UKZN Student Wins a PhD Visiting Scholarship to Aalborg University Denmark

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The African Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems (AfricaLics,www.africalics.org) and Global Network for Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems (GlobeLics, www.globelics.org) have awarded a UKZN doctoral student of Public Policy, Mr Maruf Sanni a PhD scholarship training programme. Mr Sanni will be at Aalborg University as visiting PhD scholar for a six-month period.  This PhD training programme is an initiative that looks for talented African PhD student candidates enrolled in African universities.

The PhD sandwich training programme focuses on innovation and economic development. Maruf is one of the six PhD students selected for the opportunity to study at Aalborg University (AAU), Denmark, for a maximum of six months. In connection with the visiting scholarships, the main supervisor of each PhD student will be invited to pay a short visit to Denmark to exchange experience with Senior Scholars at AAU. Costs related to the visit will be covered by the programme.

Each student will be “matched” with a senior scholar from Aalborg University with competences in the field in which the student is active. Most Scholars currently attached to the AfricaLics PhD sandwich programme come from the research group called IKE (Innovation, Knowledge and Economic Dynamics – please see www.ike.aau.dk for more info about the research group and related activities), but Scholars from other research groups such as IBC (International Business Centre – www.ibc.aau.dk) are also attached to the programme. The extent to which the scholar from Aalborg University would act as formal Supervisor would depend on agreement reached with the university where the student is already enrolled as a PhD student (the partner university).

The visiting scholarships and the provision of a study period at Aalborg University are parts of the wider PhD study plan for each applicant including various elements:

Initial theoretical studies and field work in home country/country where the student is already enrolled as a PhD student. Maximum of six months visit to Aalborg University to focus on writing up thesis or articles that are part of the PhD thesis. Participation in relevant events (e.g. Innovation, Knowledge and Economic Dynamics seminars) and PhD training courses offered by Aalborg University either alone or in collaboration with others taking place during the study period. Participation in key Globelics/AfricaLics activities such as conference and academies either during or after the study visit to Aalborg University. If students get accepted for participation in such events their participation will be supported financially through the programme. Return to home country and continue work on PhD dissertation/finalize and submit.

The visiting PhD students will be able to utilize library resources; attend lectures from key academics in their research areas; present own papers to Senior Scholars and fellow PhD students at Aalborg University. Funding for the visiting scholarships has been provided by Sida (Stockholm) as part of a larger grant supporting the Globelics (www.globelics.org) and AfricaLics (www.africalics.org) research networks.

Maruf Sanni