Delft University of Technology, University of Amsterdam, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Leiden University and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)
Deadline: January 31, 2024
We are a network of internationally collaborating universities from the Netherlands with longstanding collaborations with our partners at the African continent.
We will launch an international PhD programme that offers tomorrow’s leaders a unique opportunity to do high quality and novel research, related to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals on the African continent.
Supervision for the PhD students will be provided by globally renowned professors, supported by societal actors and academics from our Arican partners. With the projects we aim to make a real contribution to understanding and addressing the urgent worldwide challenges.
Research and innovation that is interdisciplinary, international and intersectoral (Triple-I) stands a better chance of understanding wicked challenges and producing creative and effective solutions. Thus, they can play a vital role in meeting the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Currently the African continent has few R&D staff compared to other regions. With GROW we invest in training scholars with an understanding of the continent, while strengthening existing Africa – Netherlands partnerships. Because academic and non-academic stakeholders are involved from the start – collective learning and co-creation makes for deeper understanding of the challenges, opportunites and their trade-offs, more detailed specs, earlier prototype testing, more opportunities for validation and transforming academic research results into real-world solutions. As the science is complex and original, it can also be captured in high quality scientific papers.
PARTNERSHIP
For GROW, five high ranking Dutch universities have joined up with 22 African academic and 17 non-academic partners to raise funds for 51 four year PhD positions with candidates from anywhere in the world to pursue scientifically challenging research that in some way links Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) in Africa with Europe. Funding from Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND programme of the European Union has been granted. The possibilities are manifold, as fellowships are available in the Natural Sciences, Social Sciences & Humanities, and Engineering. The Triple-I design of the GROW programme offers the PhD students the chance to equip themselves with an advanced, future-proof set of scientific and complementary skills that they will take with them as they pursue high-flying careers in a world that is becoming ever more complex and interconnected.
The Dutch University (Hosting) Partners
Science plays a vital role in understanding and addressing urgent worldwide challenges. To this end, the five leading Dutch universities in the GROW consortium collaborated since 2016 on research for global development, closely connected to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and have included African counterparts and many non-academic stakeholders in their efforts. Supervision for the 51 PhD students will available from 100 supervisors within 40 research departments, all with experience in Africa-related research, at 5 outstanding host institutions in the Netherlands: Delft University of Technology (coordinator), University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Leiden University and Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Applications to be submitted
December 1st 2023 until January 31st 2024 23.59 CET.
On this page you can read more about the ideal candidates we are looking for to become a PhD student within the GROW Programme, the details of the position as well as the eligibility requirements.
Learn more about the GROW Programme and how to apply in the webinar 5 Dec 2023 10-12 AM CET. Click here to register.
The programme in short
We will offer 51 four year PhD positions at five renowned Dutch universities, ranging from such diverse research fields as Social Sciences & Humanities to Natural Sciences and Engineering.
All selected candidates will receive a full-time, employment contract with the hosting institute, including all conditions and remuneration in accordance with the Dutch collective labour agreement for PhD students. They will be facilitated and supervised in running their research project of choice, in alignment with GROW’s ambition to address the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa.
All candidates will have a supervision team of Dutch and/or African academics and an advisory team of societal experts who understand the context of their research topic (e.g. NGOs, government, business etc.). In addition, all candidates will participate in a PhD training programme, peer to peer sessions with your fellow GROW PhD students and a secondment and/or fieldwork in the African context will be part of the programme. All of these elements will be further detailed by the supervisors and PhD student after selection.
The PhD candidate will apply with their own idea for an Africa – SDG oriented topic and motivate why they want to work on this topic. A detailed research plan is not necessary in the application phase, it will be further worked out after selection.
The application deadline is January 31st 2024. Selection process will occur from February – April and the selected PhDs will start their PhD-employment from July 2024.
The GROW programme bases the selection of candidates on the following 3 equally weighted criteria:
- Applicant Excellence, based on the academic / educational / professional career so far
- Vision on emerging needs and challenges in Africa
- Personal motivation, experience and affinity with Africa
Eligibility Criteria
No doctoral degree
Eligible candidates must not have a doctoral degree at the date of their recruitment. Researchers who have successfully defended their doctoral thesis but who have not yet formally been awarded the doctoral degree will not be considered eligible.
Nationality
Candidates of all nationalities and countries of origin are eligible, unless national, international, or European legislation or embargos prohibit specific (combinations of (sub) disciplines and) countries of origin. The appointed PhD students must comply with the following mobility rule: they must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in The Netherlands for more than 12 months in the 36 months immediately before the deadline of the co-funded programme’s call. Compulsory national service, short stays such as holidays and time spent as part of a procedure for obtaining refugee status under the Geneva Convention113 are not taken into account.
Entry Requirements
Applicants must have completed a university degree that entitles them to embark in a doctoral programme in the Netherlands (Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc), or Master of Laws (LLM)). The degree must be dated less than 10 years prior to the call deadline. The eligibility window can be extended by 6 months per child for the mother, (additional) maternity or paternity leave (actual time up to 6 months per child), training for medical specialists (3 years), compulsory and reserve military service (actual time), or for refugees/ researchers at risk (up to 3 years). Documentation providing evidence must be included with the application.
Enrollment
The Candidate must be available to enroll full-time in the PhD program at the Host institution in The Netherlands; eventual suspensions for family or personal reasons shall be discussed with the granting authority.
English Certificate
Doctoral Candidates are required to have high level in the English language (if not native speakers). English level of short-listed applicants can be assessed during the selection interview and a mandatory passed test could become part of the Go-No Go decision after year 1 of the project.
Affinity with Africa
Doctoral Candidates will need to demonstrate a strong connection with the African contintent and / or an understanding of the context of Low and Middle Income settings.
Network
After selection, we expect the PhD students to actively participate in the events organized by the programme, such as training/network events, and outreach activities targeting different audiences. The candidates are aware of and adhere to the principles set out in the Commission Recommendation on the European Charter for Researchers.
How to apply
On December 1st 2023 the application portal will become available here. More detailed instructions on how to apply and necessary documents will be shared soon.You can already browse through the research groups and available supervisors to see which (max. 2) supervisors you want to apply for.
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