UPF Dorcas Muthoni PhD Fellowship for African Countries 2024

Published: 26 Jan 2024 1,080 views

The Dorcas Muthoni PhD Fellowship is a tribute to our Doctor Honoris Causa Dorcas Muthoni. 
Dorcas Muthoni, a Kenyan engineer and entrepreneur, CEO and founder of the company Openworld, received our University’s highest recognition on 15th December 2017 for her significant work in the promotion of engineering studies among young women in Africa, the mentoring of young people, and her social commitment in the fight against poverty. 

The Dorcas Muthoni PhD scholarship is aligned with our university institutional commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), it aims to contribute to quality education and gender equality, with a focus on African Women.
The first edition of this PhD Fellowship was opened in 2018, and the second in 2020. We are pleased to launch our third edition for 2024.

Dorcas Muthoni PhD Fellowship

Benefits of Dorcas Muthoni PhD Fellowship

The main objectives of this fellowship are: 

• To promote gender equality & contribute to reduce the gender gap in ICT; by facilitating more women pursuing scientific/technological/engineering careers and lowering the barriers women face when pursuing careers in STEM disciplines
• To share excellent research with African female researchers during their PhD Studies. Our ICT department consists of more than 20 research groups who are very active in international research projects and nationally we are the only Engineering university department in Spain to have been awarded for a second time the Spanish research excellence seal Maria de Maeztu. The Maria de Maeztu Strategic Research Program is a 4 year research initiative funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness to promote artificial and natural intelligence for ICT and beyond within not only our Engineering ICT department, but our university. 
• To contribute to future social impact in African countries. The applicants are expected to return to their African home country after completion of their PhD studies in order to pursue a career related to ICT there. 

Benefits

 The university offers a predoctoral contract with a minimum gross monthly salary of 1.470,98€ for the 1st and 2nd year, and a gross monthly salary of 1.576,05€ for the 3rd year. 

Teaching. PRC includes a teaching assistance load of 45 hours per academic year. These teaching hours are a compulsory pre-requisite to be able to enter the fellowship selection process. 

Start-up Fund. The fellowship will also include a startup/Landing Fund to facilitate the fellow’s initial expenditure. The fund will be for the amount of 2500€.

Please note that the scholarship offered has been designed to support only one individual and we cannot assure financial, logistical or administrative support to cover for any family members.
  
Fees covered by the fellowship (PRC- Predoctoral Research Contract)
The “Dorcas Muthoni” fellowships/PRC include the annual tutorship fees, but neither the administrative fees nor the fees for validations of degrees issued by a university outside the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) without homologation. Check here for further information. Fees covered by the fellowship (PRC)

Selection Process

Evaluation criteria

• Excellent Academic record of the candidate
• Motivation letter: 
  -Candidates expected contribution to the promotion of ICT gender equality 
  -Future expected social and economic impact (Africa)

Application Period   

• Applications to the Dorcas Muthoni Fellowship (see details in point 2 below) and to the UPF-ICT PhD programme (see details in point 1 below) are to be submitted by 2nd May 2024 at 23:59 hours CET (Central European Time).
• Dorcas Muthoni Fellowship Resolution: 4th July 2024
  *The contracts of the people admitted on this period are envisaged to start at the beginning of October-November 2024.
• Early applications are very much encouraged. 

Application Deadline

How to Apply