University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Programme (UMAPS) 2025/2026

UMAPS accepts direct applications from faculty members of colleges or universities in Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.

When is Application Deadline?

15th October 2024 (11:59 PM EST)

Tell me about UMAPS:

Strengthening African universities is one of the most effective ways to contribute to the continent’s growth and continued excellence. The U-M African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) program has helped retain and strengthen faculty members working in African institutions of higher education, and empowered them to contribute to international academic networks and set their own research agendas.

The UMAPS Program brings early career faculty from African universities to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Scholars are paired with a faculty collaborator during their stay and have full access to the University of Michigan’s (U-M) resources to further their work on a research project, an academic degree, publications, 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 promotes U-M’s international commitment to research and teaching collaborations across diverse disciplines, from engineering to literature to economics.

The UMAPS program hosts two cohorts per year—August through December, and January through May—with *one* application round for both cohorts. Applicants will have the opportunity to indicate their preference for a particular cohort during the application process, but placement in a particular cohort (upon acceptance in the program) is not guaranteed.

Unfortunately, ASC is not able to help prospective applicants connect to U-M faculty, nor do we recommend reaching out to them directly.

What are Eligible Field(s):

Since 2009, the UMAPS Program has hosted scholars from Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Gabon, and Zambia representing a wide range of disciplines that closely align with the following initiatives:

• African Heritage and Humanities Initiative (AHHI) supports research related to the arts, humanities, and interpretive social sciences, which highlights the dynamic, contested process by which African cultures and histories are made;
• African Social Research Initiative (ASRI) promotes social science research on democratic governance and distributive politics; income dynamics and poverty; and gender, health, and development;
• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative (STEM-Africa) seeks to nurture the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Africa, which extends scientific knowledge and yields solutions to global problems.

Type of Award?

Short course

See also:

Mo Ibrahim Foundation Leadership Fellowship Program (Funded to work at AfDB, UNECA or the ITC)

Coursera Vs Udemy: Which is the Best Online Learning/Training Platform?

Goldman Sachs Women’s Trader Academy 2022 for Young Women in EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa)

Who is Eligible for UMAPS?

*Previous recipients of the UMAPS fellowship are not eligible to apply. Preference will be given to applicants without extensive international experience outside the continent.

All applicants must:

• Be an early career faculty member who has taught in the higher education system for less than ten years, and who is presently teaching in a college or university in Africa
  
• Be employed in an ongoing position at a university or college in Africa
  
• Be able to demonstrate support from a home institution with a letter of recommendation from the head of department, dean, or vice chancellor
  
• Be able to remain in residence for five months

What are the Selection Criteria?

A multidisciplinary faculty committee at the University of Michigan will review and select candidates. Selection will be based on the following:

• academic quality of the candidate and of the proposed program of scholarship;
• the academic fit of the candidate with others selected in the cycle-and with the areas of interest described above;
• and the support of the candidate’s home institution.
• Strong emphasis 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 given strong consideration.

Candidates who already have significant international experience will not be favored for this program.

Which countries are eligible?

• UMAPS welcomes direct applications from faculty members of colleges or universities from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda.
• Applicants from other countries in Africa cannot apply directly to UMAPS but need to be nominated by a University of Michigan faculty member with whom they already have an established relationship.

Where will Award be taken?

Ann Habor, Michigan, USA

How Many Awards are available?

2

What is the Benefit of UMAPS?

Those admitted to the UMAPS Program will receive:

• Four to six months residency at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, paired with a faculty mentor with full access to the university’s resources
• Round-trip airfare from their home country to Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Free housing, and a modest stipend to cover living, health care, and research costs while at U-M. The UMAPS program is unable to accommodate spouses and/or dependents 
• Office/Laboratory space
• Opportunity to present research to the U-M community

What is the Timeline/Duration of UMAPS?

Eligible scholars may apply to visit U-M for a semester (four months) or for a half year (six months) beginning in Late August 2023 -Early February 2024

How can I apply for UMAPS?

Nomination Process

For applicants from outside Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, or Uganda, nomination is required and needs to be completed by a U-M faculty member familiar with the work of the prospective applicant. The nominating faculty must:

• Complete the online nomination form (for University of Michigan faculty only and access requires U-M login)
  
• Submit /upload a letter of endorsement that indicates their willingness to serve as a mentor during the length of the residency, commit to meet regularly, and if possible provide an office space for the prospective participant

As soon as we receive the complete nomination form and letter of support, we will send the nominated candidate an email invitation with a link to the application portal for nominated applicants; please do not use the regular application portal.

Application Checklist and Timeline

All applicants must:

• Complete the online application form » (IN THIS APPLICATION CYCLE, this link can only be used by applicants from the following countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda)
  
• Upload a curriculum vitae using the online application
  
• Upload a scholarly program/research proposal (not to exceed five pages). Applications from a wide range of disciplines and schools are welcome; applications that align with the center’s disciplinary initiatives—AHHI, ASRI, and STEM-Africa—are encouraged
  
• Provide complete name and contact information of the department head, dean, or vice chancellor at the applicant’s home institution who will be writing their letter of support

Applications will be reviewed after the closing date on October 15. Incomplete applications will not be processed. 

Only applications submitted through the online system will be considered. 

• It is important to go through all application requirements in the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying.
• GOODLUCK

UMAPS Information Webinar (via Zoom) | Aug 31, 2022 08:30 AM EST

This webinar will provide information on the program, covering topics such as (i) eligibility, and (ii) how to prepare an application to the program. 

Click here to register

Visit UMAPS Webpage for Details