The World Bank is partnering with eight Governments in Eastern and Southern Africa in an innovative project with the aim of improving the quality of training and research in higher education, and reducing the skill gaps in key development priority areas.
The Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence (ACE II) Project supports the governments of Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia in strengthening selected African Centers of Excellence (ACEs) to deliver quality post-graduate education and build collaborative research capacity in the following priority areas:
Industry. In general, Eastern and Southern African countries experience low and, in some cases, declining levels of enrolment in areas associated with the growing industrial sectors which require skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics or Industry – STEM.
Thus, there is huge demand for graduates in emerging sectors with high growth potential such as oil and gas, energy, extractives, and railways industries across the region. This Fellowship will contribute to improved availability of skilled professionals with specialized knowledge who can innovate and
boost productivity in the STEM areas, such as engineers (civil, petroleum, and mechanical),
geoscientists, mechanical technicians, etc.
Agriculture: Low levels of agricultural productivity has contributed to shortage of food and overall food insecurity due to skills and labour constraints, as well as the slow adoption of technology.
Primarily this low productivity is caused by factors such as frequent droughts, rampant diseases (crop and livestock), unimproved crop varieties, lack of access to quality seeds/fertilizers, and poor management of water resources.
To address these challenges, this Fellowship will contribute to training of female graduates to become agribusiness specialists/managers, crop scientists, plant breeders, veterinarians, agronomists, water and irrigation engineers, and food preservation and processing specialists, who will contribute to innovative research and teaching for agricultural advancement, improved nutrition, and
Health: There is low life expectancy in Eastern and Southern African region. Both infectious and non-infectious diseases account for highest proportion of illness in the region, and include malaria and tuberculosis and other diseases that may have been eliminated elsewhere.
Infectious diseases are also a major constraint to both the export of African livestock and the spread of diseases from
animals to humans.
This Fellowship will address development challenges in the areas of infectious diseases, public health, and drug development through training and research in molecular biology, analytical epidemiology, traditional medicine, and pharma-biotechnology.
Education. Poor education quality, especially at the primary and secondary levels, is a significant obstacle to higher education access and outcomes. Poor teaching competencies, particularly in mathematics and science, are a barrier to the production of high-quality graduates and faculty in
the field. This Fellowship
Applied Statistics. The absence of reliable and accurate data, data management systems, and skilled statisticians is a serious constraint to policymaking, adequate analysis of development challenges, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of interventions.
In sub-Saharan African countries, across various sectors, there is a severe shortage of highly trained statisticians and of good quality data.
Fellowship Award
The provided financial support for each Fellowship Program will cover:
Scholarship 2024/25
Current Scholarships 2024/2025 - Fully Funded
Full Undergraduate Scholarships 2024 - 2025
Fully Funded Masters Scholarships 2024 - 25
PhD Scholarships for International Students - Fully Funded!
Funding Opportunities for Journalists 2024/2025
Funding for Entrepreneurs 2024/2025
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