The Megatrends Afrika project is awarding three post-doctoral fellowships to African researchers.

Megatrends Africa is a cooperation between the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP), the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) and the Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW). The project conducts policy-relevant interdisciplinary research on Africa and provides policy advice to decision-makers. Its three core research topics are I) actors of violence and the changing nature of conflict, II) the effects of megatrends on democra-tization and autocratization, and III) global power shifts and multipolarity.

The Fellowship

Fellowships will be granted for a period of three months between March and October 2025, full-time. Fellows will conduct a research project independently or, if suitable, in collaboration with project team members or other IDOS, IfW and SWP colleagues – and contribute one paper to the project’s publication series . All fellows are expected to participate in project meetings, events and other relevant activities of their host institution during their stay.

For the duration of the fellowship, fellows will reside in the city of their host institution, i.e, in Berlin (SWP), Bonn (IDOS) or Kiel (IfW). Fellows will receive a monthly grant of € 2,800, an economy-class return trip between their place of residence and Germany as well as some financial support for public transport, mobile phone credit and other ancillary costs in Germany. At IDOS, the honorarium will be calculated based on the IDOS fee schedule applicable for external researchers. IDOS will remunerate on par with a scholarship. Fellows who require a visa to enter Germany will be provided with a letter of support.

Your Profile

• Preferably completed PhD in political science, economics, social sciences, geography, international relations, or relevant area studies;
• Originating from an African country
• Strong research and publication track record in areas of relevance to the Megatrends Africa project
• Experience in scientific policy advice is an advantage

Research Topics 2025

We are interested in proposals for a Megatrends Policy Brief that tackles an issue of relevance to our three research topics:

• Violent Actors and Transformation of Conflict : how violent conflict transforms political order; how megatrends such as technological innovation, digitalization or shifts in global power relations affect armed conflict in Africa
• Megatrends and Democratization vs. Autocratization : under which conditions megatrends such as demographic change, digitalization, urbanization or climate change promote democratization or autocratization.
• Global Power Shifts and Multipolarity : how the role of external actors such as China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, the United States and others is changing Africa’s international relations and how African foreign policies are evolving in a more fragmented world. 

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted as a single PDF document and must contain a one-page letter of motivation , an academic CV including a list of academic publications , a sample of 2 recent publications , copies of relevant academic transcripts and/or diplomas (no translations needed ), a written concept note containing the description of the applicant’s project . The concept note should not exceed 2,000 words and include a discussion of the project/research topic, its academic and policy relevance, feasibility and theoretical and methodological grounding. The scope and ambition of the project should be appropriate for a Megatrends Policy Brief of 4-8 pages that will be finalized by the end of the fellowship. 

The deadline for fellowship applications is January 15, 2025, 11:59 pm CET .
Please send your application by email to Megatrends-Afrika @ swp-berlin.org . Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered.

Selection Process

Fellows are selected and placed in line with the research agendas of the host institutes. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview . In choosing applicants, we will put particular emphasis on the following criteria:

• Academic and professional merit based on the applicant’s publications and work experience;
• Academic and policy relevance of the project;
• Feasibility of the project during the period of the fellowship;
• Candidates’ ability to communicate effectively and make complex ideas accessible to a broad audience.

Find more information about our project on this website. If you have any questions in relation to your application, please contact Julia Fath at megatrends-afrika @ swp-berlin.org .

As part of the application process, we will store and process the data you send us and share it with members of the selection committee that will consist of employees of IDOS, IfW, and SWP. In the privacy policy declaration available here we would like to inform you comprehensively about the collection, processing and use of your personal data. If you do not agree with the processing of your data by Megatrends Afrika, you can object at any time by contacting Megatrends-Afrika @ swp-berlin.org . 

Selection Process

Fellows are selected and placed in line with the research agendas of the host institutes. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview . In choosing applicants, we will put particular emphasis on the following criteria:

• Academic and professional merit based on the applicant’s publications and work experience;
• Academic and policy relevance of the project;
• Feasibility of the project during the period of the fellowship;
• Candidates’ ability to communicate effectively and make complex ideas accessible to a broad audience.

Find more information about our project on this website. If you have any questions in relation to your application, please contact Julia Fath at megatrends-afrika @ swp-berlin.org .

As part of the application process, we will store and process the data you send us and share it with members of the selection committee that will consist of employees of IDOS, IfW, and SWP. In the privacy policy declaration available here we would like to inform you comprehensively about the collection, processing and use of your personal data. If you do not agree with the processing of your data by Megatrends Afrika, you can object at any time by contacting Megatrends-Afrika @ swp-berlin.org .