DAAD scholarship holder Olutomiwa Binuyo at the United Nations annual meeting of the Academic Council

On the 23-25 June 2022, one of the center’s current PhD Scholarship holders, Olutomiwa Binuyo, took part in the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Academic Council on the United Nations System which was held at the Palais Des Nations, United Nations and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva Switzerland. He presented a paper in the panel titled "Transforming and Expanding Access to Education in Developing Context”.

His paper was titled “Changing Course, Transforming Education: Spotlighting Voices in Rural Schools in Southwest Nigeria”, a study which is highly relevant to his PhD research. During the conference, he also served as a discussant in a panel titled “Local and Indigenous Knowledge and Data for Sustainable Development”.

Pressing global challenges were discussed at the conference and through multi-sectoral collaborations, these discussions will transform into practical solutions for now and the future. In Olutomiwa’s words, “Having attended a UN high-level plenary session and engaged in intellectual discussions during the panels, I have come to further understand that collaboration from all stakeholders is key for sustainable development”. The conference was organized by the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS), Geneva Graduate Institute of International Development Studies (IHEID), and the United Nations Office at Geneva.

No Call for Scholarship applications for the 2023 intake!

There will be no Call for Scholarship applications in the year 2022 for the intake in 2023!

2nd Employability Workshop at the SA-GER CDR

On June 18, 19 and 20, 2022 the South African-German Centre for Development Research hosted a workshop on Employability, particularly focusing on the field of International Development Cooperation. The workshop was organized by Kenechukuwu Ikebuaku, one of the Centre's current PhD scholarshipholders, supported by DAAD funds via the Centre’s DAAD lecturer Ruth Knoblich.

More than 70 participants from all three cooperating partner institutes under the roof of the Centre joined for the first part of the workshop. In a digital session, four alumni of the Centre talked about their experiences within their particular area of work, providing hands-on-information about how to access the job market. Kenechukuwu Ikebuaku provided an introductory session, elaborating on some more general aspects of international development as a field of work. Kwezi Jere continued thereafter with more specific assets needed to perform well within this sector. After that, Christopher Katete talked about career opportunities in the UN, particularly providing insights into working with the UN World Food Programme. Faustine Wabwire then rounded the whole day by reflecting on ‘Global Development’ and on what this means for everyone working in this field while sharing her own expertise and experience, and getting into discussions with the participants.
During the following two days, 30 persons in total were invited to receive individual feedback on their personal application documents. Students and alumni happily engaged in short term meetings in which they were able to discuss particularly their CVs and digital appearances e.g. LinkedIn profiles.
The workshop had been a huge success. Participants provided most positive feedback. They particularly enjoyed the inspiring presentations and networking opportunities with the facilitators – all Centre alumni – bringing in a wide range of perspectives and experiences. Those who were able to book into one of the individual sessions in the second part of the workshop highly appreciated the opportunity of receiving high expertise feedback.

Former MADM Student Installed as President of MaK PhD Fellows

Our former student Gerald Ahabwe, MADM Alumnus of 2009, was installed as President of the Phd Fellows at Makerere University (Pf@Mak) last week. This group was established to "bring together PhD fellows to actively provide each other with mutual academic support, producing timely high quality research through networking, peer reviewing, sharing funding opportunities and timely study completion." Please find more information here.

Congratulations for achieving this responsible position, and best wishes for your work for the PhD community at Makerere University!

Farewell, Archbishop Desmond Tutu!

The SA-GER CDR is saddened by the death of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who took part in the opening of our Centre and who holds an honorary doctorate of Ruhr University Bochum.

UWC celebrates "A Life, Legend And Legacy That Will Never Fade". 

MADM student Setonji Ogunbiyi nominated for the "Goal of the Month"

Setonji Obunbiyi, a student of the MA programme in Development Management (MADM) and DAAD scholarship holder, was nominated for the "Goal of the Month" on German TV last Saturday (Tor des Monats, Sportschau, ARD). We are very proud of him and encourage everyone to vote for his goal online (https://www1.sportschau.de/tdm/tdm) until October 23, 2021.

Setonji has longstanding experience in amputee football in his home country Nigeria and even participated in the Amputee World Cup in Mexico in 2018. Since October 2020, directly after starting the MADM in Bochum, he has been playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf and has greatly enjoyed the interactions with his team. Setonji briefly shared some insights on his experience with Fortuna Düsseldorf in the last IEE newsletter edition.

Participation in the DAAD Centres of African Excellence Online Research Fair

On September 28-30, 2021, members of the 12 DAAD Centres of African Excellence, further experts from related institutions as well as colleagues from the DAAD joined an Online Research Fair called 'Past and Future Research for Inclusive and Sustainable Development‘, organized by the Centre for Development Research ZEF, Bonn University, and the DAAD West African Centre for Sustainable Rural Transformation. Colleagues from both partners of the South African-German Centre for Development Research, the University of the Western Cape and the Ruhr-University Bochum, contributed in several sessions.

Overall, roughly 80 participants joined for the exchange and discussions of research and scientific projects taking place at the different Centres in order to explore potential synergies, particularly with a focus on opportunities within the new „Round Table Africa“ initiative of the German Government. Participants enjoyed a rich and inspiring programme with lots of opportunities to get into discussion with colleagues about cross-cutting themes and developed bases for further joint projects.

Collaboration between the African Centers of Excellence and beyond will be further enhanced through the new DIGI-FACE platform. This project, funded by the DAAD, aims at supporting and facilitating networks of higher education teaching, learning, and research on the African continent. The launch of the platform will take place on October 1, 2021.

Britta Niklas, Anne Siebert, and Ruth Knoblich adding research topics to the digital pinboard

The Call for (MA) scholarship applications for the intake 2022 expired!

The Call for scholarship applications for the intake 2022 expired.

Selection Results will be announced until 10th September!

Please don't send any emails asking for the status of your application before this deadline.

Congratulations to DAAD Alumni Dr. Kennedy Alatinga

DAAD Alumni Dr. Kennedy A. Alatinga has been appointed Dean of the Faculty of Planning and Land Management at SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Sutides in Wa, Ghana.

SD Dombo University together with UWC among others is as well a partner university in the new European Doctorate Programme "ADAPTED".

Call for Scholarship Applications 2021 for Post Docs and Staff

Post Docs have the opportunity to apply for scholarships at 1) at universities or research institutions in Germany or 2) Sub-Saharan African universities.

(Senior) staff members (holding a PhD) from a Sub-Saharan African university have the opportunity to apply for Staff exchange fellowships.

Read more: Call for Scholarship Applications 2021 for Post Docs and Staff