Deadline: 15 June 2024

The Atlantic Technical University (UTA) is pleased to call for applications for its Master’s Research Programme on Climate Change & Marine Sciences (MRP-CCMS) under the West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL).

The Master’s Research Programme on Climate Change & Marine Sciences of the Atlantic Technical University is implemented in close partnership with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, the University of Kiel and the Thünen Institute, as German partner institutions and with the Institute of Sea (IMar) as the Cabo Verdean partner institution. This consortium is well suited to provide needed scientific and academic skills in climate, marine sciences and management, both on an international and regional level in West Africa, in a climate change context. The proposed Master´s programme will adequately prepare West African students for subsequent post-graduate studies or professional careers as managers or experts in industry, consultancy, governmental agencies, etc.

Through the present call, the Atlantic Technical University is launching its fifth Master’s Research Programme on Climate Change & Marine Sciences for the 2024-2025 academic year, and scholarship possibilities for at least 12 of 24 selected students.

I. Programme

The programme includes:

• Four months of Language Proficiency courses in English Language for Francophones and Lusophones students at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana; and French Language for Anglophones students, at the University of Lomé, Togo.
• Three semesters of joint Master courses related to marine sciences, coastal and marine management and climate change at the Atlantic Technical University (including national and international lecturers).
• Shipboard training with a local research vessel and/or a German international research vessel (availability and sponsoring pending) for training on ocean observation and data collection for individual student research projects (field training and research projects will be supported by the Ocean Science Centre Mindelo - OSCM).
• Three weeks of scientific trip to the German partner institutions, when applicable.

II. Scholarship and Research Support:

The best 12 students ranked (one per WASCAL member country) will award a scholarship and research support.

The scholarship and research support will be provided following the criteria below:

• Upon admission, students will be required to maintain a graduate level Grade Point Average (GPA) of B or a minimum of B from the course.
• During the course curriculum phase, students will be required to develop a detailed research proposal, including a budget, that will have to be accepted by a committee, consisting of at least four graduate faculty members, and endorsed by the Graduate Council.
• During the project research stage, students are expected to present their progress reports regularly and be evaluated accordingly.

III. Self-funded student:

• Up to 12 self-funded students are accepted.
• Self-funded students pay a fee of 1,500 Euros per year. The estimated cost for each self-funded student is around 9,685 Euro and 6,960 Euros per first and second academic year, respectively, excluding living expenses.

IV. Eligibility conditions

Applicants are required to:

• Be a citizen of a WASCAL member country (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, The Gambia or Togo); other ECOWAS member countries may be admitted as self-funded student on an availability basis.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields or any other related fields: Biological Sciences, Oceanography, Fishing or Livestock Engineering, Geography, Sciences of the Atmosphere.
• Have at least an intermediate level in English language.

V. How To Apply?

The application is EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE by the Application form

VI. Application Guidelines

READ CAREFULLY THE GUIDELINES. Failure to comply with the following instructions will lead to the REJECTION of the Application.

1. All the documents should be submitted in English language, with exception of the copies of the university degree and transcript, that can be delivered in their original language.
2. All the documents must be SIGNED.
3. The application documents must be attached to the application form. There are upload buttons per each document at the end of the application form.
4. Each document must be uploaded individually and as a SINGLE document (separated pages of the same document will NOT be accepted).
5. The file name of each document should be written as shown in the second column of the table below, like as “Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_Document”. For example, “Assokpa_Amadou_ Trans_cert”.
6. If you have the national ID, for application, passport is not required. ALTHOUGH, as soon as you receive the acceptance letter from WASCAL, PLEASE, make sure to have your passport with a validity date of at least 3 years.
7. The deadline for receipt of applications is up to June 15, 2024, 11:59 pm Cabo Verde Time.
8. or further information, visit www.wascal.org  or www.wascalcv.org  or contact by the following address: [email protected] , and copy to [email protected] .
9. Table of all requested documents at the following page

 

Documents required                                                                File name content

 

® Curriculum vitae                                                                        CV

® A copy of Identity Document                                                   ID

® A copy of Passport                                                                     Pass

® A letter of motivation (max. 2 pages).                                    Motiv_letter

® A copy of university degree certificate                                   Univ_cert

® A copy of academic transcripts.                                               Trans_cert

® A certificate copy of proficiency in English or,

in alternative, a statement indicating and

justifying your self-assessment in the context

of English proficiency.                                                                      Eng

® Proof of professional experience in relevant

area for the course, IF applicable                                                   Exp

® Two letters of recommendation from

professors or researchers (grade associate

professor or senior researcher at least).                                Recom_letter1, Recom_letter2

® A written commitment to pay a registration fee

of 30 Euro if admitted.                                                                        Commit

 

VII. About WASCAL

WASCAL is a wholly West African international organization with focus on academic and transdisciplinary research, building graduate-level scientific capacity and serving policy makers in West Africa with science-based advice on adaptation to climate change impacts and land use management. It cooperates with many agencies and universities in the region, providing a knowledge platform of excellence for its partners.

WASCAL is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) of Germany and its 12 West African member countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, The Gambia and Togo. WASCAL’s mission is to provide information and knowledge services at the local, national and regional levels to West African member countries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change. WASCAL does this through capacity building support to young West African scholars in fields of climate, natural and social sciences and by strengthening the regional universities to deliver climate and environmental services in member countries