET’s seven focus areas.
- Green Industrial Transformation: Drives climate-smart, circular, value-adding production and resilient supply chains, aligning finance, technology, and skills to deliver just growth across ACET’s seven focus areas.
Funding details:
- Up to $15,000 for data, analysis, travel, materials, and publication.
- A stipend of 20% can be used. A standardized budget template will be provided.
Read here for full details.
Application form here.
For any questions, please contact ylr@acetforafrica.org.
Application deadline, 7 September 2026.
