Call for Applications: Africa Fellows in Education Program

The AFEP enables the fellows to participate in a two-year research and policy development fellowship that introduces them to relevant research and analytical experiences and international networks of researchers and policy advisers.

The objective of the AFEP is to build a group of Africa-based leaders capable of developing evidence and shaping relevant educational policies for their countries. They would be part of a global network of such people and could help build local networks of strong advocates for improving schools.

Structure of the AFEP

• The proposed program is organized around a combination of in-country activities and network/training opportunities regionally and abroad. Under the two out-of-country segments, it is expected that the successful fellows will have the opportunity to attend two of the most prominent international conferences on the economics of education: the CESifo Economics of Education conference and the Association for Education Finance and Policy (AEFP) conference. (The exact conference and travel schedule is subject to change based on the prevailing circumstances.) In addition to these conferences, the fellows will participate in a series of short courses designed to suit their needs, covering topics such as evaluation methods, communications, incentive structures, and other related areas while also allowing fellows to foster international connections. Further, they will have a series of lectures around testing and performance measurement. This introduction will enable the fellows to understand the use of large-scale testing data from various international and regional assessments. It will also sensitize them to general issues around the use of standardized testing. The first two weeks of training will be in September 2024, and the other two will be held in March 2025.
• While in their home countries, the fellows will develop a research/evaluation project to be carried out (mainly) in the second year under program supervision and with local scientific mentors. The initiative will engage a part-time local facilitator to monitor each fellow’s progress and reinforce new skills. This approach will lead the fellows to explore the existing state of local assessments and evaluation of educational issues. Both during the fellowship period and afterwards, a team of advisors from Stanford University and other organizations in Africa (such as PEP and Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Africa) and internationally will provide direct support and supervision. Fellows are expected to complete the project in two years, organize in-country policy outreach workshops to disseminate the research findings, and present the final report at the GEAI-PEP-organized conference in June 2026.

TaRL Africa Learning Areas

• How can the TaRL teaching and learning approach be strengthened and scaled in SSA?
• Can supplementary teaching-learning material improve teacher effectiveness in TaRL schools?
• Can digital/hybrid solutions effectively provide Continuous Teacher Professional Development (CPD) at scale?
• Peer-level teacher support as informal CPD: Does it improve teacher capacity and learning outcomes?
• What is the long-term impact of TaRL instruction in SSA (i.e., in Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire)?
• How does the Language Learning from Familiar to Formal Language (L2F2) program impact learning outcomes?

Funding Information

• Funding includes a $35K research (cash) grant. Other expenses, with a value of up to $25K, for mentorship, study visits, conference travel, and in-country workshops to share research findings and training will be covered directly by the Program.

Fellow’s Key Responsibilities

• During the two years of the program, each fellow will be expected to achieve the following milestones:
  • By the end of the first year, having consulted with relevant policy makers/stakeholders, write a concept research proposal focusing on a specific education problem in their home country or any other Sub-Saharan African country. Motivate the selected (education) research issues and objectives, outline the data sources and proposed methodology, and provide a clear plan for completing the project by June 2026.
  • Attend all short-term training courses arranged by GEAI in collaboration with PEP.
  • Over the two years, work closely with local and international scientific mentors to develop and complete the research project.
  • Present the project’s work-in-progress and final reports at local and international conferences organized by GEAI and its partners.
  • Complete the project in two years and present the final report at the GEAI-PEP-organized conference in June 2026. The final report must be rigorous enough to meet contemporary research and evaluation standards.
  • Write a policy brief based on the final technical research report.
  • Write a policy blog.
  • Organize in-country policy outreach workshops to disseminate the research findings.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for this call, applicants must:
  • Be a national of a Sub-Saharan African country;
  • Have an MA or PhD degree, preferably in Economics, education policy, social/public policy, development studies or international development, with a strong focus on education. While a PhD is not mandatory, GEAI and PEP encourage new PhD graduates who can benefit from mentorship and additional training to become solid researchers;
  • Be proficient in quantitative data analysis, with a strong knowledge of data analysis software such as R and Stata;
  • Not be older than 35 years old;
  • Demonstrate interest in education policy research and analysis;
  • Work for the government or have an affiliation at either a research or higher education institution in a Sub-Saharan African country and intend to do so for the foreseeable future;
  • Qualified females are strongly encouraged to apply.

For more information, visit Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP).