Developing Countries Scholarships in Germany: South – North Sandwich Scholarships

for visiting PhD students from developing countries
to conduct research at the University of Hohenheim, Germany
(“South – North Sandwich Scholarships”)
Scholarship description

FSC awards up to four visiting ‘Sandwich’ scholarships to PhD students from developing countries for a period of six months, beginning April 15, 2010. The Center wishes to attract outstanding PhD students pursuing a career in academia or development collaboration. The scholarship aims at increasing their previously gained scientific knowledge and skills relevant to food security related issues. The successful candidates will receive scholarships for completing compulsory and/or elective courses required for receiving PhD degrees from their home universities (if formally agreed by their home institutions), attending additional training courses and workshops at Hohenheim and/or conducting PhD thesis related research studies, contributing to the mission of FSC. Study courses held in English can be selected from the regular course catalogues of the international MSc study programs offered by the University of Hohenheim’s Center for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics and combined with other English MSc and PhD courses and trainings offered by the university’s departments and/or FSC’s Young Excellence School (YES). For research collaborations, each successful candidate will work with research staff of one of Hohenheim’s departments to conduct a specific research project contributing to FSC’s mission and relevant for her/his PhD thesis. Funding for research is expected to be provided by the applicant’s and/or supervisor’s institution and/or other organizations. The objective of the collaboration is to write at least one joint, peer-reviewed journal publication or paper to be presented at an international conference that contributes to FSC’s mission and that is relevant for the PhD thesis. Successful candidates are expected to present their research proposal, state of research and preliminary results in FSC and relevant department’s PhD seminars. Participation in YES’ teaching and training activities on a limited scale, if possible, is desired. Furthermore, FSC aims at establishing an active, long-lasting collaboration with the PhD students and their home institutions.

The scholarship is given for a stay at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, Germany. The monthly grant is 1,000 Euros in 2010. In addition, FSC pays for traveling to/from Hohenheim. Health insurance and other potential costs must be paid for privately.

Required skills

The applicant must provide proof of:
·         outstanding study performance (i.e. excellent or very good MSc grade);
·         completed graduate studies in agricultural, nutritional, natural, social, economic or political sciences, or related disciplines with specification on food security related issues with a minimum grade of 2.5;
·         working on doctoral studies at her/his home institution by the time of application;
·         track record of knowledge in the proposed field of study;
·         excellent proficiency in oral and written English.

Furthermore, the applicant must:
·         be able to conduct innovative research;
·         have excellent interpersonal skills and team spirit;
·         be able and willing to work well in an interdisciplinary, multicultural environment with individuals from different scientific, societal and cultural backgrounds and with organizations from the public, private and civil society sector;
·         be available for the entire period of the research stay;
·         be a national of a developing country according to OECD DAC list;
·         return to his/her home country or to another developing country after completion of research.

Application

Please submit the following documents to fsc@uni-hohenheim.de, with the subject line of the e-mail mentioning the specific scholarship you are applying for (“Application for South – North Sandwich Scholarship”):

·         Cover letter (please mention the name of the scholarship program as stated in the FSC announcement);
·         Detailed Curriculum Vitae (no longer than 3 pages);
·         Proposal (maximum 2,000 words) specifying your planned research activities during your stay at the University of Hohenheim. This should include information on the methods, timetable, funding of research and name of the potential supervisor. The research proposal must be based on a research theme or research field indicated by professors / potential supervisors from the University of Hohenheim (see “List of research themes and fields” on FSC’s webpage).
·         Master thesis abstract (maximum 1,000 words);
·         Scanned copies of all relevant academic certificates obtained. All certificates must be accompanied by an explanation of the grading system. Documents issued in languages other than German or English, must be accompanied by a German or English translation.
·         List of publications;
·         Two letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors.

Please send FSC all documents as a PDF in one e-mail. We would like to ask you to reduce the number of attached files by compiling various documents into three files (File 1: cover letter, CV, proposal, thesis abstract and list of publications; File 2: scanned copies of all relevant academic certificates obtained; File 3: two letters of recommendation). Please name all files in a systematic way: your last name – scholarship category – file number.

The deadline for the application is January 30, 2010.

FSC will confirm the receipt of all (complete) applications (i.e., if an application is not complete, FSC will not consider it and will not confirm receipt of the application). All accepted applications will be selected according the following criteria:
1.       Fulfillment of announcement criteria (cf. “required skills” and “application”);
2.       Quality of proposal and project feasibility;
3.       Overall, equivalent distribution over regions and Hohenheim disciplines;
4.       Fulfillment of demands (e.g. emerging from collaborations with development organizations).

The selected applicants will be contacted no later than March 16, 2010. Please be aware that FSC will contact only successful candidates.

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