By | 26 March 2019

KNUST Full Scholarship Into PhD Programme In Climate Change And Land Use


Call for Applications for Full Scholarship into PhD Programme in Climate Change and Land Use

West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL CCLU)

Supported with funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

The WASCAL Doctoral Research Programme in Climate Change and Land Use (DRP-CCLU) is pleased to announce that up to 11 fully-funded (tuition, stipend, research and travel grants) scholarships are available for applicants from the eleven (11) West African member countries to study for PhD in Climate Change and Land Use at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.

WASCAL is a wholly West African international organization with focus on academic and transdisciplinary 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 region, providing a knowledge platform of excellence for its partners. WASCAL is funded by BMBF, multilateral and bilateral partners and its 11 West African member countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.

WASCAL’s mission is to provide information and knowledge services at the local, national and regional levels to West African member countries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change. We do this through capacity building support to young West African scholars in fields of climate, natural and social sciences and by delivering climate and environmental services in member countries.

The WASCAL Doctoral Research Programme is one of twelve (12) Climate Change Centres in West Africa funded by the German government. The programme aims to provide state-of-the-art training for scientists and professionals in Climate Change and Land Use. The programme is multidisciplinary. Participants will acquire knowledge on climate change and its implications on land use for the West African sub-region, and the policy and management practices that may be put in place to mitigate and adapt to the impacts.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY

The DRP through the School of Graduate Studies, KNUST is pleased to announce a maximum of twenty (20) places for the year 2019, with eleven (11) available scholarships. All applicants are encouraged to indicate on the fee-paying forms their willingness or otherwise to be enrolled as self-financing students with alternative means of scholarship, in case they don’t qualify for scholarship.

Scholarship-holding PhD fellows will receive a monthly stipend to cover accommodation and other expenses for the duration of the programme. Approved travel costs, costs for fieldwork, etc., will be reimbursed. The disbursement of scholarship funds will be connected to the successful delivery of research work deliverables to be agreed upon between the project Director, the supervisor and the PhD fellow at the onset of the research work.

Field research will be sponsored after a successful course work and defence of a PhD proposal. The PhD fellow has the opportunity to travel to Germany once during the course of the PhD fellowship period to participate in PhD level courses and joint supervision, if his/her condition allows. The trip will be 3 – 6 months in duration. Airfare will be paid for by the project and a monthly stipend to cater for lodging and personal expenses for each month spent in Germany.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

In conformity with the entry requirement of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the successful candidate will have a minimum of:

  • Second Class (Upper Division) in their first degree and a good Masters degree in Soil Science, Agricultural Engineering (Soil and Water Engineering option), Civil Engineering (Water Resources/Hydrology option), Geomatic Engineering, Natural Resources (Silviculture and Forestry, and Watershed management), Mathematics, Geography, Land Economy, Atmospheric Physics, Climatology, and other relevant disciplines, with an average of at least 60%. Submit academic transcripts as evidence.
  • English Proficiency as indicated below:
  • Must have first or second degree with English language as the medium of instruction, OR 
  • Must have an internationally recognised Certificate of Proficiency in the English Language (TOEFL or IELTS) with above average score.
  • Otherwise the candidate will have to undertake a three-month pre-master’s intensive English course at University of Cape Coast.
  • Full time availability from April 30, 2019 for a period of forty-three months.
  • Demonstrate adequate intellectual capacity, maturity and effective decision making and problem-solving potentials.
  • Experience with modelling and GIS would be an advantage but not a prerequisite.
  • Must have the ability to travel to Germany for a period of 3 to 6 months

APPLICATION PROCEDURE AND CONTACT

Candidates may apply directly to the DRP CCLU by submitting all information requested via email to the Secretary at wascalknust@gmail.com / wascal.cclu@knust.edu.gh and copy to capacitybp@wascal.org before the deadline March 29. For further information you may call +233 322062529 during office hours (08:00hrs to 17:00hrs GMT)

Completing Application Form

  1. Access the KNUST application form via:

Ghanaian Applicants (Here)

Foreign Applicants (Here)

  1. Carefully read the IMPORTANT NOTES on the Application Form
  2. Complete application form and add scanned recent passport-size picture
  3. Submit the signed application form and other information to email addresses above.

KNUST in collaboration with the DRP CCLU Board will short list candidates and select one candidate as a beneficiary for each country. There will be a selection interview in/or near Kumasi or via telephone. The date of the interview will be communicated after shortlisting. The selection interview is mandatory to support the final selection of candidates. Successful candidates will then submit original hardcopy of the application package.

Application Supporting Documents/Additional Information

  • Completed application form
  • Detailed CV
  • Fee-paying form
  • Two letters of reference (one from a supervisor at the Master’s level)
  • Proof of English proficiency
  • Official transcripts for BSc and MSc degrees
  • Photocopy of official certificates for BSc and MSc degrees
  • Two recent passport-sized photographs
  • Evidence of current and previous employments (if applicable).
  • Submit both soft and hard copies of a short concept note (max. 3 pages outlining the justification, objectives, methodology and expected outcomes of the research idea.
  • Submit both soft and hard copies of a letter of motivation (max. two pages) with the heading “WASCAL DRP-CCLU PhD” outlining the following:
  • Why you want to study Climate Change and Land Use at the PhD level
  • What is your current occupation
  • Why you are well-suited to study this programme
  • How your admission into the PhD Climate Change and Land Use Programme will fit into your professional vision.
  • How your home country stands to benefit after your training
  • You may also add other relevant information and/or experience you feel is necessary to support your application.

NOTE:

  • Application deadline: March 29.
  • Send supporting documents in a single zip file
  • Supporting documents in French must have an official English translation in addition
  • Ineligible, incomplete or late applications will not be processed
  • Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted by April 30 for an interview or to provide additional details