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Announcement: Application Process for Doctoral and Master’s Fellowships at the Graduate Studies Program Started

November 30, 2015
Bénin / Burkina Faso / Côte d'Ivoire / Gambia / Ghana / Mali / News / Niger / Nigeria / Sénégal / Togo / West Africa
By WASCAL
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Note: The call for application has been extended to January 22, 2016. Read more

WASCAL (West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use) is a large-scale research-focused Climate Service Center designed to help tackle severe challenges posed by climate change and thereby enhance the resilience of human and environmental systems to climate change and increased variability. It does so by strengthening the research infrastructure and capacity in West Africa related to climate change and by pooling the expertise of ten West African countries and Germany. Through the Graduate Studies Program WASCAL’s Capacity Building Program helps educate the next generation of scientists to attain an intimate knowledge of different climate related issues in order to help the region develop suitable management strategies.

The WASCAL Graduate Studies Program supports four Master’s and six Doctoral Programs implemented at ten lead Universities across West African countries. WASCAL provides full scholarships to the Doctoral and Master’s students in all the ten lead Universities with comprehensive training and research support. Doctoral students may spend up to six months at a host institution in Germany. The language of instruction is English. English and French language training programs are provided for all graduate students. Graduate students have access to the research facilities set up through WASCAL funding and located at various watersheds in West Africa. German partner universities collaborate with the Doctoral and Master’s Programs in the areas of curriculum development, visiting professorships and co-supervision of graduate students.

The WASCAL Graduate Studies Program offers its students:

High quality research and education on climate change and its impact on human environmental systems.
Up to six months at a host institution in Germany (Doctoral Programs only!)
Interdisciplinary working approach
International lecturers and supervisors
English language classes
Scholarship and research budget, including a personal laptop computer

Doctoral Programs

West African Climate System
Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Nigeria
Apply now: Download call for applications and application form and the recommendation letter

Climate Change and Water Resources
Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC), Benin
Apply now: Download call for applications and application form

Climate Change Economics
Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Senegal
Apply now: Download call for applications and application form

Climate Change and Biodiversity
Université Felix Houphouet Boigny (formerly Université de Cocody‐Abidjan), Côte d‘Ivoire
Apply now: Download call for applications and application form

Climate Change and Land Use
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana
Apply now: Download call for applications and referee form and application form

Climate Change and Agriculture
L’Institut Polytechnique Rural de Formation et de Recherche Appliquée, (IPR-IFRA), Mali and University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Apply now: Download call for applications and application form

Time Frame

The time frame of the doctoral programs is three and a half years. During the first three months, students take English and/or French language classes and common courses at the language centers. During the next 6 months student participate in lectures at their Graduate Research Program and prepare their proposals. After their proposals have been approved by their supervisors, the students conduct their field research for 12 to 24 months. For the remaining period of time, students will write up their thesis and are offered to spend up to six months at a German host institution.

Requirements

Candidates applying for a Doctoral Program must have a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline in addition to a BSc degree (second class upper division).
Citizenship in one of the WASCAL member country (Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Sénegal, Togo)
Five credits including Mathematics and English Language that are also equivalent to Francophone university grading system
Gender-balanced selection decision
Applicant should show proficiency in English Language.
Meet additional requirement of the lead university

Master’s Programs

Climate Change and Human Security
University of Lomé, Togo
Apply now: Download call for applications and application form

Climate Change and Education
University of The Gambia (UTG), The Gambia
Apply now: Download application form

Climate Change and Energy
Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey (UAM), Niger
Apply now: Download call for applications and application form

Climate Change and Adapted Land Use
Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria
Apply now: Download application form

Time Frame

The time frame for the Master’s programs is two years. During the first year students participate in the course program of their Graduate Research Program and work on their research outline. Research will be conducted during the second year within a period of six to nine months. Students finish the program with writing up their thesis during the last three to six month.

Requirements

Candidates applying for Master’s Program must have a minimum BSc degree (second class upper division) in a discipline relevant to the respective program.
Citizenship in one of the WASCAL member country (Bénin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Sénegal, Togo)
Five credits including Mathematics and English Language that are also equivalent to Francophone university grading system
Gender-balanced selection decision
Applicant should show proficiency in English Language.
Meet additional requirement of the lead university

Application Process

Note: The call for application has been extended to January 22, 2016. Read more

The application process is handled jointly by WASCAL and the individual Graduate Programs. Applications can be submitted online to any of the Graduate Studies Program for the 2015/2015 season until January 8, 2016. The details of the application process can be found at the respective programs pages (see linkes above). Shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interviews by January 15, 2016.

More information on the Graduate Studies Program and on open applications can be found here or at the respective universities websites.

Workshop: Climate Information for Adaptation and Policy Development

Organized by the Centre for Continuing Education, the WASCAL Graduate Research Program West African Climate System (GRP-WACS) and the Department of Meteorology & Climate Science of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), the workshop was held from September 14-18, 2015 at the Federal University of Technology, Akure.

The main target of the workshop was contributing to a better understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change among policy- and decision-makers. The program provided training on, among others, projections, variability and weather extremes, challenges, risks and opportunities related to climate change, adaptation, policy and governance as well as climate change policy design and response.

Professor Jerome Omotosho, Director of GRP-WACS, highlighted in his opening speech that the workshop was to provide adequate information and raise the understanding of climate change among stakeholders and most importantly facilitate discussion on which measures could be taken to put this knowledge into practice.

This is the first of a series of workshops planned in the next 9 months, by the three Departments of GRP-WASC and FUTA, on various aspects of climate change and weather. The next workshop is planned to be organized in collaboration with the WASCAL Master Program Climate Change and Adapted Land Use, Federal University of Technology, Minna and to thus expand the stakeholder reach.
Media Coverage:

FUTA workshop examines climate change causes, consequences, EnviroNews Nigeria, September 16, 2015.

Why we organised climate change information workshop- WASCAL chief, Newswatch Times, September 23, 2015

WASCAL‘s first graduates – Ten students successfully completed their Master‘s degree in Climate Change and Adapted Land Use at FUT-Minna

Thirteenth (13th) October 2014 will remain a ‘memorable day’ in the history of WASCAL CC & ALU hosted by the Federal University of Technology, Minna. The MRP scored a big first in the WASCAL programme….sending forth the first set of WASCAL graduates into the research community to give back to the world after the huge investment on them as scientists. Two years of hard work finally paid off.

Our August dignitaries graced the occasion. Prof Musbau A. Akanji (the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna) and his team of Principal Officers received the guests which comprised the Honorable Minister of Environment of Nigeria, who was very unavoidably absent but ably represented by Dr Jare Adejuwon, the Director of Climate Change Department in the Ministry; the German Ambassador to Nigeria who was ably represented by Mr Dirk Schulz; Chairman of WASCAL Board (Prof Haidara), WASCAL Board member representing Nigeria and Second Vice Chairman (Prof Osuntogun); Executive Director and his team (Dr Sedogo, Ouattara and Mr Ofori); The Vice Chancellor of FUTA ably represented by Prof Bayo Omotosho; representatives of our two German Partner Universities (Dr Thiel and Mrs Boutros, who is also the GRP/MRP Coordinator of WASCAL); members of WASCAL CC&ALU International Regional Advisory Board comprising Prof Bayo Omotosho (Director WACS FUTA), Dr Eric Forkuo (representing KNUST), Dr Georges Abbey (representing University of Lome), Mrs Christine K (from HBF representing the Civil Society), Dr Jare Adejuwon (representing Focal Ministry); members of FUT Minna Advisory Board led by the Dean of Postgraduate School, Prof (Mrs) Stella Zubairu; staff and students of WASCAL and representatives of the Press.

The ‘big day’ tagged WASCAL DAY commenced with the ceremony marking the graduation of the 2012/2013 Batch of WASCAL CC &ALU students. While the sponsoring Ministry in Germany, BMBF was showered with gratitude for the foresight demonstrated through the WASCAL programme, congratulatory and encouraging messages were passed on to the students to be worthy Ambassadors of WASCAL. The commitment of the Nigerian Government to the successful implementation of WASCAL was emphasized by the Honourable Minister’s representative. To add glamour to the occasion, the traditional dancers, Gwape Troupe, invited to entertain the guests decided to invite dignitaries to the ‘shake body’ to the entertaining music. From there, the newly completed WASCAL CC & ALU building was commissioned. The guests were introduced to WASCAL by the Director CC & ALU at the reception, while along the corridors of this simple but beautiful building, A0 Size posters were exhibited showcasing the students’ research. Each student stood beside his/her poster to explain the content to the guests. During the luncheon organized to round up activities for the day, three students were recognized and presented with personalized plaques: Mr SANOGO, Karamoko (Most improrved student); Miss KIMA, Sophie A. (Best Research); and Mr ADENLE, Ademola Andrew (The Overall Best Student). The 2012/2013 Batch of WASCAL CC & ALU graduates have since left for their various countries as the very first ALUMNI of the programme. The Director of CC&ALU gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the University Management, guests and WASCAL staff and students to the success of the WASCAL DAY in FUT Minna.

Read more on the event at http://www.futminna.edu.ng/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1095&Itemid=

Contact

Dr. Appollonia Okhimamhe
Director of the Master Research Program Climate Change and Adapted Land Use
Associate Professor of Geography
Head, Department of Geography
Federal University of Technology,
Minna
PMB 65, Niger State, NIGERIA
Email: aimiosino(at)yahoo.com