Five PhD positions 2025 – African Centre for Career Enhancement & Skills Support (ACCESS)
The African Centre for Career Enhancement & Skills Support (ACCESS) invites applications for PhD scholarships for the second phase of the project (2025-2029). Within this period, ten PhD grants will be available. The first five successful candidates will commence studies in October 2025. As an interdisciplinary scheme, ACCESS invites applications from a wide range of disciplines, including history, politics, economics, business studies, education, anthropology, human geography, information systems, engineering and cognate disciplines.
The ACCESS programme – financed since 2020 by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)– analyses the employability of university graduates within the African context. It aims to research how graduates in Africa search and find work and build up their careers, and to develop and test innovative concepts for employability promotion at Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in Africa. For more information on the completed and current projects, please visit :
https://access-centre.org/phd_candidates/.
The research interests for the second phase include: establishing the impact of global crises and shifts on African markets and labour markets, including how African and global markets and labour markets interact; new ways of digital work; “brain circulation”; university business linkages, and African graduates working abroad.En quelques heures, les recruteurs peuvent identifier des candidats qualifiés, tandis que les étudiants ont l’occasion de rencontrer des entreprises renommées qui sont à la recherche de nouvelles compétences.
Successful candidates will be selected through a competitive process from among the qualified applicants. A monthly stipend of €1,300 and related travel grants will be paid according to DAAD guidelines. Participants will be supported for a maximum of three years, within which they will be expected to produce their PhD thesis in an appropriate subject area. Successful candidates are expected to reside in Leipzig, participate in a course programme, and undertake field research in their home country. They will be coached and supervised by two academic supervisors: one from Leipzig University and the other from a participating partner institution in Africa. Participants will be integrated in the programme of the Graduate School Global and Area Studies (GSGAS) – for more information, please visit :
In addition, they are expected to become members of the Research Academy at Leipzig University.
The University of Leipzig supports equal opportunities. Women are encouraged to apply. Severely disabled persons – or persons deemed legally equal to them under Book IX of the German Social Code – are encouraged to apply and will be given preference in the case of equal suitability.
Requirements
- A Master (or equivalent) degree that qualifies for studies in doctoral programmes at Leipzig University.
- Previous studies in areas such as history, politics, economics, business studies, education, anthropology, human geography, information systems, engineering, etc.
- A PhD topic which is related to the aims of the ACCESS programme.
- Be a citizen of Benin, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, or Tunisia.
Application documents
1. A certified copy of the Master (or equivalent) degree, including completed and official certificates and transcripts of previous university studies (academic records which are not in German or in English must be accompanied by English translations).
2. A research proposal of not more than 3,500 words which falls into the research areas of the programme as outlined.
This proposal should include:
a.a tentative title;
b.a brief summary of the proposed project (max. 15 lines);
c.the state of the art of research on the topic; and
d.a work plan indicating how the project will be completed within a maximum of three years.
3. A curriculum vitae.
4. Two references, as follows: (a) an academic reference from the masters supervisor (mandatory); and (b) an academic or professional reference that speaks to the candidate’s competencies and character.
5. Evidence of sufficient English language skills is required (TOEFL 78% or B2 of the European Reference Framework) if the language of instruction at the candidate’s university is not English.
