UCT–Harvard Mandela Fellowships 2022

The Harvard-UCT Mandela Fellowships are intended to strengthen connections between the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute at the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research and UCT; to provide opportunities for UCT staff to gain international experience, and to support the professional advancement of academics working particularly, but not only, in the humanities and social sciences.

The Fellows Program is at the heart of the activities of the W du Bois Institute http://hutchinscenter.fas.harvard.edu/dubois. Founded in 1975 as the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for Afro-American Research, the Institute has annually appointed scholars who conduct individual research for a period of one to two semesters in a variety of fields within African and African American Studies.

Application is through the Centre for Higher Education Development (Office of the Dean). Applicants can be from any disciplinary field but must demonstrate how their research will contribute to the ongoing development of teaching and learning in South African higher education.

Candidates are requested to specify what the outcome of the research will be, how it will impact on teaching and learning, and where appropriate, how it will be disseminated beyond the lecture room (i.e. how findings and reflection on implementation will be made known to a wider audience through such means as publications and public seminars).

For this application round, dates available are for the:

• Full academic fellowship year from August 1^st 2022 to May 31^st 2023 OR
• Fall semester from August 1^st  to December 31^st 2022

Please stipulate in your application which semester you would prefer.

The award includes a stipend, and subventions for housing, medical coverage, air travel between South Africa and the US, childcare and an allowance for attendance at an academic conference in the US during tenure of the award. Details of the package will be negotiated by the Du Bois Institute with candidates individually.

The Hutchins Center has been closely monitoring the pandemic-related directives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Harvard University. As needed, the fellowship program can adapt easily to virtual and hybrid formats.

To be eligible, applicants must have been awarded the PhD degree at the time of application and have permanent or T3 academic posts at UCT. In line with UCT’s equity objectives, preference will be given to applicants from the designated groups, with particular emphasis on black South African applicants.

Applications should:

• outline the intended study and research whilst at the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute,
• indicate why being at Harvard and the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute, specifically will contribute to strengthening your research profile,
• demonstrate the relationship of this work to the development of teaching and learning in higher education in South Africa; and
• include a curriculum vitae and the names and contact details of two referees.

The completed application package should be sent to: Kathy Erasmus, (CHED), Huri ǂoaxa (Hoerikwaggo) Building kathy.erasmus@uct.ac.za   Closing date:   31^st October 2021