2,3 million Euro for new EU funded EUSA_ID project – first call for applications open until 15 April

The new EUSA_ID project is a mobility programme offering study, training and research periods in Europe for South African Master and PhD candidates and staff and provides European PhD candidates the opportunity to spend a research period in South Africa.

This project is funded by the European Commission within the framework of the Erasmus Mundus Partnerships programme. The overall budget for the period 2013 – 2017 is nearly 2.3 million EUR. It allows for the award of 66 grants to support mobility of South African individuals to one of the European partner universities. South African Master and PhD candidates have the opportunity to apply for full degree studies in Europe or to spend a shorter study period abroad. South African university staff members have the opportunity to spend a research or training period in Europe. In addition, a total of 18 grants will be awarded to support the mobility of European PhD candidates to one of the South African partner universities for durations between 12 – 24 months.

The partnership is coordinated by the Institute of Development Research and Development Policy of Ruhr-University Bochum. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) acts as joint coordinator on the South African side. Overall the consortium consists of 6 South African and 7 European Higher Education Institutions and shares the expertise in complementary thematic fields related to Development Studies which has been chosen as common umbrella. It is supported by 3 associated partners, who foster promotion of the project and provide support related to facilitate study recognition and quality assurance.

For more information on EUSA_ID please visit the new project website. The first call for scholarship applications is also published there.

Congratulations Dr. Samson Lembani

DAAD Student Samson Lembani from Malawi has been awarded the degree of a Doctor (Ph.D.) in International Development Studies (IDS). He received a DAAD-funded scholarship of the South African-German Centre for Development Research for his doctoral studies.

His thesis, "Institutions and Actors in Legislative Decisions in Africa: Analysing Institutional Contexts and Veto Players in Legislative Decisions in Malawi", was supervised by Prof. Ch. Hartmann and Prof. U. Andersen.

Interview with former MADM Student

Callistus A. Agbaam who graduated from the MA in Development Management and is now working for an environmental education project has been interviewed by the Alumni office of Ruhr University Bochum/Germany.

See http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/alumni/alumni-interviews/agbaam.html for the full interview.

Congratulations Dr. Lombe!

DAAD Student Felix Lombe from Malawi has been awarded the degree of a Doctor (Ph.D.).in Development Studies. He received a DAAD-funded scholarship of the Development Research Division of the South African-German Centre for Development Research and Criminal Justice for his doctoral studies.

His thesis, "The Quest for a Development State in Malawi: A Developmental Social Policy Framework", was supervised by Prof. J. Adesina.

Development Management in Practice: Master Students Reaching Out to South African Township Community

Thirteen Master students of the Bochum Program of Development Management at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in South Africa recently started to work together with the Iliso Care Society (ICS), a non-profit organization supporting various community development activities in the township of Khayelitsha near Cape Town. As part of a course module on "Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation," the students from Botswana, Ethiopia, Germany, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Portugal, Zambia and Zimbabwe conducted practical planning exercises to support two on-going programs of the Iliso Care Society, namely the Iliso Youth Choir and the Iliso Feeding Scheme. Beyond the one-off planning exercise, the majority of the Master students have pledged their longer-term commitment to support the Iliso volunteers by sharing their experience and academic knowledge.

Read more: Development Management in Practice: Master Students Reaching Out to South African Township Community

Celebration of 10 Years of Cooperation between the IEE/RUB and the SoG and ISD/UWC

On Friday, 8 February 2013, the Institute of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE) of Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) and the School of Government (SoG) and Institute for Social Development (ISD) of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) celebrated "10 Years of Cooperation" at the UWC in Cape Town/South Africa.

After the Opening Address of Prof. Brian O' Connell, Vice Chancellor of UWC, MC Dr. Gabriele Baecker invited Mr. Roland Herrmann, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Ralf Herrmann, DAAD representative in Johannesburg/South Africa, Prof. Wilhelm Löwenstein, Vice Rector of RUB, a current (Coretta Jonah) and a former scholarship holder (Callistus Agbaam) of the SAGER CDRCJ and Prof. Julian May, Director of the ISD, to give a speech on the very successful cooperation of these institutions. The Programme was accompanied by a marvellous choir from Khayelitsha/Cape Town. The ceremony was followed by a reception, at which the members of the steering committee (Prof. W. Löwenstein, Prof. J. May, Prof. Ch. Tapscott, Dr. G. Baecker) together with the coordinators of the Centre (Ina Conradie and Britta Niklas) welcomed about 120 guests.

Please see also the article on the website of the University of the Western Cape: Celebrating 10 years of collaboration between UWC and Ruhr University Bochum.

First Networking Conference and Alumni Seminar on "Evaluation of Projects and Politics" took place!

With the support of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the first Networking Conference and Alumni Seminar on "Evaluation of Projects and Politics" was organized by the Development Research Division (DRD) of the South African-German Centre for Development Research and Criminal Justice.

The Conference took place from 05 - 15 February 2013 at the School of Government/University of the Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa. 14 graduates from one of the programmes offered at the DRD (Bochum Programme of Development Management, MA in Development Studies, MPA as well as related PhD options) were selected to participate. Additionally, 41 current students of the Bochum Programme of Development Management took part in the first week of the Conference. For more info please see: Programme

DAAD Postdoctoral Fellowships

The South African-German Centre for Development Research and Criminal Justice offers Postdoctoral Fellowships in 2013. For further information, please have a look here; if interested, find application form here.

Congratulations Dr. Wondimagegnhu!

After successful defense of his PhD thesis on Monday, 28th January 2013, Beneberu Assefa Wondimagegnhu from Ethiopia has been awarded the degree of a Philosophiae Doctor (Ph.D.). As a member of the International Development Studies Doctoral Programme he received a DAAD-funded scholarship of the Development Research Division of the South African-German Centre for Development Research and Criminal Justice for his doctoral studies.

His thesis on "Economic Impact of Rural-Urban Migration on Income and Poverty of Migrant Sending Households: With Evidences from Southern Ethiopia" was supervised by Prof. Dr. Bender. Second supervisor was Prof. Dr. Löwenstein.

PhD IDS Student Selected Member of AGGN

Silas Udahemuka, participant of the PhD in International Development Studies and scholarship holder of the Development Research Division of the South African - German Centre for Development Research and Criminal Justice, has been selected as a new member of the African Good Governance Network. More information on the network is available here.