The Doctoral Research Programme in West African Climate Systems (DRP-WACS) of the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) hosted at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Nigeria, seeks to admit the fifth batch of students for the PhD programme in the field of West African Climate Systems and its applications.


WASCAL is a West African international organization with focus on academic and multidisciplinary research, building graduate-level scientific capacity and serving policy makers in West Africa with science-based advice on adaptation to climate change impacts and land use management. It cooperates with many agencies and universities in the West African region, providing a knowledge platform of excellence for its partners. WASCAL is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), multilateral and bilateral partners and its 11 West African member countries, namely Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, The Gambia and Togo.

The host department in FUTA, the Department of Meteorology and Climate Science is recognized by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) as the University component of the Regional Meteorological Training Centre in Nigeria. The department is renowned in the country and the entire West Africa for its track records in manpower development of experts in weather and climate related disciplines. Over the years, the department has trained professional meteorologists for Meteorological Agencies in Nigeria, Ghana, the Gambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, etc. It has also trained scientists and experts in other climate related fields. In close collaboration with the department, DRP-WACS has successfully trained and empowered individuals across West Africa who are now consultants to organizations such as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), World Bank (WB) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Over forty West African students have benefitted from the full scholarship scheme which includes accommodation, tuition, travel and cost of research. These graduates have been providing improved prediction, adaptation and management of the climate system over West Africa and beyond.

Scholarship and Research Support The Graduate Research Programme is fully funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The scholarship includes:
(i) Monthly stipend to cover accommodation, and living expenses for the period of studies;
(ii) Travel;
(iii) Payment of university fees;
(iv) Research grant;
(v) A laptop computer.

Other Sources of Funding Apart from WASCAL scholarship, students with other sources of funding (e.g. TEFUND, PTF, Governmental support, NGOs, other scholarship supports and self) are welcome. Such students will pay tuition fees. They will also pay for accommodation and take care of living expenses.

The programme is aimed at building capacity in climate science and applications in Africa in priority areas such as Atmospheric, Renewable Energy, Agriculture(Food Security), Water Resources, Health, Urban Issues, Disaster Risk Reduction, Environmental and other Socio-Economics problems occasioned by the interplay of extreme weather and climate

Applications are invited from holders of MSc in Meteorology, Climate Science, Climatology, Geography, Physics, Computer Science, Agriculture, Hydrology, Mathematics or any related discipline in the 11- member WASCAL Countries.

For more information and the Application Process, please visit
https://www.futa.edu.ng/wascal

Application Deadline: June 30, 2021