Deadline: 15 October, 2019.
The University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) Program brings early career faculty from African universities to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Scholars are paired with a faculty collaborator during their stay and have full access to the University of Michigan’s resources to further their work on a research project, an academic degree, publications, grant proposal, or other relevant activity. The program supports the development of the next generation of African scholars by integrating them into international academic networks, and promotes U-M’s international commitment to research and teaching collaborations across diverse disciplines, from engineering to literature to economics.
Starting in 2020, the program will host two cohorts per year (August through December, and January through May). Applicants will have the opportunity to indicate their preference for a particular cohort during the application process.
Since 2009, the UMAPS Program has hosted scholars from Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Gabon, and Zambia representing a wide range of disciplines that closely align with the following initiatives:
African Heritage and Humanities Initiative (AHHI) supports research related to the arts, humanities, and interpretive social sciences, which highlights the dynamic, contested process by which African cultures and histories are made;
African Social Research Initiative (ASRI) promotes social science research on democratic governance and distributive politics; income dynamics and poverty; and gender, health, and development;
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative (STEM-Africa) seeks to nurture the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Africa, which extends scientific knowledge and yields solutions to global problems.
Selection Criteria and Award Details
Review and selection will be made by a multidisciplinary faculty committee at the University of Michigan and will be based on the following:
- Academic quality of the candidate and of the proposed program of scholarship
- Academic fit of the candidate with others selected in the cycle and with the areas of interest described in the Scholarly Program section below – it is our hope to facilitate scholarly networks
- Equitable representations of scholars aligned with ASC’s three disciplinary initiatives
- Support of the candidate’s home institution
Priority will be given to candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds. Promotion of gender equity in the current class of scholars and in the African academy will also be prioritized. Preference will be given to candidates who do not have significant international experience outside the continent.
Award Details
Those admitted to the UMAPS Program will receive:
- Five months of residency at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, paired with a faculty collaborator with full access to the university’s resources
- Round-trip airfare from their home country to Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Free housing, medical insurance, a research allowance, and a modest stipend to cover living (Important note: The UMAPS program is unable to accommodate spouses and/or dependents)
- Office/Laboratory space
- Opportunity to present research to the U-M community
Eligibility Requirement
*Previous recipients of the UMAPS fellowship are not eligible to apply. Preference will be given to applicants without extensive international experience outside the continent.
All applicants must:
- Be an early career faculty member who has taught in the higher education system for less than ten years, presently teaching in a college or university in Africa
- Be able to demonstrate support from home institution with letter of recommendation from head of department, dean, or vice chancellor
- Be able to remain in residence for five months.
Application closes on 15 October, 2019.
For more information and to apply, click here.
