The APDD Program offers fellowships to support the completion of doctoral degrees and to promote next generation social science research in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda. 

The Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship supports a one-year leave from teaching and administrative responsibilities by offering a stipend up to US$8,000 to permit the completion of a dissertation that advances research on peacebuilding, security, and development topics. This program also offers two workshops each year to help fellows further develop their chapters and complete the writing of their doctoral dissertations. Facilitators at the workshops help strengthen the capacity of fellows for scholarly writing, including academic publications.

Program Components 

Through the Next Gen Completion Program, fellowship recipients can expect the following:

Innovative Research 

  • Fellows will make progress towards completing their dissertations on peacebuilding, security, and development topics within one (1) year. Fellows develop their dissertation chapters, complete, and defend their PhDs drawing on evidence-based knowledge that will inform regional and global scholarly debates.

Workshops 

  • Fellows will participate in one mandatory APDD workshop occurring in July in an African country. The workshop will help further develop their chapters and complete the writing of their doctoral dissertations; disseminate findings; explore ways to make their work more accessible through publications, presentations, and other means to multiple scholarly and policy constituencies. 

African Scholarship and Knowledge Production 

  • Fellows will contribute to the APDD program’s digital forums and social media platforms (Kujenga Amani, Facebook, and X). 

Fostering Community, Professional Development and Networking 

  • Fellows will be part of a network of highly visible and active African scholars and practitioners voicing African perspectives on global discourses, as well as knowledge and practices of peacebuilding, security, and development. 
  • Fellows will receive mentorship from highly experienced senior scholars in the field. There are opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and collaboration. 
  • Fellows will gain new knowledge and skills to advance their careers as academics or practitioners in their chosen fields. 

Eligibility

All applicants must:

  • be African citizens who are residents of an African country.
  • be enrolled and working towards a PhD in an accredited university, or affiliated to an institution in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
  • be in the final year of writing and have completed at least two doctoral dissertation chapters.

As of May 2015, the program prioritizes applicants holding a faculty position or demonstrating a durable commitment to higher education in Africa, but does not restrict eligibility to such individuals.

Become a Fellow 

To apply and obtain more information regarding the Doctoral Dissertation Completion Fellowship, please refer to the 2026 APDD Application Guidebook. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the guidebook or online portal, please contact the program staff at nextgenafrica@ssrc.org.

The program is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York.

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