PACN AFRICA-UK EXCHANGE SCHOLARSHIPS

Pan Africa Chemistry Network

PACN AFRICA-UK EXCHANGE SCHOLARSHIPS

Application deadline: September 15 and February 15 of each year

PURPOSE

PACN Africa-UK Scholarships provide the opportunity for African scientists who are employed in their industrial, academic or public service sectors to visit the UK. The aim of the Africa-UK Scholarship is to exchange information and facilitate networking with the aim of establishing future long term research collaborations.

The call is open for any African scientist who wishes to visit an African or UK institution, or for any UK scientist who wishes to visit an African institution and who has an agreement or invitation from any UK or African institution to host their visit.

Currently available scholarship destinations in the UK include: Syngenta Jealott’s Hill International Research Centre in the UK with the aim to meet scientists working in agrochemical research and development from different disciplines in the general areas of chemistry and biology; Rothamsted Research; and the departments of Chemistry at Nottingham University and Imperial College London. A scholarship visit might combine trips to more than one of these host organisations.

1. Eligibility of Applicant

Applicants MUST meet the following criteria:

Minimum academic qualification - Masters degree in relevant field

• Research areas: Chemistry and Biology, including Biotechnology
• Currently employed in Industry, Academia, Public service or registered PhD student in an African or an UK Institutions .
• Submit a written confirmation of their employment in Industry, Academia, Public service or their student status.
• Submit a written confirmation of acceptance of the host institution.
• Submit a comprehensive programme proposal for the full period of the scholarship with an itemised list of the expected expenses associated.

2. Programme details

• PACN Africa-UK Scholarships are tenable for up to a period of 2 weeks.

  Preference will be given to African scientists who can demonstrate a long term benefit for their research or institution as a consequence of the visit, e.g. areas of research of the host institution or host professor that can eventually lead to research collaborations.

• The applicant, in consultation with the host institution(s) will be responsible for making arrangements for the conduct of the programme for the visit.
• The language of the report and application is English.

3. Finance

The total value of the fellowship is up to £2,000 which should cover all costs including:
- Return ticket to the UK by economy class travel
- Cost of boarding and lodging in the UK or Africa
- Cost of visas, insurance, travel and subsistence directly connected with the visit programme

• The grant will be paid by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in advance directly to the applicant’s primary host in the UK, in which case the host institution will be responsible for disbursing funds to the individual as appropriate. PACN Kenya office will provide the African scholar with the corresponding flights to/from the UK. RSC will reimburse the costs of the flights for UK scholars visiting African institutions.

  Within one month after the end of the scholarship, the scholar will provide the RSC with a statement of the expenditure supported by receipts. Money unspent at the end of the fellowship shall be returned to RSC.

• Within one month after the end of the scholarship, the scholar will also produce a short report on the visit.

4. References

Applicants MUST submit references from:

• Their immediate supervisor at the home institution, giving written permission for them to undertake the fellowship.
• Two independent referees, who should be acquainted with the applicant’s work and be prepared to referee their application.
• A letter from the host institution stating the agreement of the scholar’s visit.

5. Miscellaneous

• There will be two calls per year with the following deadlines for receipt of applications: September 15 and February 15 of each year.
• The scholarships may be terminated or its conditions varied, at any time at the discretion of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
• The RSC reserves the right to make no award.
• Any successful applicant whose conduct or progress does not satisfy the host institution- and/or the RSC will have the grant terminated
• If the successful applicant, for any reason, ceases to undertake the visit programme, PACN/RSC must be informed immediately in writing.
• Successful applicants should seek to publish the results of their fellowship in accordance with the normal academic practice, preferably in RSC journals. Theapplicant and the home institution must acknowledge the support of RSC/PACN in all publications resulting from the visit.
• The RSC/PACN accepts no responsibility, financial or otherwise, for expenditure by the successful applicant over and above the fellowship grant, or liability arising from the fellowship.

6. Application

Applications for PACN Africa-UK Scholarships may be sent to PACN Kenya office (by post, fax or email) or to the RSC (by email):
Mrs Ruth Odhiambo Dr Alejandra Palermo
PACN Administrator, Manager, International Projects
Department of Chemistry Royal Society of Chemistry
University of Nairobi Burlington House, Piccadilly
P.O. box 30197, 00100 London, W1J 0BA
Nairobi, KENYA UNITED KINGDOM
pacn-at-uonbi.ac.ke palermoa-at-rsc.org

Further Scholarship Information and Application (pdf)