IMU-Simons African Fellowship Program (Fully-funded) 2023

Thanks to a generous donation by the Simons Foundation, NY the Commission for Developing Countries (CDC) of the International Mathematical Union (IMU) is launching the IMU-Simons African Fellowship Program to support research visits of mathematicians living and working in developing countries in Africa.

Application Deadlines: 

• January 15th, 2023 for research visits between May 1st, 2023 and November 1, 2023 (Decisions will be made by March 15th, 2023).  The visit has to be finished by November 1, 2023.
• April 15th, 2023 for research visits between August 1st, 2023 and November 1st, 2023 (Decisions will be made by June 15th, 2023). The visit has to be finished by November 1, 2023.

Eligible Countries: African countries

To be taken at (country): Worldwide

About the Award: The IMU-Simons African Fellowship Program supports research sabbaticals for mathematicians from AFRICAN developing countries employed in AFRICA to travel to an Internationally known mathematical centre of excellence/university (WORLDWIDE) for collaborative research.

The program is not for postgraduate courses or post-doctoral training but for a LIMITED RESEARCH PERIOD. The grant covers TRAVEL and LIVING COSTS of African mathematicians working in Africa (Specifically coming from a developing country, the definition of which is determined by the IMU for all its schemes) during the sabbatical.

Offered Since: 2016

Type: Fellowship (Academic)

Eligibility: 

• The applicant has to hold a valid doctoral degree (PhD) in mathematics.

• The African applicant must be based (place of work) in an African developing country.

• The applicant has to be employed as a mathematician in a faculty of a university or an equivalent higher education institution.

• The applicant should already have established contact with a mathematician in the host institution in mathematical centre of excellence worldwide and should have a definite research plan together with the host, which must be submitted along with the curriculum vitae of both mathematicians at the time of applying for this grant. This plan should be approved by the host as well.

• The applicant should have been granted appropriate leave of absence from his/her home institution which will cover the visit period.

• The application must also be accompanied by a formal letter of invitation from the host institution, which clearly specifies the period of the (short) research visit and the extent of its financial commitment and support. It is expected that the host institution would at least offer office space, free Internet access and other basic amenities.The invitation has to come from the dean of the faculty for the host institution.

Value of Scholarship: The grant under this scheme will cover:

1. Travel costs from the place of work of the applicant to that of the host to the extent of economy class airfare (Public) transport (surface transport by rail or bus between the nearest city where the airport is located and the headquarters of the candidate or the city/town where the host institution is located, if necessary)
2. Visa fees
3. Travel insurance charges
4. Basic living costs
5. Accommodation cost (guest house of the institution or rented flat if possible).
6. Maximum four (4) Taxi fares (on submission of receipts) may be allowed to travel between the residence and the airport/railway station (upon arrival and departure).

How to Apply: In order to apply please take the following steps:

1. Please fill out and submit the online application form for the IMU-Simons Programs.
2. Upload all requested documents (two CVs: of the host and the applicant, detailed Research plan, invitation letter by the host institution, letter by the home institution, tentative budget details in USD) as 1 joint PDf to the Online Application Form.
3. A picture of you for our website (upload separately to the Online Application Form) (The picture will be published on our website (like this: https://www.mathunion.org/cdc/grants/research-travel-grants/imu-simons-travel-fellowship/2018-awarded-imu-simons-africa) if the applicant is chosen, so PLEASE upload a NICE picture in good quality!)

If your application is NOT completed by the deadline, it CANNOT be considered for evaluation. Please send your application at least two weeks in advance so it can be checked.

Online Application Form

Tentative Budget Form

Visit Scholarship Webpage for details