Applications open for Africa Fellows in Education Program

AFEP is fostering a network of Africa-based leaders capable of generating research-based evidence and shaping education policies relevant to their countries. These fellows will engage with a global network of experts and build strong local networks advocating for improved education systems.

The program supports a network of policy fellows by equipping them with advanced skills in evaluating educational research, leveraging performance data for informed decision-making, and integrating rigorous evidence into policy processes.

The Fellows will be able to identify and produce high-quality research utilized in educational decision-making. They will also become active in outreach to policymakers and civil society actors and advocate for sound, analytically based local policies.

Objective

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

Funding Information

• The funding includes a $35K research (cash) grant. The program will also directly cover up to $25K in expenses for mentorship, study visits, conference travel, and in-country workshops to share research findings and training.

Program Specifications

• 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 be most suitable to 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 on testing and performance measurement. The first two weeks of training will be between September and November 2025, and the other two will be held in March 2026.
• 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 mentor to monitor each fellow’s progress and reinforce new skills. This approach will lead fellows to explore the existing state of local assessments and evaluation of educational issues. 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.

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 fresh 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 PEP.