Application is now open for the University Of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program (UMAPS). Interested applicants are encouraged to send their applications in before the deadline date.
About the University Of Michigan and Scholarship
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, the United States, the University of Michigan (U-M, UMich, or just Michigan) is a public research institution.
One of the best ways to support the expansion and greatness of the continent is to strengthen African universities. The University of Michigan African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) program has assisted in retaining and enhancing faculty members working in African higher education institutions and has given them the freedom to participate in global academic networks and shape their research agendas.
Early career academics from African colleges visit Ann Arbor, Michigan, as a result of the UMAPS Program. To further their work on a research project, an academic degree, publications, grant proposals, or other pertinent activity, scholars are partnered with a faculty collaborator throughout their stay and have full access to the University of Michigan’s (U-M) facilities. The initiative promotes U-M’s worldwide commitment to research and teaching partnerships across multiple fields, from engineering to literature to economics, and fosters the development of the next generation of African scholars by integrating them into international academic networks.
There is just one application cycle for the UMAPS program’s two cohorts, which run from August through December and January through May respectively. It will be possible for applicants to express their choice for a certain cohort during the application process, but it is not assured that they will be placed in that cohort (upon acceptance into the program).
ASC regrettably cannot assist potential applicants in making contact with the University of Michigan faculty, and the program do not advise doing so. Since 2009, academics from Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Gabon, and Zambia have been hosted by the UMAPS Program. These scholars come from a variety of countries and represent a wide range of academic fields that closely coincide with the following initiatives:
- The African Heritage and Humanities Initiative (AHHI) funds research in the humanities, arts, and interpretative social sciences that emphasizes how African cultures and histories are created in a complex, contentious manner;
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative (STEM-Africa) seeks to foster the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Africa to advance scientific knowledge and produce solutions to global problems.
- The African Social Research Initiative (ASRI) promotes social science research on gender, health, and development; income dynamics and poverty; gender, governance, and distributive politics; and income dynamics and democratic governance.
Details about the University Of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program (UMAPS):
Scholarship Sponsor: University Of Michigan, USA
Scholarship Value: “Check Below”
Number of awards: N/A
Study level: Postgraduate
Host Institution(s): University Of Michigan, USA
Benefits:
Those accepted into the University Of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program will be given the following benefits:
- A four- to six-month residency at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the United States, together with a faculty mentor and full access to the university’s resources
- Flight from their nation to Ann Arbor, Michigan, round-trip
- Free accommodation and a small stipend to help with living expenses, medical care, and research expenses while attending U-M. Spouses and/or dependents cannot be accommodated under the UMAPS program.
- Office and lab space
- The chance to share findings with the University of Michigan community.
Eligibility Criteria for the University Of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program (UMAPS)
Applicants are advised to meet the following conditions to be eligible for the University Of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program (UMAPS):
- Be a young faculty member with fewer than 10 years of experience in higher education who is currently teaching in a college or university in Africa.
- Be hired continuously at an African university or college
- Possess a letter of recommendation from the department head, dean, or vice chancellor that demonstrates support from a home institution.
- Capable of residing there for five months
Note: The application is not open to UMAPS fellowship recipients in the past. Candidates without significant foreign experience outside of the continent will be given preference. Contact the scholarship office at asc-contact@umich.edu if you have any queries about eligibility in your particular situation. Please be aware that until the endorsement from the applicant’s home university has been received, the application cannot be submitted in its entirety.
Selection Criteria
Candidates will be evaluated and chosen by a diverse academic committee at the University of Michigan. The following criteria will be used for selection:
- The academic excellence of the applicant and the proposed scholarship program; Academic compatibility of the applicant with other candidates chosen in the cycle and with the aforementioned areas of interest; and Support from the applicant’s home university.
- A lot of weight will be placed on candidates from underprivileged backgrounds.
- The promotion of gender equity in the African academy and within the present cohort of academics will also get careful study.
Please be aware that candidates with prior substantial overseas experience won’t be given preference for this program.
Required Documents for Application
All candidates must:
- The online application form » must be completed. (In THIS APPLICATION CYCLE, only applicants from the nations of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Liberia, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda may utilize this URL.)
- Use the online application to upload your resume.
- An academic program or research proposal (no more than five pages) should be uploaded. Applications from a variety of academic fields and institutions are invited, and those that support the center’s disciplinary initiatives—AHHI, ASRI, and STEM-Africa—are especially appreciated.
- List the full name and contact details of the department head, dean, or vice chancellor at the applicant’s alma mater who will be providing their letter of recommendation.
After the application deadline on October 15, applications will be evaluated. Incomplete applications won’t be processed.
Application Procedure for the University Of Michigan African Presidential Scholars Program (UMAPS)
Nomination is necessary for candidates from nations other than Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, or Uganda, and it must be made by a U-M professor who is acquainted with the candidate’s body of work. The selecting faculty shall:
- Fill out the online nomination form (accessible exclusively by University of Michigan professors; U-M login required).
- Send or upload a letter of support from the mentor expressing their want to work with the potential participant throughout the residency, their commitment to meeting often, and, if at all feasible, their ability to offer office space.
The school will give the recommended applicant an email invitation with a link to the application site for nominated candidates as soon as they receive the full nomination form and letter of support; kindly do not utilize the normal application portal.
Webinar on UMAPS (through Zoom) | August 31, 2023, 8:00 A.M.
The program will be covered in detail in this webinar, including subjects like (i) eligibility and (ii) how to apply. Click here to register in advance. You can also visit the official website for further details.
The Application Deadline is: October 15, 2023
Not interested in this particular scholarship? See other USA scholarships here.