CEBHA+ / Cochrane SA Master's Scholarship

Call for Applications

Introduction:

Cochrane South Africa based at the South African Medical Research Council, through the Collaboration for Evidence-Based Healthcare and Public Health in Africa (CEBHA+), invites Master’s students accepted or registered at South African institutions to apply for an 18-month scholarship. Applications close on 30 September 2018.

Sub-Saharan Africa is affected by a substantial burden of disease, with premature deaths due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and unintentional injuries being on the rise. There is thus a substantial need to develop and implement evidence-based interventions to prevent and treat NCDs and unintentional injuries in Africa, as well as to address their root causes. CEBHA+, a research network with partners in many African countries, including Cochrane South Africa, has emerged from this need. The network aims to build long-term capacity and infrastructure for evidence-based healthcare and public health in Sub-Saharan Africa, by focusing on both prevention of disease and delivery of care for NCDs.

Eligibility criteria:

To be eligible, applicants must:

be South African citizens or permanent residents with a SA identity document
be accepted or registered for a full-time Master’s programme at a public South African university
have an Honour’s certificate or equivalent, or a letter from the university confirming that all requirements for the Honour’s degree have been met
have an academic and/or research background in one of the following fields: public health, global health, epidemiology, or nutrition
have a keen interest in NCDs-related research and evidence synthesis methods
intend to pursue full-time Master’s studies
not hold full-time employment, but may be employed on a part-time basis (not more than 20 hours per week)

The conditions of the scholarship:

The successful candidate will be expected to:

conduct a systematic review of effectiveness on diabetes screening interventions
write up and submit a manuscript for the systematic review to a peer-reviewed journal
complete his or her Master’s dissertation within two years of being awarded the scholarship
re-pay the scholarship amount given, if the candidate fails to complete his or her studies within the reasonable expected period

Details of the scholarship:

The total scholarship is valued at R 144 000.00 and will be paid out in 3 instalments. The scholarship will be administered through the successful candidate’s university funding office; and it will cover tuition fees and research costs and contribute towards living expenses. Continued payment of the scholarship will depend upon the candidate’s satisfactory progress according to agreed goals. Additionally, the successful candidate will receive financial support for publication costs and to attend a national conference. The successful candidate will be mentored by experienced researchers within the CEBHA+ or Cochrane South Africa Network.

Application process:

Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria should submit the following documents:

completed application form
copy of a South African Identity document
letter of acceptance or proof of registration for a Master’s programme at a South African university
letter of support from current academic supervisor, if available, or reference letter from another senior researcher
full CV and motivational letter outlining research-related experience and interest in NCD related systematic review work

Applications close on 30 September 2018.

For more information or to submit your applications, email bey-marrie.schmidt@mrc.ac.za