Applications are invited for DHS Fellows Program in Population and Health available for university faculty. This DHS fellows program will select four to six teams, based primarily on the merits of their research proposal and on the applicants’ potential for building the capacity of their home university to use DHS data. All team members must be available to attend two workshops organized by ICF International in an African country. Each selected fellow will be awarded a $3,000 stipend to cover his or her research expenses.

Study Subject (s): This Fellows program is available in Population and Health.
Course Level: This is a fellowship program.
Scholarship Provider: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Scholarship can be taken at the Applicant’s home country (team members must be available to attend two workshops organized by ICF International in an African country).

Eligibility

• Applications must be from teams comprised of three faculty members from the same university who teach in departments of demography, public health, economics, sociology, geography or other social sciences. The universities they represent must be in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania or Zimbabwe.
• Teams must include one senior faculty member¹. All three team members must be available to attend two workshops organized by ICF International, one at the beginning and one toward the end of the program (see the anticipated timeline below). Each Fellow must bring a laptop loaded with Stata and/or SPSS for the duration of each workshop. Each team will also be expected to jointly complete a publishable-quality manuscript on policy-relevant questions that are primarily related to one or more of the following topic areas: family planning, HIV/AIDS, sexual behavior, fertility or reproductive health. Papers must use data collected in the DHS, AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS) or Service Provision Assessment (SPA) surveys.
• In addition, each team will be expected to design a plan for building capacity in the use of DHS data for teaching and research to be implemented at their home universities and report back on implementation prior to completion of the program.
• The language for the program is English. Manuscripts that meet the required standards will be published by ICF International in their Working Paper series. Fellows will be encouraged to submit their completed papers to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.
• A senior faculty member is defined as (1) Currently holds or has previously held a senior position at the university such as Head of Department, Dean of School/Faculty, Director of an Institute and/or (2) Associate professor (or equivalent) or higher.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Citizens of Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania or Zimbabwe can apply for this fellows program.

Scholarship Description: ICF International is pleased to announce it is accepting applications for the 2014 round of the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) Fellows Program. The DHS Fellows Program, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is designed to increase the capacity of countries to conduct further analysis of DHS data.

A number of awards: The fellow’s program will select four to six teams (each team comprised of three faculty members).

Duration of award(s): Not Known

What does it cover? The fellow’s program will select four to six teams based primarily on the merits of their research proposal and on the applicants’ potential for building the capacity of their home university to use DHS data. Each selected fellow will be awarded a $3,000 stipend to cover his or her research expenses, which will be paid in installments based upon satisfactory completion of the deliverables. In addition, ICF International will cover economy airfare from the home university in Africa, lodging, and per diem expenses for each fellow to attend both workshops at a location in Africa.

Selection Criteria: Selection will be based primarily on the merits of the applicant’s research proposal and on the applicants’ potential for building the capacity of their home university to use DHS data.

How to Apply: Each team should submit a single application that contains the following items in pdf format:

• A brief research proposal (3 to 4 pages), clearly outlining the research question(s), the scope of analysis and how DHS, AIS or SPA data will be used to answer these questions. Please describe the potential policy significance of the proposed study and how it relates to the scientific literature.
• A brief plan for internal capacity-building (1 to 2 pages) that describes realistic activities the applicants will undertake during and after the fellowship; these activities should enable fellows to pass on knowledge and skills learned through the program to students and faculty at their home university.
• In addition, the joint application should include the following from each member: A brief (1 page) personal statement from each applicant that includes: Prior experience working with DHS data, Current level of proficiency in using SPSS and/or Stata, Information on the courses the applicant is teaching, Research areas she/he plans to explore in the next five years, A curriculum vitae with complete contact information, a list of publications and names and contact information for three references and Proof of status as a current university faculty member and duration of employment.
• If selected, each candidate will be asked to provide evidence, such as a letter of approval from their department chairperson, that the university/department agrees to her/his participation in the fellowship program, including full-time participation in both workshops.

Scholarship Application Deadline: Check back next year

Further Official Scholarship Information and Application