TWAS-DFG Cooperation Visits Programme

The aim of the visit is to initiate research collaboration between African and German scientists with the ultimate goal of developing longer-term links, perhaps through other Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, or German Research Foundation) programmes. DFG will cover travel expenses and provide subsistence costs for the stay in Germany. The administration and financial operation of TWAS is undertaken by UNESCO in accordance with an agreement signed by the two organizations. Such visits must be undertaken within 12 months of the award.

Sub-Saharan African Countries

• Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Rep., Chad, Comoros, Congo Dem. Rep., Congo Rep., Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini Kingdom of, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Equatorial, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants need to hold a PhD obtained not earlier than 2018; however, for female applicants the year limit for the PhD can be extended by two years per child, i.e. for a woman with one child the PhD year would be 2016 or later.
• Applicants must be nationals of a sub-Saharan African country, including South Africa, and hold a research position in sub-Saharan African country.
• Applicants already on site in Germany are not eligible.
• Applicants with an established collaboration with the intended host are not eligible. Examples of established collaboration include one common publication with the host Professor; a previous visit to the host laboratory; interactions between applicant and supervisor as a result of meeting at a conference; the host Professor was previously the applicant’s MSc or PhD supervisor.
• Previous recipients of a TWAS-DFG Cooperation Visit cannot reapply. For a second visit, the German host can apply for funding under the DFG Initiation of International Collaboration Programme.
• Women scientists are especially encouraged to apply.
• All academic fields will be considered.

Other Information

• TWAS-DFG Cooperation Visits do not include provisions for accompanying family members.
• Applications for part-time visits will be considered ineligible.
• Successful applicants must not take up other assignments during the period of their Cooperation Visits.
• DFG shall be entitled to a repayment of all or part of any funds paid to an applicant hereunder, in the event that the applicant intentionally or negligently fails to fulfil any or all of the above conditions. The applicant agrees to pay any reasonable legal and/or collection costs incurred by DFG to obtain the repayment.

For more information, visit The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).