NEW YORK, November 11, 2014—Sixty Carnegie African Diaspora Fellows will travel to Africa to conduct joint projects submitted by host universities in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda, supported by the second round of grants made by the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program. As early as December 2014, the scholars will travel to the African host institutions to collaborate on projects that include ecotourism, computer science and mobile technology, nursing education, materials engineering, archeology, theater, music, mathematics education, and a wide range of other areas designed to foster collaboration and build capacity at the host campuses.
The application deadline for the next round of fellowships (Round 3) is December 8, 2014. Project visits can begin as early as May 2015 and must be completed by August 2015. Host institutions and diaspora academics can apply online through the program website.
The Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship (ADF) Program Advisory Council, comprised of academic leaders from Africa and prominent African Diaspora academics, has remarked on the quick growth, increased quality, impact, and uniqueness of the program, which allows African universities to take the lead in hosting African diaspora scholars at their institutions.
According to original Advisory Council member, Toyin Falola, Nigerian historian and professor of African Studies and the Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at the University of Texas at Austin, “The program contributes to brain circulation and global networking of ideas creating new knowledge in a non-hierarchical empirical manner—the exchanges are grounded in equality. The pool represents the future of the U.S. and Africa with new talents who represent their fields and the future of their disciplines. Creating large constituencies across the Atlantic reinforces collaboration instead of domination, strategic partnership instead of academic distancing, and the various projects contribute to rethinking the epistemologies of knowledge.”
The first round of grants, which commenced in June, is supporting project collaborations with 33 Fellows, including Emmanuel Frimpong, associate professor of fisheries science in the College of Natural Resources and Environment at Virginia Tech. He will collaborate with Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology to develop aquaculture, fisheries, and water resources management curricula and to conduct research on aquaculture development for food security and the conservation of fish and fisheries.
Initial Highlights from Round One:
Stella Iguagwu, Assistant Professor, School of Health Sciences, Cleveland State University at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria presented a seminar for nursing faculty and students on designing and teaching online nursing curriculum in resource-poor settings and recorded classes for an online nursing course.
Prof Wycliffe Wekesa Simiyu Njororai from The University of Texas at Tyler, joined the Department of Sport Science at Kyambogo University in Uganda to advise graduate students, present seminars, and review curricula in sport and physical education.
Comments from hosts and fellows:
“The most important perspective gained through engagement with the fellow is the use of problem-solving approaches in designing courses, curriculum and syllabi. He (the fellow) was emphatic and drew clear-cut parallels on how the institution can and must impact society beyond merely preparing students for employment, but preparing them to be useful for themselves and society.” – Host
“I now have a good sense of why past collaborations, mostly run by non-Africans, have come off as overbearing on the part of Africa-based colleagues. I also have a sense of what the priorities are, especially on the need for a new curriculum that bridges the divide between STEM and the humanities, arts, and social sciences.” – Fellow
“The fellowship allowed me to give back to my country and my former institution. I was able to revamp old curriculum and syllabi that was instrumental to meeting global standards.”-Fellow
The Carnegie ADF Program is managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration with Quinnipiac University, which chairs the Advisory Council, and is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Public and private higher education institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda can submit a project request to host a scholar for 14 to 90 days. A prospective host may, but is not required to, name a proposed scholar in a project request. The proposed scholar and project request are each evaluated by a review committee and are subject to approval by the Advisory Council. African institutions and prospective Fellows can collaborate on ideas for a project that the institution submits. IIE maintains the scholar roster to facilitate matches, according to the discipline specializations, expertise, activities and objectives described in a project request.
Scholars born in Africa who live in the United States or Canada and work at an accredited college or university in either of those two countries can apply to be on the roster of available candidates. Candidates must have a terminal degree in their field and can hold any academic rank. For Fellows matched with a selected project, the Fellowship during a project visit includes a daily stipend, transportation and visa funds and health insurance coverage.
All of the projects and host institutions for the first two rounds of Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowships, along with the selected fellows, are listed on the program website.
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education is a world leader in the international exchange of people and ideas. An independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 19 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,200 member institutions. IIE designs and implements programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government agencies, foundations, and corporations. IIE also conducts policy research and program evaluations, and provides advising and counseling on international education and opportunities abroad.
IIE’s presence in Sub-Saharan Africa has spanned over 30 years. From 1979-2001, the USAID-funded South Africa Education Program opened the doors for black South Africans to obtain the knowledge, skills and professional credentials required to succeed in a post-apartheid government. In 2008, IIE established an office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where it implements a strong set of programs in leadership development, organizational effectiveness, and higher education scholarship administration. By creating and administering exchange and training programs, IIE helps develop the talent and human resources needed to address the challenges and harness the opportunities emerging on the African continent.
About Quinnipiac University
Quinnipiac is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution located 90 minutes north of New York City and two hours from Boston. The university enrolls 6,400 full-time undergraduate and 2,300 graduate students in 58 undergraduate and more than 20 graduate programs of study in its School of Business and Engineering, School of Communications, School of Education, School of Health Sciences, School of Law, Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, School of Nursing and College of Arts and Sciences. Quinnipiac consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the North in U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges issue. The 2014 issue of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges named Quinnipiac as the top up-and-coming school with master’s programs in the Northern Region. Quinnipiac also is recognized in Princeton Review’s “The Best 377 Colleges.” The Chronicle of Higher Education has named Quinnipiac among the “Great Colleges to Work For.” Please visit Quinnipiac’s website for more information.
About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 “to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding.” In keeping with this mandate, the Corporation’s work focuses on the issues that Andrew Carnegie considered of paramount importance: international peace, the advancement of education and knowledge, and the strength of our democracy.
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