Fellowship

The Africa Institute Senior and Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 in UAE: Applications Now Open for Researchers in African and African Diaspora Studies

Organisation · Africa

At a glance

Type: Fellowship
Organisation: Organisation
Location: Africa
Work mode: On-site
Deadline: Rolling / not stated
Posted: 22 Sep 2026

About this fellowship

Applications are now open for the 2027 Research Fellowships Program at The Africa Institute, Global Studies University, offering senior and postdoctoral scholars an opportunity to undertake full-time research residencies in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The fellowship program is designed for scholars whose research engages substantially with Africa and the African diaspora, particularly across the humanities and social sciences. The 2027 call includes four named fellowships covering African diaspora literature, global African studies, visual and performance studies, critical humanities, gender, feminism, social sciences, and cultural studies. The program brings researchers into The Africa Institute’s scholarly community, where they can advance major research projects while participating in an interdisciplinary academic environment focused on Africa and its global diasporas. The Institute is part of Global Studies University and describes itself as an international center dedicated to research, documentation, study, and teaching relating to Africa and its diaspora. The application deadline is September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Gulf Standard Time (GST). <h2>About The Africa Institute</h2> The Africa Institute is based in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and operates within Global Studies University. Its academic work focuses on expanding research, teaching, documentation, and intellectual exchange concerning Africa and African diaspora communities. Its broader academic environment includes postgraduate education as well as research activity in the humanities and social sciences. The university currently offers graduate-level study connected to Global African Studies and Global Studies, while the Institute hosts senior and postdoctoral researchers working across diverse interdisciplinary areas. The Research Fellowships Program therefore goes beyond simply providing researchers with time to work independently. Fellows become part of an established scholarly environment in which research on Africa and its diaspora is examined through historical, cultural, literary, artistic, political, social, and interdisciplinary perspectives. <h2>The Four Research Fellowships Available for 2027</h2> The 2027 Research Fellowships Program consists of two Senior Fellowships and two Postdoctoral Fellowships. <h3>1. Toni Morrison Senior Fellowship in African Diaspora Literature and Cultural Studies</h3> Named in honor of the celebrated author and Nobel Prize laureate Toni Morrison, this fellowship focuses particularly on areas connected with African diaspora literature, culture, cultural studies, and related intellectual fields. The opportunity is intended for established scholars, including academics at the associate professor or full professor level and comparable scholars working outside conventional university positions. Independent authors and public intellectuals whose work has received significant recognition in relevant fields may also fall within the intended applicant profile. Research should have a meaningful relationship with Africa, the African diaspora, culture, literature, or closely connected fields. The Toni Morrison Senior Fellowship is a full-time, one-year residency in Sharjah. <h3>2. Ali A. Mazrui Senior Fellowship in Global African Studies</h3> The Ali A. Mazrui Senior Fellowship honors the distinguished African studies scholar Professor Ali A. Mazrui. It is intended for established researchers whose scholarship focuses on African and African diaspora studies, particularly where these areas intersect with the humanities and social sciences. Suitable applicants can include: <ul data-spread="false"> <li>Associate professors</li> <li>Full professors</li> <li>Scholars holding equivalent senior academic positions</li> <li>Independent scholars</li> <li>Recognized authors</li> <li>Public intellectuals with significant work relating to Africa or the African diaspora</li> </ul> Like the Toni Morrison Fellowship, this is a full-time, one-year residency based in Sharjah, UAE. <h2>Postdoctoral Opportunities</h2> For early-career researchers, the program contains two specialized postdoctoral fellowships. <h3>3. Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellowship in Visual Culture, Performance Studies, and Critical Humanities</h3> The Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellowship is named after the influential scholar, curator, art critic, and intellectual Okwui Enwezor. It is designed for emerging scholars whose work engages areas such as: <ul data-spread="false"> <li>Visual culture</li> <li>Visual studies</li> <li>Performance studies</li> <li>Art history</li> <li>Art criticism</li> <li>Cultural studies</li> <li>Critical humanities</li> <li>Related interdisciplinary fields</li> </ul> The applicant’s proposed work should connect meaningfully with Africa or the African diaspora. Applicants for this postdoctoral fellowship must hold a Ph.D. awarded within the last five years prior to taking up the fellowship. Unlike the senior fellowships, the postdoctoral fellowship is structured as a two-year, full-time residency in Sharjah. <h3>4. Fatema Mernissi Postdoctoral Fellowship in Social and Cultural Studies</h3> The Fatema Mernissi Postdoctoral Fellowship honors the prominent Moroccan sociologist and scholar Fatema Mernissi, whose scholarship addressed major questions involving gender, feminism, Islam, society, culture, and sociopolitical transformation. The fellowship particularly targets emerging social-science scholars conducting research involving areas such as: <ul data-spread="false"> <li>Gender studies</li> <li>Feminist studies</li> <li>Cultural studies</li> <li>Social sciences</li> <li>Visual cultures</li> <li>African studies</li> <li>African diaspora studies</li> </ul> The proposed research should intersect substantially with Africa and/or African diaspora studies. Applicants must also have received their Ph.D. within the required five-year postdoctoral eligibility window before assuming the fellowship. <h2>Fellowship Location and Duration</h2> All four opportunities are full-time residential fellowships in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. For the 2027 cohort: Senior Fellowships <ul data-spread="false"> <li>Residency period: September 2027 to June 2028</li> <li>Duration: One academic year</li> </ul> Postdoctoral Fellowships <ul data-spread="false"> <li>Residency period: September 2027 to June 2029</li> <li>Duration: Two academic years</li> </ul> Selected fellows are expected to arrive in Sharjah around mid-August 2027, ahead of the formal September start, so residency and housing arrangements can be completed before the program begins. This residency requirement is particularly important for applicants to consider because the opportunity is not advertised as a remote or short-term research award. <h2>Who Should Consider Applying?</h2> The program is particularly relevant to researchers developing substantive academic projects concerning Africa, Africans, African societies, African cultures, and African diaspora communities. Depending on the specific fellowship, appropriate disciplinary backgrounds may include literature, history, art history, cultural studies, sociology, anthropology, gender studies, feminist studies, performance studies, visual studies, critical humanities and other areas of the humanities and social sciences. Applicants should carefully select the fellowship whose intellectual focus most closely corresponds to their proposed research rather than treating all four fellowship tracks as interchangeable. <h2>Application Requirements</h2> Candidates applying for the 2027 Research Fellowships Program need to prepare a substantial research-focused application. The official application requirements include: <ol start="1" data-spread="true"> <li> Research Abstract Applicants must submit an abstract of up to 300 words explaining the research project they intend to pursue during the fellowship. </li> <li> Project Statement A detailed project statement of approximately 1,000–2,000 words is required. It should explain the project’s research objectives, methodology or approach, and broader scholarly importance. Applicants may additionally provide a one-page bibliography containing important sources relevant to the proposed project. </li> <li> Two Writing Samples Two examples of the applicant’s academic or intellectual writing must be included. These may be either published or unpublished works. </li> <li> Letter of Interest Applicants are required to provide a letter explaining their interest in the fellowship and proposed research. </li> <li> Curriculum Vitae An up-to-date CV outlining the applicant’s education, research experience, publications, academic appointments, professional experience, and other relevant achievements should be submitted. </li> <li> Three Referees Applicants must provide the contact information of three referees. The Institute will contact the referees directly regarding reference letters. </li> </ol> <h2>How Applications Are Evaluated</h2> Applications will be reviewed by faculty at Global Studies University. According to the official fellowship information, selection is based particularly on two considerations: <ul data-spread="false"> <li>The quality of the research proposal</li> <li>The applicant’s demonstrated ability to successfully complete the proposed project</li> </ul> This means applicants should devote considerable attention to the intellectual coherence, originality, feasibility, methodology, and contribution of their research proposal. A strong academic background by itself may not be enough if the proposed project lacks a clear connection to the intellectual scope of the fellowship. <h2>How to Apply</h2> Applications must be completed using the official online application portal. Applicants beginning an application should select the new-applicant option on the fellowship website, while applicants who have already started their submission can return to the portal and continue their existing application. Applicants should note the following submission rules: <ul data-spread="false"> <li>Applications must be submitted online.</li> <li>Applications sent by email will not be accepted.</li> <li>Late applications will not be considered.</li> <li>Incomplete applications will not be considered.</li> <li>All required documents must be uploaded through the application system.</li> <li>Each uploaded file must not exceed 3 MB.</li> <li>Applicants can access the portal to follow the status of their application during the review process.</li> </ul> Questions and technical issues relating to applications may be directed to <a href="mailto:applications@theafricainstitute.org">applications@theafricainstitute.org</a>. <h2>Important Dates for the 2027 Fellowship Cycle</h2> Applicants should take note of the following schedule: <ul data-spread="false"> <li>Applications opened: July 6, 2026</li> <li>Application deadline: September 30, 2026</li> <li>Deadline time: 11:59 PM Gulf Standard Time</li> <li>Application review and shortlisting: October 2026</li> <li>Interviews: Expected around mid-November 2026</li> <li>Offer notifications: Expected by mid-December 2026</li> <li>Arrival in Sharjah: Mid-August 2027</li> <li>Fellowship program begins: September 2027</li> <li>Senior fellowships conclude: June 2028</li> <li>Postdoctoral fellowships conclude: June 2029</li> </ul> The Institute notes that this schedule is indicative and may be adjusted. <h2>Is The Africa Institute Fellowship Fully Funded?</h2> Applicants should exercise caution regarding descriptions of the program as “fully funded.” The official 2027 fellowship webpage confirms that these are full-time residential fellowships and refers to residency and housing arrangements, but it does not currently publish a fellowship salary, stipend amount, research allowance, airfare entitlement, health-insurance benefit, or detailed financial package. Accordingly, prospective applicants should not assume a particular monetary award unless The Africa Institute provides further information through the application portal, an offer letter, or direct correspondence. The absence of a published amount should not be interpreted as meaning that no financial support exists; it simply means that the exact financial terms cannot presently be confirmed from the public 2027 call. <h2>Why This Fellowship May Be Important for Researchers</h2> The Africa Institute’s fellowship program provides an unusually concentrated environment for scholarship centered on Africa and its diaspora. Current and previous cohorts demonstrate the program’s interdisciplinary character, with scholars conducting research across a range of African and diaspora-related fields. The Institute currently hosts both senior and postdoctoral fellows under the named fellowship programs, reinforcing the program’s role as an ongoing research initiative rather than a one-time funding call. For emerging postdoctoral scholars, the two-year duration can provide significant time for developing an ambitious research project. For established academics and intellectuals, the senior fellowships provide an academic-year residency devoted to research and scholarly engagement. <h2>Tips for Preparing a Strong Application</h2> Applicants should begin by identifying exactly which named fellowship corresponds to their research. A competitive proposal should clearly establish: <ul data-spread="false"> <li>What research question or problem the project addresses</li> <li>Why the subject matters academically</li> <li>How the project contributes to scholarship concerning Africa or its diaspora</li> <li>Which disciplinary or interdisciplinary conversations the project engages</li> <li>What research methods or analytical approaches will be employed</li> <li>What the applicant expects to accomplish during the fellowship</li> <li>Why the proposed work is feasible within the fellowship period</li> <li>How the applicant’s previous scholarship demonstrates the capacity to complete the project</li> </ul> Candidates should also ensure consistency among their abstract, project statement, CV, letter of interest, and writing samples. The application should present a coherent scholarly profile rather than treating each document as an unrelated requirement. <h2>Application Deadline</h2> The final deadline for the 2027 The Africa Institute Research Fellowships Program is Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Gulf Standard Time. Since incomplete or late submissions are not considered, applicants should avoid waiting until the final hours to upload their materials. Click <a href="https://register.gsu.ac.ae/psc/reg/EMPLOYEE/SA/c/X_ADMISSION.X_AD_REGISTRATION.GBL?&languageCD=ENG&" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">HERE</a>, to apply. <h2>Conclusion</h2> The 2027 The Africa Institute Senior and Postdoctoral Fellowships provide an important research opportunity for established and emerging scholars whose work addresses Africa and the African diaspora across the humanities and social sciences. With four specialized fellowship tracks, applicants can pursue projects ranging from African diaspora literature and global African studies to visual culture, performance, gender, feminism, and social and cultural studies. The senior fellowships provide a one-year research residency from September 2027 to June 2028, while the postdoctoral fellowships provide a two-year residency extending through June 2029. Postdoctoral candidates must have obtained their Ph.D. within the required five-year period, while the senior awards are aimed at established scholars or equivalent recognized intellectuals. Interested candidates should carefully review the requirements, prepare a focused research proposal, select the fellowship that most closely corresponds with their academic interests, and complete the online application before September 30, 2026. For more global opportunities, click <a href="https://opportunitiesforyouth.org/">HERE</a>. The post <a rel="nofollow" href="https://opportunitiesforyouth.org/2026/09/22/the-africa-institute-senior-and-postdoctoral-fellowships-2027-in-uae-applications-now-open-for-researchers-in-african-and-african-diaspora-studies/">The Africa Institute Senior and Postdoctoral Fellowships 2027 in UAE: Applications Now Open for Researchers in African and African Diaspora Studies</a> appeared first on <a rel="nofollow" href="https://opportunitiesforyouth.org">Opportunities for Youth</a>.

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Frequently asked questions

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