Background
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:
- Assisting universities to develop enriching and
vibrant academic and research environments; and
- 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:
- Expose students to key theories and concepts,
seminal readings, and research methods of disciplines relevant to public and
population health;
- Train students in critical research skills; and
- 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 2014/2015
academic year, the CARTA program is planning to offer up to 25 PhD fellowships.
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.
- National 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.
- Monash University, Australia.
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute
(Swiss TPH), Switzerland.
- University of Colorado, USA.
- University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
- University of Umea, Sweden.
- University of Warwick, UK.
- WHO Special Programme for Research and Training
in Tropical Diseases (TDR), Switzerland.
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
- 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) Publications - resources Downloads Page.
- 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 April
15, 2014.
- If successful at the university selection level,
the CARTA secretariat will inform and contact you to proceed to the next level
- Successful applicants at the university
selection level will be expected to:
- Complete an online-based pre-JAS, Part I tasks
- A competency course (June 1, 2014 – July 15, 2014)
- Send a full application to the CARTA
secretariat. The deadline for submission
of the full application is July 15, 2014.
- Final fellowship decision, which is independent
of the university application, will be communicated by CARTA secretariat by September 30, 2014.
CARTA Focal Persons
Institution
|
Name
|
Contacts
|
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
|
Pof. Buyinza Mukadasi
|
Director, Directorate of Research
and Graduate Training, Makerere University, Uganda.
P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
Tel: +256-414-530983 Cell: +256-774515366
Fax: +256-414-533809
|
2.
Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria
|
Prof Anthony Aluko Mabayoje
|
Department of Sociology &
Anthropology
Faculty of Social Sciences
Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun
State, Ile-Ife
Tel: +234 8 054 854 861
|
3.
Moi University, Kenya
|
Prof Ann Nangulu
|
Director, Quality Assurance
Moi University
P.O. Box 3900 30100 Eldoret, Kenya
Tel:
+254 53 43093 (office)
Mobile: +254 733 870 502
|
Dr. Diana Menya
|
Dept. of Epidemiology and Nutrition,
School of Public Health,
Moi University
|
4.
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
|
Prof. Akinyinka Omigbodun
|
College of Medicine,
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Tel: + 234 803 323 0457
|
Prof. Uche
Abanihe-Isiugo
|
Department of Sociology,
University of Ibadan, Nigeria
Tel: +234 803 713 5054
|
5.
National University of Rwanda
|
Prof. Rama Rao
|
Director, Post-Graduate Studies
National University of Rwanda
BP 117, Butare, Rwanda
Tel: 250 788 53 9312
|
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
|
Dr. Lucy Namkinga
|
Molecular Biology & Biotech
Department
University of Dar es Salaam
|
7.
University of Malawi
|
Dr. Wilson Mandala
|
College of Medicine
University of Malawi
|
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
|
8.
University
of the Witwatersrand
|
.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
|
Prof
Sharon Fonn
|
Professor
School
of Public Health
University
of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg,
South Africa
Tel:
+27 11 717 2543
|
9.
University of Nairobi
|
Dr. Lawrence Ikamari
|
Director
Population Studies & Research
Institute
University of Nairobi
P.O.Box 30197-00100, Nairobi
Tel: +254
20 318262 Ext 28029
|
Dr. Dismas Ongore
|
Senior Lecturer,
University of Nairobi
School of Public Health
+ 254 020 2724639
|
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
|
Dr. Rose Nathan
|
Ifakara Health and Development Research
Centre
P.O. Box 53, Mlabani Passage,
Ifakara, Tanzania
|
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
|
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
