Call for Applications - CARTA PhD Fellowships 2015/2016

The Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) is an initiative of nine African universities, four African research institutes, and select northern partners. CARTA offers an innovative model for doctoral training in sub-Saharan Africa to strengthen the capacity of participating institutions to conduct and lead internationally-competitive research.

The multi-disciplinary CARTA program is open to staff of participating institutions who are interested in conducting their PhD research on topics relevant to the broad fields of public and population health. We welcome applications from disciplines, such as public health, demography, anthropology, communication, and economics, among others, as long as the research question aims to contribute to public and population health issues.

Over the medium-term, CARTA aims to produce a critical mass of high-quality graduates trained to address the complex issues surrounding health and development in Africa, retain them in the region, and provide them with a vibrant intellectual environment, as well as viable and challenging research and growth opportunities. CARTA aims to achieve reforms in higher education by:

1. Assisting universities to develop enriching and vibrant academic and research environments; and
2. Supporting promising African scholars who teach at affiliated universities to obtain high-quality doctoral training in public and population health-related fields.

CARTA is currently offering a collaborative doctoral training program in public and population health. This program has been developed in response to the great challenges faced by Africa’s institutions of higher education in addressing the training and retention of the next generation of academics in the region.  Women are particularly encouraged to apply.

Specifically, CARTA seeks to fund candidates who will be future leaders in their institutions; that is, young, capable, and committed individuals who, in time, will ensure that their universities will be the institutions of choice for future generations of academics and university administrators wishing to make a positive impact on public and population health in Africa.

CARTA hosts a series of Joint Advanced Seminars (JAS) for cohorts of doctoral students admitted and registered in the participating African universities. Both the development and delivery of these courses are jointly-led by regional and international experts. The seminars consist of didactic sessions, discussions, demonstrations, and practice labs. These activities collectively serve to:

1. Expose students to key theories and concepts, seminal readings, and research methods of disciplines relevant to public and population health;
2. Train students in critical research skills; and
3. Build and maintain a network of researchers for scientific collaborations, professional support, and mutually beneficial exchange of scientific resources.

The advanced seminars are offered once annually for four years to each cohort and build skills and conceptual depth from year to year. Each JAS runs for 3 to 4 weeks. Specific topics covered in each JAS include the following:

• JAS-1 builds critical thinking, technical skills, and other core research competencies, and introduce students to the essential concepts and seminal articles of the disciplines brought together under CARTA
• JAS-2 focuses on data management and analysis. Fellows learn to use software packages for qualitative and quantitative data management and analyses. Practice sessions use real research data and current software packages for hands-on training
• JAS-3 focuses on data presentation, the doctoral dissertation, and scientific writing and communication skills to facilitate results dissemination and policy engagement
•  JAS-4 addresses professional development including skills necessary to manage and teach large class sizes, raise and manage research funds, grant writing and research management. JAS-4 is also designed to serve as an opportunity for senior fellows to practice mentoring of junior fellows through discussions and laboratory sessions, software training, and general information sharing

During the 2015/2016 academic year, the CARTA program is planning to offer up to 25 PhD fellowships. Download Application forms here. 

The Fellowship, which is tenable at one of the participating African universities, includes the cost of fellows’ participation in the advanced seminars; a modest monthly stipend; small grants for research activities; a laptop loaded with relevant software; funds for travel to conferences, as well as costs for participating in joint program activities. 

The fellowship runs for a maximum of four years. Fellowships cover tuition fees, medical insurance, and other university fees in special circumstances only. Partner institutions have committed to continue paying Fellows’ salaries (or equivalent) and to modify workloads for the fellows to enable them to fully participate in CARTA organized activities pertaining to their PhD program and also to concentrate on their PhD studies. Fellows are encouraged to seek supplemental funding to cover additional costs of their doctoral program.

Participating African Universities

• Makerere University, Uganda.
• Moi University, Kenya.
• University of Rwanda, Rwanda.
• Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
• University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
• University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
• University of Malawi, Malawi.
• University of Nairobi, Kenya.
• University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

Participating Research Institutes

• African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), Kenya.
• Agincourt Health and Population Unit, South Africa.
• Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Tanzania
• KEMRI/Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kenya.

Northern Partners

• Canadian Coalition for Global Health Research (CCGHR), University of Toronto, Canada.
• Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Switzerland.
• University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
• University of Umea, Sweden.
• University of Warwick, UK.

Eligibility

• A Masters degree in a relevant field.
• Prior admission into a PhD program is not required for application but awards are contingent on such admission being obtained at one of the participating African universities.
• Applicants for this program must be teaching or research staff at one of the participating African institutions and should be committed to contributing towards building capacity at their institutions.
• Applicants’ PhD research proposal must be related to public and population health or to sexuality studies.
• Fellowships are only open to people who have not yet registered for a PhD or are in the very early stages (first year) of the PhD program.
• Applicants must commit to participation in all four annual residential Joint Advanced Seminars (JASes), and to engage in inter-seminar activities designed to keep fellows actively engaged and in continual communication with peers and mentors.
• Male applicants must be under the age of 40 years and female applicants under the age 45 years.

Application Procedure

1. Contact the CARTA focal person) at your institution to discuss your interest and obtain application materials. Application forms may also be downloaded from the CARTA website (www.cartafrica.org)
2. Submit your application to the local CARTA committee in your institution (also email a copy of all application materials to carta@aphrc.org ), which will conduct the initial screening process and submit successful applications to the CARTA secretariat. The deadline for submissions is September 1, 2015.
3. If successful at the university selection level, the CARTA secretariat will inform and contact you to proceed to the next level
4. Successful applicants at the university selection level will be expected to: 
   Complete an online-based pre-JAS, Part I tasks
   A competency course (October 1, 2015 – October 15, 2015)
   Send a full application to the CARTA secretariat.  The deadline for submission of the full application is October 15, 2015.
5.  Final fellowship decision, which is independent of the university application, will be communicated by CARTA secretariat by December 1, 2015.

CARTA Focal Persons

A.      University Focal Persons
1.        Makerere University, Uganda	Prof. Anne Katahoire	Director, Child Health and Development Centre,         Faculty of Medicine          Makerere University          P.O. Box 6717, Kampala, UGANDA          Tel: +256 414 541684/530325          Email: annekatahoire@yahoo.co.uk
	Prof. Buyinza Mukadasi	Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, Makerere University         P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, UGANDA         Tel: +256-414-530983  Cell: +256-774515366         Fax: +256-414-533809          Email: buyinza@rgt.mak.ac.ug; buyinza@forest.mak.ac.ug
2.        Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria	Prof. Anthony Aluko Mabayoje	Department of Sociology & Anthropology          Faculty of Social Sciences          Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State, Ile-Ife          NIGERIA          Tel: +234 8 054 854 861          Email: niyialuko@oauife.edu.ng, maoaluko@yahoo.com
3.        Moi University, Kenya	Prof. Anne Nangulu	Director, Quality Assurance           Moi University           P.O. Box 3900 30100 Eldoret, KENYA          Tel:  +254 53 43093 (office)          Mobile: +254 733 870 502          Email: anangulu@yahoo.com; deanarts@mu.ac.ke
	Dr. Diana Menya	Dept. of Epidemiology and Nutrition,         School of Public Health,         Moi University          P.O. Box 4606, Eldoret, 30100, KENYA Tel: +254 720 352 579; +254 733 777 500 Email: dianamenya@gmail.com; dmenyasph@mu.ac.ke
4.        University of Ibadan, Nigeria	Prof. Akinyinka Omigbodun	College of Medicine,         University of Ibadan, NIGERIA         Tel: + 234 803 323 0457          Email: omigbodun@yahoo.com; omigbodun@gmail.com
	Prof. Uche Abanihe-Isiugo	Department of Sociology,          University of Ibadan, NIGERIA          Tel: +234 803 713 5054          Email:  ucheabanihe@yahoo.com; uche.abanihe@mail.ui.edu.ng
5.        University of Rwanda	Pierre Claver Rutayisire	College of Business and Economics         University of Rwanda       Huye-campus         BP 117, Butare, RWANDA         Tel: ++250788864744         Email: p.c.rutayisire@ur.ac.rw ; rutayisirepc@gmail.com
6.        University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania	Dr. Esther W. Dungumaro	Acting Director of International Relations University of Dar es Salaam P. O. Box 35091, Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA Tel: +255 757 753396 Email: edungumaro@udsm.ac.tz; dungumaro@gmail.com
	Dr. Lucy Namkinga	Molecular Biology & Biotech Department         University of Dar es Salaam P. O. Box 35091, Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA         Email: odulajalucy@yahoo.com
7.        University of Malawi	Dr. Kamija Phiri	College of Medicine          University of Malawi          Private Bag 360, Chichiri, Blantyre 3, MALAWI          +265 999957048          Email: kamijaphiri@gmail.com
	Prof. Adamson S. Muula	Department of Community Health,         College of Medicine,         University of Malawi         Private Bag 360,Blantyre 3, MALAWI         Tel: +265 884 233 486         Email: amuula@medcol.mw
8.        University of the Witwatersrand	Dr. Jude Igumbor	Senior Lecturer, PhD program Wits School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences          University of the Witwatersrand         Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA         Tel: +27 72 791 59 27         Email: Jude.Igumbor@wits.ac.za  ; judeigumbor@yahoo.co.uk
9.        University of Nairobi	Prof. Kimani Murungaru	Director, Population Studies & Research Institute University of Nairobi P.O. Box 30197 Nairobi, KENYA Tel: +254 20 318262 Ext 28029 Email: murungaruk@uonbi.ac.ke
	Dr. Dismas Ongore	Senior Lecturer        University of Nairobi        School of Public Health        P.O. Box 30197 Nairobi, KENYA        + 254 020 2724639        Email:  dongore@uonbi.ac.ke
B.      Research organizations
1.        Ifakara Health and Development Research Centre, Tanzania	Dr. Honorati Masanja	Project Head         Ifakara Health and Development Research Centre         P.O. Box 53, Mlabani Passage, Ifakara, Tanzania.         Tel: +255 232 625 164; +255 232 625 377, Mobile +255784605046          Email: hmasanja@ihi.or.tz
	Dr. Rose Nathan	Ifakara Health and Development Research Centre          P.O. Box 53, Mlabani Passage, Ifakara, Tanzania          Email: rnathan@ihi.or.tz; rosenathan2001@yahoo.co.uk
2.        African Population and Health Research Center	Dr. Chimaraoke Izugbara	Director, Research Capacity Strengthening Division         African Population and Health Research Center         P. O. Box 10787-00100, Nairobi, Kenya         Tel: +254-20-2720400/1/2         Email: cizugbara@aphrc.org
3.        Agincourt Health and Population  Unit, South Africa.	Prof. Kathleen Kahn	Associate Professor         Health and Population Division         School of Public Health         University of the Witwatersrand         Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA         Tel: +27 11 717 2606         Email: Kathleen.Kahn@wits.ac.za

          

      Download Application Forms Here

                                      Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA)

                                       Housed at the African Population and Health Research Center

                                                          P. O. Box 10787-00100 Nairobi, Kenya

                                                 Landline: +254 (020) 400 1000, 266 2244, or 266 2255,

                             Cell: +254 722 205 933, 720 098 388, 733 410 102; Fax: +254 (020) 400 1101

                                                  Email: carta@aphrc.org ; Website: www.cartafrica.org