The Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA) is inviting applications from early-career researchers based in Africa for a transformative writing workshop focused on the themes of governance, democracy, and green energy on the continent. This 5-day workshop aims to provide participants with the opportunity to refine a draft paper into a publishable journal piece. The fields of research focus for this workshop include governance, democracy, and green energy.
Objectives:
- Strengthen the academic writing skills of early-career African scholars, with a special emphasis on female scholars.
- Enhance the success rate of submissions by early-career African scholars to high-quality journals.
- Build a network of Africa-based scholars working on the themes of governance, democracy, and green energy.
Programme:
The workshop will be structured as a writing retreat, featuring daily seminars and writing sessions. Seminars will provide practical guidance on academic writing and publishing in high-quality journals. Academic mentors and editors with research interests in governance, democracy, and green energy will support daily writing sessions.
Funding:
Successful applicants will receive funding covering travel expenses from Sub-Saharan Africa to Ghana, along with accommodation and subsistence costs for the entire workshop duration.
Eligibility:
Applications are invited from early-career researchers who meet the following criteria:
- Possess a doctorate awarded within 5 years of the application deadline (i.e., doctoral certificate awarded after January 2019).
- Employed at a recognized university or research institute in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Fluency in written and spoken English (no translation services provided).
Application:
Applicants must submit the following:
- Motivation letter (1-page maximum) outlining reasons for attending the writing workshop and expected benefits.
- Draft research paper (5,000-8,000 words in English) with original and preliminary data analysis in the areas of governance, democracy, and green energy, intended for journal submission.
- Abstract of the paper (max. 500 words).
- Full CV.
- PhD award certificate.
Applications should be submitted through the following link: [Application Link]
Motivation letters, research papers, abstracts, CVs, and PhD award certificates should be sent in PDF format to miasawritingschool@ug.edu.gh.
Submission deadline: February 10, 2024
For inquiries, please contact miasawritingschool@ug.edu.gh.
Selection:
Applications will be assessed through a merit-based procedure. The main selection criteria include:
- PhD certificate granted between January 2019 and January 2024.
- Employment at a university or research institute in Africa.
- Excellence, relevance, and originality of the draft research paper.
- Alignment of the research with the themes of governance, democracy, and green energy.
This workshop is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research through the Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA) at the University of Ghana, Legon. The workshop is organized by MIASA at the University of Ghana in cooperation with ZIAF/University of Frankfurt, Germany.
