EMS-Simons for Africa

The EMS Committee for Developing Countries, with support from the Simons Foundation, offers funding for research visits for young and established researchers at African academic institutions to help them build their research profile. The aim of the project is to improve global research capacity in African academic institutions. The program is open to all areas of pure and applied mathematics and statistics and it is open to applicants based in Africa.

Open calls:

• A. Collaborative research visits
  • A1. Continuation in research, to support established researchers (PhD holders) to make short visits (typically 1 to 3 months) to international collaborators in the Global North, within Africa or elsewhere
  • A2. PhD development grants, to support students actively involved in a PhD programme on the African continent to visit a co-supervisor or collaborator
• B. Top-up grants for women, to offer female applicants to our A1 and A2 grants help with extra costs such as childcare expenses
• C. Top-up grants for conference participation, to offer A2 applicant PhD students (applying for visits of at least 2 months) additional funding for participation at a conference or event organized in the target country or region

Our grants range between 1000-3000 USD on the main A1-A2 calls, plus top-ups. All visits have to conclude by the end of 2023.

For eligibility criteria, and details of application materials to be submitted, please see below. To ask any questions, or to discuss a potential application, please send an email to ems.simonsafrica@gmail.com, with a copy to balazs.szendroi@univie.ac.at. Completed applications should also be sent to the same addresses.

For all calls there are two deadlines during the year 2023:

• February 28th
• May 31st

Response is provided after evaluation within two months following the deadline.

A1. Collaborative research visits: Continuation in research

Eligibility Criteria

1. The Applicant must hold a PhD and work in areas of pure or applied mathematics or statistics
2. The Applicant must be based (e.g. place of work/study) in Africa
3. The Applicant must be employed as a faculty member of a university or an equivalent institution
4. The Applicant must have already established contact with a mathematician in the host institution and should have a definite research plan at the time of application
5. Minimal length of the visit should be one month.
6. The Applicant should have been granted appropriate leave of absence from his/her institution for the period of the visit
7. The Host institution must have agreed to provide working space and access to necessary facilities to work (e.g. internet, library)
8. The Host institution must have agreed to partially support the research visit: e.g. local living expenses, accommodation.

A2. Collaborative research visits: PhD Development

Eligibility Criteria

1. The Applicant must hold a Master degree or equivalent and be enrolled in a PhD program in areas of pure or applied mathematics or statistics
2. The Applicant must be based (e.g. place of work/study) in Africa
3. The Applicant must have already established contact with a mathematician in the host institution and should have a definite research plan at the time of application
4. The research visit should be at least of one month long. A typical visit is two to three months.
5. The Applicant should have been granted appropriate leave of absence from his/her institution for the period of the visit
6. The Host institution must have agreed to provide working space and access to necessary facilities to work (e.g. internet, library)
7. The Host institution must have agreed to partially support the research visit: e.g. local living expenses, accommodation.

B. Top-up grant for women

Eligibility Criteria

1. This grant can only be applied for in connection with an A1 or A2 grant by female applicants

C. Top-up grant for conference participation

Eligibility Criteria

1. This grant can only be applied for in connection with an A2 grant
2. Application must be for support to attend a conference or event organized in the target country or region

Application documents to be submitted

All calls

1. An information page about the applicant containing Full name, Gender, Date and Place of Birth, Title and present academic position, Webpage (if any), Email address, Affiliation full address

2. An information page about the host scientist containing Full name, Gender, Date and Place of Birth, Title and present academic position, Webpage (if any), Email address, Affiliation full address

3. Curriculum Vitae (maximum 5 pages) of the applicant, with list of publications

4. Curriculum Vitae (maximum 5 pages) of the host scientist, with list of publications

5. Letter from the home institution of the applicant, confirming leave of absence

6. Letter from the host institution for the visit, confiming hosting arrangements and details of support provided (housing, office, etc)

7. Scientific details of the proposed visit: planned dates, scientific area, description of the topic, research problem and precise plans for the visit, expected interaction during the visit with the research group at the host institution, expected direct and indirect outcome of the research visit

8. Financial details of the proposed visit: expected travel expenses, expected accommodation expenses, expected living expenses. Also details of other financial support obtained from home institution, host institution, other (co-) sponsoring programs or national foundations

Additional application documents to be submitted

A2. Collaborative research visits: PhD Development

1. Letter from main PhD advisor confirming support for a visit

B. Top-up grant for women

1. Details of the circumstances for which top-up support is requested (e.g. family expenses, childcare, other special living conditions, etc.)

C. Top-up grant for conference participation

1. Abstract of the talk or poster to be presented - we always prefer to support active participants

2. Invitation letter by the organizers of the conference/event with details about whether the invited/contributed talk or poster is in the scientific program