The African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town invites applications for doctoral and post-doctoral research fellowships focusing on sustainable infrastructure and adaptive governance.
In a context of rapidly expanding cities in Africa, there is an opportunity to develop contextually relevant sustainable infrastructure systems such as low-carbon, resource efficient and labour intensive strategies embedded in modes of participatory and multilevel governance. The successful candidates will contribute to exploring this from an African and Southern cities perspective. Two doctoral fellowships are available, along with one post-doctoral fellowship.
The ACC is a response to the growing recognition worldwide of the importance of cities, and particularly cities in the developing world. In South Africa this is reflected in the increasingly urban emphasis in policy documents at both national and provincial levels. The sense is one of impending crisis, with the realisation that rapid urbanisation also raises issues of adequate food supply, affordable shelter, employment opportunities, water and waste management, public transportation, crime and disease, and environmental degradation and climate change. Established in 2007, the ACC seeks to facilitate critical urban research and policy discourses for the promotion of vibrant, democratic and sustainable urban development in the global South from an African perspective using interdisciplinary approaches.
Conditions of awards
To be eligible for the doctoral funding, a candidate should have a Master’s degree with an average mark of at least 70% (in the case of a coursework master’s) or a full-thesis master’s result of at least 65%, and must have graduated within the past four years. Applicants must be citizens of an African Union country, but preference will be given to South African candidates. Successful applicants will commence in 2017. The award is tenable for a period of three years and is not renewable. Successful applicants will receive an annual amount of ZAR 80,000.
To be eligible for the post-doctoral funding, applicants must have obtained their doctorate no more than five years ago in a field related to sustainable infrastructure and adaptive governance, and must not have held an established teaching post in an institution of higher education. Applicants must be citizens of an African Union country, but preference will be given to South African candidates. Successful applicants will commence in 2017. The award is tenable for a period of 12 months and is not renewable. Successful applicants will receive an annual amount of ZAR 140,000.
PhD and post-doctoral funding expectations
Successful applicants will be expected to participate actively in the vibrant ACC and UCT research communities, produce annual reports and provide a final report at the conclusion of the funding that includes: an abstract of the research conducted and copies of publications resulting from the research. Successful applicants will also be expected to present their research as part of the ACC’s Brown Bag or Academic Seminar Series in each year of their funding.
Application guidance
To apply for the fellowships please submit the following materials:
-
Cover page (please include: name, title of proposal)
-
Curriculum Vitae
-
Names as contacts of at least two academic referees
-
An expression of interest (EOI) that addresses the challenges or research interests within the ambit of sustainable infrastructure and adaptive governance in African cities. The EOI must:
- Support the ACC’s mission and goals
- Introduce the proposed research
- Clearly state the research challenges
- Define an approach
- Be a maximum of three pages in length, typed (12 pt font), including references/bibliography
-
Proof of PhD degree prior to assignment start date (for the post-doctoral fellowship)
Please note that your application will be considered incomplete if submitted without the required information, and will not be reviewed. ACC reserves the right not to appoint.
Questions of clarity can be submitted via email to Ntombini Marrengane. Complete applications must be submitted in hard copy or via email no later than 16 January 2017 to:
Mrs Maryam Waglay
Senior Secretary
African Centre for Cities
Environmental and Geographical Science Building, Level 2
Upper Campus, University of Cape Town
Rondebosch 7701
South Africa
Maryam.waglay@uct.ac.za
