Iso Lomso Fellowship (Africa)

Candidates should have established a research programme and have completed a post-doctoral fellowship or equivalent post-PhD programme. All disciplines are considered.

An important priority for Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study (STIAS) is to strengthen a culture of research on the continent. It is especially important to nurture a new generation of African scholars to provide the intellectual leadership needed for future development. For this purpose, STIAS has established an early career research fellowship programme called Iso Lomso. The translation of the isiXhosa words ‘iso lomso’ is ‘the eye of tomorrow’ and connotes seeing into the future, working towards the future, preparing for the future, and laying foundations for tomorrow. Iso Lomso aims to address the gap that exists between completion of the Ph.D. and becoming an established scholar in Africa. While there is increasing support for doctoral study and for post-doctoral fellowships, it is during the extended post-doctoral period that the greatest loss of talent occurs.

Benefits

• Residence at STIAS
  • A three-year attachment to STIAS during which time you may spend a total of ten months in residence at STIAS to develop and pursue a long-term research project
• Links to sister institutions
  • The possibility of a residency at a partner institute for advanced study or other research intensive institution abroad
• International conferences
  • Funding to attend up to two international conferences or training workshops anywhere in the world
• Your own workshop
  • Support to convene a workshop with collaborators at STIAS or at their home institution
• Support for your institution
  • Lecturer replacement subsidy for your home institution during residency periods

Details of the Fellowship

• Iso Lomso fellowships provide a three-year attachment to STIAS to enable fellows to develop and conduct a long-term research programme of their preference. The aim is to facilitate and support them towards becoming established scholars in their fields.
• The main means of support is STIAS residencies. Residential periods will be agreed mutually between the fellow, his or her home institution and STIAS, and may vary between six weeks and five months per residency. A first period of residency will typically be of longer duration to be taken up during 2025, followed by two further residencies through 2027. While in residence fellows receive regular STIAS fellow support which includes:
  • an economy return flight;
  • comfortable accommodation within walking distance from the institute;
  • individual offices equipped with a PC, telephone and printer;
  • a monthly stipend for daily living costs;
  • access to the Stellenbosch University library (including electronic resources) and a high-speed internet connection;
  • participation in the regular STIAS fellows programme, including daily lunch, weekly fellows’ seminars, STIAS public lectures and social events;
  • a child care subsidy for fellows accompanied by young children while in residence.
• Iso Lomso fellows’ home institution will be eligible to apply for a lecturer replacement subsidy during residency periods. This will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis with the home institution after the fellowships have been awarded. It will be the fellow and the home institution’s responsibility to recruit replacement lecturers. While not in residence at STIAS Iso Lomso fellows will continue their regular academic duties at their home institution. During these periods fellows may apply for a range of research sponsorship interventions. These elements will be considered in a flexible manner to ensure that each fit optimally into the research programme. They may include:
  • a subsequent residency at a sister Institute for Advanced Study or relevant research institution in North America, Europe or elsewhere (this will form part of the ten months’ residency allocation; the fellow’s preferences for potential host institutions will be considered);
  • funding to attend up to two relevant academic conferences or research training events (covering travel, accommodation and
  • participation fees);
  • limited project funding for key interventions in the research programme;
  • the possibility of hosting a workshop at STIAS or their at their home institution as a means of strengthening the fellow’s scholarly network and research impact.
• Applicants are encouraged to consider which of these elements they would like to include in the pre-proposal timeline. These elements will be planned and finalised with Iso Lomso fellows during their initial period of residency.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible for the 2024 call, applicants must:
  • be a national of any African country;
  • be born after the 1st of January 1981;
  • have an affiliation at a research or higher education institution in an African country, and continue to do so for the foreseeable future;
  • have obtained a doctoral degree from any recognised higher education institution (worldwide) after the 1st of January 2016;
  • have completed a post-doctoral fellowship or equivalent post-PhD research programme;
  • be in a position to commence a first period of residency at STIAS during 2025.

For more information, visit Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study.