Call for Applications: Megatrends Afrika Fellowships for Africans 2025

The Megatrends Afrika project is awarding three post-doctoral fellowships to African researchers.

Megatrends Afrika is a cooperation between the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the Kiel Insti-tute for the World Economy (IfW). The project conducts policy-relevant interdisciplinary research on Africa and provides policy advice to decision-makers. Its three core research themes are I) actors of violence and the changing nature of conflict, II) the effects of megatrends on democra-tization and autocratization, and III) global power shifts and multipolarity.

• Table of Content
• About Megatrends Afrika
• Megatrends Afrika Fellowships
• Aim and Benefits of Megatrends Afrika Fellowships
• Requirements for Megatrends Afrika Fellowships Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Megatrends Afrika Fellowships
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

Megatrends Afrika Fellowships

Aim and Benefits of Megatrends Afrika Fellowships

• A monthly grant of €2,800 for three months.
• Economy-class round-trip airfare between home country and Germany.
• Financial support for public transport, mobile phone credit, and other ancillary costs.
• Access to mentorship and resources at the host institution.
• Participation in project meetings and events.
• Visa support letter, if required.

Requirements for Megatrends Afrika Fellowships Qualification

African researchers who:

• Hold a Ph.D. in eligible fields.
• Have a strong research and publication record relevant to the Megatrends Afrika project.
• Demonstrate the ability to produce impactful, policy-relevant work.
• (Optional) Have experience in scientific policy advice.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Megatrends Afrika Fellowships

Selection is based on:

• The quality and relevance of the research proposal.
• Academic and publication records.
• The ability to contribute to policy-relevant work.
• Alignment with one of the 2025 research themes:
  1. Violent Actors and Transformation of Conflict
  2. Megatrends and Democratization vs. Autocratization
  3. Global Power Shifts and Multipolarity

Documents Required for Application

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF file and include:

1. A 1-page letter of motivation.
2. An academic CV with a list of publications.
3. Two recent publication samples.
4. Copies of relevant academic transcripts and diplomas.
5. A concept note (max 2,000 words) detailing the proposed research project, its relevance, feasibility, and theoretical/methodological framework.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

The deadline for fellowship applications is 15 January 2025, 11:59 p.m. CET.
Please send your application by email to Megatrends-Afrika@swp-berlin.org. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.

For more details, visit Megatrends Afrika Fellowships website.