Applications are now open for the 2025 Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa- AI4D Africa Scholarships. Click here to learn more about this opportunity and apply for it.
About Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa
Opportunity Details
The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) has received a grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to support the scholarship of Persons with Disability (PWD) within sub-Saharan Africa. The funding will support the training of PhD students in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) as well as the research work of Early Career Academics in AI & ML. The research work within this program must be in AI that attempt to address any of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The award of the scholarships shall strive to achieve uniform distribution of beneficiaries across Francophone, Anglophone and Lusophone Sub-Saharan Africa. Their strategy is to enhance representation of equity-seeking groups. Based on the applications received, they will seek to ensure women fill a minimum of 50% of the positions given their under-representation in the AI field. There will also be an effort to achieve fair distribution in terms of region. The supported studies MUST adhere to responsible AI.
Categories
Category 1: Registered PhD Students Invitation will target Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and predominantly women, candidates who are already registered for a PhD, have finished course work as well as had their research proposals approved.
Eligibility
- All applicants must be already registered in an AI study (machine learning, expert system, natural language processing, intelligent robotics etc.) under a supervisor, have finished coursework as well as had their research proposal approved. The applicant must attach a letter of support by their supervisor, a copy of the PhD study admission letter, and evidence of approval of research proposal.
- All applicants should have competent academic credentials and demonstrate motivation and commitment to pursue an academic career.
- All applicants should have thorough knowledge of the language of instruction within their host university. (French or Portuguese, English).
- All applicants must be nationals or permanent residents of an eligible sub-Saharan country. (See the list of eligible countries above).
- Must be a Person with Disability (PWD) – physical, sensory, intellectual, or any other recognized disability. Should have a PWD registration certificate issued by state/national council/body or any other relevant form of documentation.
- Have all necessary national or other approvals to conduct the proposed research. Please note, the approval process may be conducted in parallel with the grant application, if necessary.
- Have the technical capacity – or the ability to create sustainable AI solutions addressing social challenges faced by user communities.
Benefits
- Each successful student will receive a partial scholarship of up to US$ 28,000 distributed as shown below:
- Tuition fees for two years up to $ 4,000
- Research activities up to $ 24,00
Category 2: Early Career Academics (ECAs)
This will mainly target those ECAs who have the capacity to supervise at least MSc students.
Eligibility
- Each applicant must have held a PhD in AI and ML, for not more than 5 years as at application.
- All applicants should have competent academic credentials and demonstrate motivation and commitment to pursue an academic career.
- All applicants must be nationals or permanent residents of an eligible sub-Saharan country (See the list of eligible countries above).
- Must be a Person with Disability (PWD) – physical, sensory, intellectual, or any other recognized disability.
- Should have a PWD registration certificate issued by state/national council/body or any other relevant form of documentation.
- Have all necessary national or other approvals to conduct the proposed research. Please note, the approval process may be conducted in parallel with the grant application, if necessary.
- Have the technical capacity – or the ability to create sustainable AI solutions addressing social challenges faced by user communities.
Benefits
Each successful ECA will receive a scholarship of up to US$ 41,500. This will cover:
- Research costs up to $ 25,000.
- Research infrastructure up to $ 10,000.
- Travel costs up to $ 2,500. Funding will be for 24 months.
- Tuition fees for 2 MSc students for two years up to $ 4,000 (@ $2,000 per student).
Benefits of Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa
For specific benefits of each category, check above in the About section.
Key Benefits
1. Financial Assistance: Scholarships will be awarded to cover projects/applications expenses, tuition fees, books, and other academic expenses.
2. Accessibility Support: Each scholar will have access to AI ethics toolkits at all times. These resources will guide scholars in the responsible development of AI solutions that can be scaled and adapted for diverse contexts.
3. Mentorship and Ethics: Each scholar will be paired with a mentor specializing in responsible scaling of AI solutions.
4. Collaborative Learning and Networking: There will be efforts to enable cross-learning and networking among scholars, and between scholars and existing AI innovation hubs across the continent.
Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa Requirements
For specific requirements of each category, check above in the About section.
Eligible Countries
- Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini (Formerly Known as Swaziland), Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, The Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Application Date and Process
- Click on the link to the application website to apply. For more information, see FAQs.
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Application Deadline
05 January, 2025
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