Background
The MUST-IUC Partnership titled “University as a Facilitator for Community-Based Sustainable Solutions to Demographic Challenges in South-Western Uganda” hereafter referred to as UCoBS is a 10-year (2022-2032) collaborative partnership project between Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) and other Flemish Higher Education Institutions funded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR UOS) with a strong niche of improving the household livelihoods of the Most at Risk Populations (MARPs) in South Western Uganda. There are six sub-projects under the MUST-IUC UCoBS partnership that seek to support 09 PhD and 02 Masters candidates in various disciplines of environment; climate change and food production; renewable energy; sexual and reproductive health, and innovative business entrepreneurship for youth employability. Preference will be given to candidates that are already members of staff (or collaborators) of Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Scholarship Scope
The selected PhD candidate will be funded within the stipulated training period for not more than 4 years duration. The candidate will also benefit from funding for short research stays of 3-6 months annually in a Flemish University. The full PhD funding is conditional on the successful defense of a PhD proposal and obtaining sufficient course credits at MUST and during the first months of stay in Belgium. The candidate will receive support for the PhD research activities and fieldwork. The selected candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary and international research project and will contribute to addressing development-relevant issues in collaboration with Ugandan stakeholders. The scholarship funding will be compliant with the official scholarship schemes of VLIR-UOS and the existing policy guidelines of MUST and implementing institutions. The PhD candidate will be supervised and or promoted by a team of Flemish and Ugandan faculty and defend the thesis at Mbarara University of Science and Technology or a Flemish institution where the candidate is registered. The PhD candidate will interact with other PhD students from Uganda and Belgium. The candidate may have his/her PhD registered at two Universities for a Dual or Joint PhD if interested.
The Master of Science/Master of Arts (MSc/MA) Scholarship Scope
The selected MSc/MA candidate will be funded within the stipulated training period for not more than 2 years duration. The candidate will also benefit from funding for a single short research stay of 1-3 months in a Flemish University. The full MSc/MA funding is conditional on the successful defense of a proposal and obtaining sufficient course credits at MUST. The selected candidate will be part of an interdisciplinary and international research project and will contribute to addressing development-relevant issues in collaboration with Ugandan stakeholders. The scholarship funding will be compliant with the official scholarship schemes of VLIR UOS and the existing policy guidelines of MUST and implementing institutions. The candidate will be supervised and or promoted by a team of Flemish and Ugandan faculty and defend his/her thesis at Mbarara University of Science and Technology or a Flemish institution where the student is registered. The candidate will interact with other students from Uganda and Belgium. The selected MSc/MA candidate will benefit from research field work and University functional fee from the project funding.
Sub-Project One: Improved Conservation Practices for the Environment and Natural Resources
Sub-Project Two: Mechanisms for climate change adaptation for sustainable food production
Sub-Project Three: Increased access and utilization of affordable Energy Technologies
Interviews
The selection process will involve two stages – a pre-selection phase between 15th- 30th August 2022. Pre-selected candidates will be contacted for an interview between 1st and 15th September, 2022. The successful candidate should be ready to start on his/her /PhD/MSc/MA studies by October 2022. All applications should be submitted by 15th August, 2022, 5:00 pm