CFPs: Open Doors Fellowship Program for Women Researchers

The ODFP targets post-doctoral and mid-career women researchers conducting agricultural research in African (inter)national research centers. Their program aims to contribute to the consolidation of mid-career researchers and avoid them leaking from the scientific pipeline. Therefore, through its unique conceptualization and implementation, the program is tailored to our participants’ training needs to provide a fulfilling, nurturing and empowering learning experience.

The program is structured in two phases. In Phase 1 (1-4 months), their fellows expand their research horizons and scientific network in Belgium through a fully-funded short research stage of three months. This stage occurs in a laboratory where fellows can use equipment not accessible in Africa and learn new techniques and skills relevant to fast-track their research.

In Phase 2, upon returning to Africa, their fellows can tailor their training curriculum over 16 months by accessing six courses from the VIB training online portfolio on soft, hard skills and coaching courses during this period. Beyond these, the training package includes Negotiation Skills, Project Management and Self-Leadership modules to help their beneficiaries navigate their careers more confidently.

Eligible Countries

• Scholarship candidates should be national and resident in one of the VLIR- UOS scholarship countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe); or employee of a target organization in one of these countries (candidates exceptionally can have a different nationality).

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants have to be women researchers fulfilling all the following criteria:
  • Applicants are post-doc female scholars (minimum one year after defending their Ph.D.) or in mid-career positions who experience challenges to progress in their career path due to limited access to training, infrastructure, and international networks. There are no age limits.
  • Applicants’ research fields must be plant breeding, agrobiotechnology, molecular biology and genetics, microbiology, chemical ecology, plant & soil health, livestock or aquaculture.
  • Applicants must have an active employment contract in a High Education institution or an (inter)national research center in any of the countries listed above for the duration of the fellowship (20 months), where they conduct research and teach.
  • Applicants are supervising MSc or PhD students and supporting staff.

Application Requirements

• Documents to fulfill the application process:
  • A duly filled application.
  • A motivation letter from the candidate.
  • A maximum 3-page CV. Please note that a CV with more than three pages will not be reviewed.
  • Soft copies of the academic transcripts of the Ph.D. and the diploma.
  • A list of publications, including papers, book chapters, technical reviews in indexed journals and patents. Only articles in the Web of Science: Master Journal List will be considered valid publications.
  • A signed letter from the applicant’s direct supervisor to indicate how she/he intends to support the fellow in completing her training program.
  • An official signed letter from the Human Resources Office of the applicant’s institution to prove that the applicant has a valid contract in SSA for the duration of the fellowship. The letter also should inform on what support the fellow will receive during the training period. An HR focal point should commit to participating in the four webinars related to gender-equitable practices in the workplace during the 20 months of the fellowship.
  • A signed letter from the research center in Belgium supporting the applicant’s short research stay (only for Modality B applications).

For more information, visit IPBO.