Course(s) Offered: Diverse disciplines
Course Level: Graduate (degree, research, course, proposal, etc)
Provider: United States Government
Country to Study in: USA

Scholarship Description
The University of Michigan (U-M) African Presidential Scholars Program (UMAPS) brings early career faculty members from African universities to Ann Arbor (i.e. the University of Michigan) for residencies lasting up to six months.

Scholars are paired with a faculty mentor during their stay and have full access to U-M’s resources to further their work on a research project, an academic degree, a new course, a grant proposal, or other relevant activity.

The program supports the development of the next generation of African scholars by integrating them into international academic networks, and also it internationalizes U-M by generating research and teaching collaborations across diverse disciplines, from engineering to African literature.

University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program (UMAPS)

Eligibility
A). Eligibility Requirements for ALL applicants:

Preference given to early career faculty who have taught in the higher education system for less than ten years
Applicants may or may not have received their PhD

B). Specific Eligibility Requirement for Applicants from:

). GHANA, LIBERIA, SOUTH AFRICA OR UGANDA:
Must be a faculty member of a college or university in Ghana, Liberia, South Africa or Uganda.
Completion of online form and submission of all required supporting documents.

). OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES:
Applicants must be faculty members of a college or university in an African country and must have a pre-existing established relationship with a U-M faculty member who agrees to be the candidate’s mentor. Thus:
Direct applications are not accepted from applicants from countries other than Uganda, Ghana, Liberia and South Africa. Direct applications from applicants from countries other than Uganda, Ghana, Liberia and South Africa will be disregarded
Only a U-M faculty member with a pre-existing established relationship may nominate a candidate from countries other than Uganda, Ghana, Liberia and South Africa.

Eligible groups
Citizens of ALL African countries

Participating Institutions
The African Studies Center, International Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; United States

Fields of study
Applications are welcomed from a wide range of disciplines and/or schools. The program especially encourages applications that align with the following initiatives:

African Heritage: research on how cultural assets in Africa are historicized, authenticated, accessed and circulated.
African Social Research: quantitative social scientific research on economic, urbanization, gender, governance, demographics, public health and environmental change.
STEM-Africa: research in the domains of Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics.

Number of awards
Not specified but many are awarded every year

Sponsorship duration
Scholars will usually begin their residency in late August.

Residencies may last up to six months - scholars may apply or be nominated for a two-month, four-month, or six-month residency.

Scholarship benefits
Scholars have full access to U-M’s library and research materials to further their work on a research project, an academic degree, a new course, a grant proposal, or other relevant activity.

Specific details of the UMAPS award:

Scholars will be provided with round-trip airfare from their home country to Ann Arbor, Michigan
Scholars will receive a stipend to cover living, housing, and research expenses during their tenure at the University of Michigan

Each scholar will be asked to give a presentation on their work during the residency.

The scholarship may be combined with other scholarships or funds to support an extended stay. It is expected that the scholar’s home institution will continue to pay the scholar’s academic salary during the duration of the fellowship.

Method of Application
Applications may be sent ELECTRONICALLY or via POSTAL MAIL. Applicants must submit:

A completed application form (online or download pdf);
A curriculum vitae;
A letter of support from the head of department, dean, or vice chancellor at the applicant’s home institution; and
A scholarly program proposal, not to exceed five pages (see Guidance on the Research Proposal on official website).

Applicants from Uganda, Ghana, Liberia and South Africa may apply DIRECTLY by completing the application form and submitting it with all required supporting documents.

Applicants from other African countries may apply INDIRECTLY by getting themselves nominated for admission by a U-M faculty member with a pre-existing established relationship. The nominating U-M faculty member may submit the nominee's application materials to the African Studies Center along with a nomination letter.

It is important to visit the official website (link to it is below) for complete details on how to apply for this scholarship.

DEADLINES:
Application period for academic year 2017/2018 is from August 15 - October 15, 2016

PLEASE NOTE:
Early career faculty means faculty members who have taught in the higher education system for less than ten years.

Priority will be given to candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds. Promotion of gender equity in the current class of scholars and in the African academy will also be prioritized. Applicants who already have significant international experience will not be favored.

In the past, UMAPS accepted applications from faculty in Ghana, Liberia, South Africa, and Uganda only. Starting 2014, however, U-M faculty are allowed to nominate candidates from any African country, provided they can prove a pre-existing established relationship with a University of Michigan faculty member and agree to serve as the candidate’s mentor.

The University of Michigan (UM, U-M, UMich, or U of M), frequently referred to simply as Michigan, is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Originally, founded in 1817 in Detroit as the Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania, 20 years before the Michigan Territory officially became a state, the University of Michigan is the state's oldest university.

The university moved to Ann Arbor in 1837, which location is now known as Central Campus. Since its establishment in Ann Arbor, the university campus has expanded, and now has two satellite campuses located in Flint and Dearborn. The University was one of the founding members of the Association of American Universities.

Application Deadline: 15 October 2016
Open to International Applicants: No (ONLY Africans)

http://www.ii.umich.edu/asc/initiatives