Application

This page contains important information for those wishing to apply for a Visiting Research Fellowship at the African Studies Centre. Applicants are advised to read it carefully as it explains the requirements to be met in submitting an application. Although fellowships are open to scholars from institutions all over the world, the African Studies Centre gives priority to African scholars from African academic institutions, in the belief that this will contribute to an effective academic dialogue between Africa and the North.

Research

The Centre's researchers cover a wide range of disciplines including anthropology, economics, human geography, history, law, sociology, and the applied sciences of agronomy and nutrition. The ASC encourages multidisciplinary research projects as well as individual projects within specific disciplines. Many such projects are undertaken in cooperation with African governments or educational institutions. The Centre's research interests are set out in theme-group programmes with a four-year time span:

• Connections and Transformations
• Economy, Environment and Exploitation
• Social Movements and Political Culture

Visiting Fellowship Programme

The ASC has an active Visiting Fellowship Programme. Visiting research fellows are scholars who use their time in Leiden for data analysis and writing, often on a joint project with one or more ASC staff members. Visiting fellows have access to the library and computer facilities of the Centre and the University of Leiden. They contribute to the Centre's seminar programme and work on papers and books with a view to publication. Others use their time to develop practical projects for implementation in their home countries. Visiting fellows stay at the ASC for a maximum of 3 months.

Requirements

Applicants are expected to satisfy the following qualifications and criteria when they submit their applications:

1. They must either have, or be in the final stages of study for, a PhD or some similar qualification in one of the social science disciplines including anthropology of law or in the humanities related to African studies.
2. They must be fluent in English and/or French.
3. They must have published books and/or articles that meet international standards.
4. In accordance with Dutch immigration regulations, applicants must be able to return to their country of origin upon completion of their work or term of study at the African Studies Centre.

Stipend

When the application of a research fellow has been approved and if he/she has no other financial sponsorship, the ASC will cover the costs of a return ticket and basic accommodation in Leiden for the duration of the fellow's stay. On top of that, the visiting fellow will receive a daily allowance to cover living expenses while in the Netherlands. The Centre arranges personal insurance policies for visiting fellows.

An application should include the following documents:

1. a curriculum vitae
2. two letters of recommendation
3. a statement of the purpose of the visit:
   1. a) the topic of study
   2. b) its scholarly and/or applied relevance
   3. c) the planned output (e.g. book, article, report)
   4. d) the proposed relationship to current work or themes at the Centre (Applicants are advised to relate their research topic to one of the ASC themes)
4. a tentative work schedule
5. a copy of at least one international publication

Contact

If you require further information please contact Ms Maaike Westra. If you are interested in coming to the ASC as a visiting fellow, please send a letter with the required information as specified above, or an e-mail with attachments to:

1. Ms Maaike Westra, westra@ascleiden.nl

Deadline

There is no deadline but please keep in mind that it usually takes at least one year before your fellowship period can actually take place. It is ASC policy to have no fellows in July and August. Please note that the programme for 2010 is fully booked.

Postal address: P.O. Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, the Netherlands.

Visiting address: Pieter de la Courtgebouw, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, the Netherlands.

Remarks by former visiting fellows:
"My fellowship at the ASC enhanced my career. The paper I wrote was widely acknowledged as bringing about better understanding of ethnicity, political domination and resource control in Nigeria".
Ben Naanen

"The experience I gained during the period of the fellowship has gone a long way in improving my capacity both as a lecturer and a researcher. As a matter of fact it has been instrumental to my career development especially in the area of academic production".
Edlyne Anugwom

"I benefited enormously from the ASC fellowship...I was recruited directly as a Senior Lecturer in 2001 to teach at the University of the Gambia, part reason being my exposure to the world of research and to top place like the ASC".
Nicodemus Fru Awasom

"Since I left the ASC in 1998, my analytical capacity in the area of livelihood strategies has greatly improved and I had continued to consolidate my research perspectives on issues of livelihood in relation to such other themes like infrastructure, gender and physical development. Indirectly, the ASC has aided my focusing on urban livelihood and poverty issues".
Mohammed-Bello Yunusa