NEW YORK, October 13, 2015—Universities in Africa and African-born academics in the United States and Canada can now apply for funding to take part in joint projects as part of the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program (CADFP). Carnegie Corporation of New York has announced a renewal grant to the Institute of International Education that aims to support 140 collaborative projects in 2016 and 2017, building on the success of the first two years of the program. Project requests from universities and applications from scholars are due by December 8, 2015, and projects can begin as early as May 2016. Interested applicants can find eligibility requirements and instructions on the “How to Apply” section of the program’s website.
Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation of New York, stated, “Historically, diaspora communities have been a source of remittances to home countries. But academic diasporas are increasingly serving as valuable resources to universities worldwide, contributing to their teaching, research, and institutional collaboration missions. African institutions of higher learning are expanding their ties with global diasporas and we at Carnegie Corporation strive to encourage these linkages. We view them as critical to advancing higher education in Africa, as well as to internationalizing North American universities. Diaspora linkages are part of the DNA of today’s globalized higher education.”
From 2014 to 2015, the program funded 110 fellows to collaborate with 68 African institutions of higher learning in Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa in the areas of research, curriculum development and graduate student teaching, training and mentoring.
The CADFP Advisory Council seeks applications for innovative projects, and specifically encourages projects that involve collaboration among multiple institutions or from groups of faculty who are addressing related topics. As a way of solidifying links that have already been developed between host institutions and visiting scholars, the council also plans to award some Fellowships to faculty members who are alumni from the first two years of the program.
New Partner
The United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) in Nairobi, Kenya will be a new partner this year, joining Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Institute of International Education. USIU-Africa will soon be the new academic home of Dr. Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Chair of the CADFP Advisory Council. Regarding his decision to return to Africa, Dr. Zeleza commented, “This innovative program has already had a transformative impact on its recipients and the dozens of institutions they have worked with across the continent. In fact, it has contributed to my own decision to return after 25 years in Canada and the United States. The program inspired me to reflect on my own role and contribution as a diaspora academic and administrator, and I’m thrilled to vote with my feet by going back to Kenya as Vice Chancellor of the United States International University-Africa, and by becoming part of the brain circulation that is so crucial for the development and well-being of both the continent and its diasporas.”
How the Projects and Fellowships Work
All projects are collaborations between the host institution and the visiting Fellow. The proposed scholar and project requests are each evaluated by a review committee and are subject to approval by the Advisory Council. The criteria for the new application remain the same as for the previous two years.
Host Institutions: Public and private higher education institutions in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda are invited to submit a project request to host a scholar for 14 to 90 days. Prospective hosts are eligible but not required to name a proposed scholar in a project request. Many African institutions and prospective Fellows collaborate on ideas for a project that is then submitted by the institution.
Prospective Fellows: The Institute of International Education maintains a scholar roster to facilitate matches, according to the discipline specializations, expertise, activities and objectives described in a project request. Candidates are required to have a terminal degree in their field and can hold any academic rank. When a scholar is successfully matched with a selected project, he or she is awarded a Fellowship to conduct a project visit to the host institution. The Fellowship includes a daily stipend, transportation and visa funds and health insurance coverage during the specified length of the project visit. Scholar applicants are also encouraged to contact universities in to explore collaborative projects.
Please direct all questions related to the application process to africandiaspora@iie.org.
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 1,400 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 a regional 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 throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
About United States International University-Africa
Since its inception in 1969, a core component of the United States International University-Africa’s vision and mission has been promoting trans-national education. The Nairobi Campus of USIU began with a Memorandum of Understanding between the Kenyan government and USIU in San Diego, California to establish a university, United States International University-Africa. In 1999, USIU-Africa was chartered in Kenya and in 2005 it separated from the home campus in San Diego to become an independent, private, secular institution. It remains dually accredited by the Commission for University Education in Kenya and the WASC Senior Colleges and University Commission in the United States.
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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