The Fellowship

Fellowships will be granted for a period of three months in fall 2026, full-time. Fellows will conduct a research project independently or, if suitable, in collaboration with project team members or other IDOS, Kiel Institute and SWP colleagues - and contribute one paper to the project’s publication series. Fellows are expected to participate in project meetings, events and other relevant activities of their host institution during their stay. 

For the duration of the fellowship, fellows will reside in the city of their host institution, i.e., in Berlin (SWP), Bonn (IDOS) or Kiel (Kiel Institute). Fellows will receive a monthly grant of € 2,800, an economy-class return trip between their place of residence and Germany as well as some financial support for public transport, mobile phone credit and other ancillary costs in Germany. Fellows who require a visa to enter Germany will be provided with a letter of support and assistance in the application process.

Your Profile

• A completed PhD in political science, economics, social sciences, geography, international relations, or relevant area studies;
• Originating from an African country
• Strong research and publication track record in areas of relevance to the Megatrends Afrika project
• Experience in scientific policy advice is an advantage

Research Topics

We are interested in proposals for a Megatrends Policy Brief that tackles an issue of relevance to one of the following research themes:

• Peace and Security
• Future of Democracy
• Economic Prospects
• Africa’s Role in the New World Order
• Science Diplomacy and Science Cooperation

Also of interest would be research proposals on new technologies (artificial intelligence, space programmes) in African countries, international cooperation on Africa's energy transition and critical raw materials, and the influence of digitalisation or urbanisation on political regimes in Africa. 

How to Apply

Applications must contain a one-page letter of motivation, an academic CV including a list of academic publications, a sample of 2 recent publications, copies of relevant academic transcripts and/or diplomas (no translations needed), a written concept note containing the description of the applicant’s project. The concept note should not exceed 2,000 words and include a discussion of the project/research topic, its academic and policy relevance, feasibility and theoretical and methodological grounding. The submitted project should be based on the applicant’s existing and ongoing research agenda.  Its scope and ambition have to be appropriate for a Megatrends Policy Brief that will be finalized by the end of the fellowship.

Please send your application by email to Megatrends-Afrika@swp-berlin.org. Applications must be submitted as a single PDF document. Formats other than PDF (Word, zip) cannot be accepted. The deadline for the fellowship applications is 25 March 2026, 11:59 p.m. CET. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. 

Selection Process

Fellows are selected and placed in line with the research agendas of the host institutes. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an online interview. In choosing applicants, we will put particular emphasis on the following criteria:

• Academic and professional merit based on the applicant’s publications and work experience;
• Academic and policy relevance of the project;
• Feasibility of the project during the period of the fellowship;
• Candidates’ ability to communicate effectively and make complex ideas accessible to a broad audience.

As part of the application process, we will store and process the data you send us and share it with members of the selection committee that will consist of employees of IDOS, Kiel Institut, and SWP. In the privacy policy declaration available here we would like to inform you comprehensively about the collection, processing and use of your personal data. If you do not agree with the processing of your data by Megatrends Afrika, you can object at any time by contacting Megatrends-Afrika@swp-berlin.org.

As an inter-ministerially financed research and advisory project, we receive funding from the German Federal Foreign Office (AA), the Federal Ministry of Finance (BMF), the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg), the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).