TRAJECTS Master and Ph.D. scholarships 2021

The Transnational Centre for Just Transitions in Energy, Climate, and Sustainability- TRAJECTS opens its Call for Applications for Master and Ph.D. Scholarships 2021.

TRAJECTS is a DAAD-funded project that seeks to create and/or strengthen research and teaching capacities on Just Transitions in Energy, Climate and Sustainability, especially in the Global South.

Within this framework, Master scholarships aim to strengthen the research capacity of our partners in the Global South and to increase the number of students contributing to research questions relevant for TRAJECTS as well as their individual interests and future careers.

Similarly, PhD scholarships aim to strengthen the research capacity of our partners in the Global South, and generate long-term local capacity to deal with academic and practical questions related to Transitions to Sustainability.

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During TRAJECTS (2021-2025), we expect to support:

30 scholarships for Master students with a duration of two years, divided into three cohorts in the duration of the project: 1^st cohort 2022-23, 2nd cohort 2023-24, 3^rd cohort 2024-25. In each cohort, 10 students will be funded.
16 scholarships for PhD students with a duration of three years, divided into two fully-funded PhD cohorts in the duration of the project: 1^st cohort 2022-24, 2nd cohort 2023-25.

The master scholarships will be provided at TRAJECTS main hub Universidad Nacional de Colombia UNAL (6 scholarships), the African sister hub University of Cape Town UCT (12 scholarships) and the implementing partner Universidad del Magdalena UMS (12 scholarships).

Eligible Master programmes:

UCT: Master Phil. in Energy Development Studies
UCT: Master Phil. in Sustainable Mineral Resources
UMS: Maestría en Desarrollo Territorial Sostenible
UNAL: Maestría en Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo

The PhD scholarships will be provided at TRAJECTS main hub Universidad Nacional de Colombia UNAL (2022-24: 6 scholarships; 2023-25: 6 scholarships) and the African sister hub University of Cape Town UCT (2022-24: 2 scholarships; 2023-25: 2 scholarships).

aster scholarships: Timeline for the 1^st cohort (2022-23)

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November 2021: Deadline for applications is November 5

December 2021: Digital interviews of shortlisted candidates with members of the scholarship committee and notification of selected candidates

January 2022: Earliest start of TRAJECTS Master scholarships 1^st cohort – according to each University’s academic calendar

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Activities

In their studies, beneficiaries will partially answer one (or more) questions from the TRAJECTS research “pool”, acquire new skills, and will benefit from exchange with other consortium partners, researchers and different stakeholders, qualifying graduates for the local and international employment market.

The topic of the Master must be relevant to TRAJECTS’ main objectives and research topics, climate change mitigation in the following two key sustainability transition issues:

Fossil fuel phase-out and,
Changes in land management and ecosystem protection.

Download here a more detailed presentation of TRAJECTS objectives and research topics.

Type of funding

Monthly allowance: Monthly stipend of 400.- Euro for maximum of 2 years (24 months), starting earliest on January 1^st 2022, ending latest on December 31^st 2023.

Travel costs: Limited funds of in total 2.500.- EUR per cohort and year are available for Master candidates coming from third countries to support international travel between the home and the host country. Travel costs will be paid based on real costs up to a budget limit per eligible grantee to be calculated depending on the number of eligible grantees.

Individual Material Expenditure Allowance for Research: Real costs up to the budget limit of 500,- EUR per Master grantee (for the whole funding period of 24 months).

Eligibility criteria

Last degree certificate must not be older than six years when applying for the scholarship
Enrolment as Master student at UMS/ UCT/ UNAL
Newly enrolled or 1st-semester student at the beginning of the funding period – funding granted initially for max 4 semesters and max. until the end of the 4th semester (subject to a semesterly check of academic achievement)
Exceptional cases of funding of students in the 2nd or higher semester at the beginning of the funding period can be considered (subject to the decision of the scholarship committee)
Exceptional cases of funding beyond the end of the 4th semester can be considered (subject to decision of the scholarship committee)

Application procedure

Applications should be submitted according to the instructions of the host institution, e.g. via email together with all other documents (e.g. CV, motivation letter, certificates, references etc.)
In addition, applicants must register via a Google form (access application form).
Applicants receive a confirmation of receipt by e-mail.

Selection procedure

After the final deadline of the call for applications, eligible candidates will be evaluated and ranked by the respective host institution. Special attention will be given to attain the diversity goals of TRAJECTS. At least 30% of short-listed candidates must contribute to increasing the diversity of TRAJECTS scholars (scholars who have scored points for the criterion “member of and underrepresented /disadvantaged group” and/or “financial need”).

Shortlisted candidates, will be invited to participate in a digital interview with members of the scholarship committee. The interviews will be conducted per host institution in the respective local language. Other eligible, but not short-listed candidates will be transferred to a reserve list. After the interviews, the scholarship committee will select 10 candidates for a TRAJECTS Master scholarship.

All applicants will be informed by email: Candidates will be nominated; ineligible applicants will be rejected and applicants on the reserve list will be informed about their status. If a candidate does not accept a scholarship, the next person on the reserve list will be nominated.

Individual calls Host Universities