For the MIASA Writing Workshop in 2024, applications are now being accepted.The Merian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa (MIASA) aims to give early career academics located in Africa who are working on issues related to democracy, governance, and green energy the intellectual community and space they need to turn a rough manuscript into a journal article that may be published. The goal of the five-day writing workshop is to provide early career researchers the chance to contribute to the creation of knowledge in one of the three areas where the workshop will be focused: green energy, democracy, or governance.
Objectives:
- To strengthen the academic writing skills of African early career scholars, with particular attention to female scholars,
- To enhance the success rate of early career African scholars’ submissions to high quality journals,
- To build a network of Africa-based scholars working on the themes of governance, democracy and green energy.
Programme:
The 5-day programme will be organised as a writing retreat, with daily seminars and writing sessions. The seminars will include practical guidance on academic writing and publishing in high quality journals. The daily writing sessions will be supported by academic mentors and editors with research interests in governance, democracy and green energy.
Eligibility:
Applications are welcomed from early career researchers who meet the following eligibility criteria:
- a doctorate which was awarded within 5 years of the application deadline, i.e. doctoral certificate awarded after January 2019 to date,
- employed at a recognised university or research institute in Sub-Saharan Africa,
- fluency in written and spoken English (there will be no translation services provided).
Funding:
Successful applicants will be provided with funding to cover travel expenses to Ghana from Sub-Saharan Africa along with accommodation and subsistence costs for the duration of the workshop.
Application:
The application should include the following:
- a motivation letter (1-page maximum) outlining reasons for wishing to attend the writing workshop and the benefits to be gained,
- a draft research paper (5,000-8,000 words in English) that contains original data and preliminary data analysis in the areas of governance, democracy and green energy, and which is aimed at journal submission,
- an abstract of the paper (max. 500 words),
- a full CV,
- a PhD award certificate,
- Motivation Letter/Research Paper/Abstract of Paper/ Full CV/PhD Award Certificate should be sent in pdf format to email: miasawritingschool@ug.edu.gh
