12Fully Funded PhD Fellowships in Climate & Development (Africa Climate Collaborative / UCT)

​The Africa Climate Collaborative (ACC), hosted by the African Climate and Development Initiative (ACDI) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa, is accepting applications for 12 fully funded PhD Fellowships.

​This flagship 4-Year Doctoral Training Programme is designed to train a new generation of African researchers and thought leaders equipped to address the continent’s most urgent climate change, environmental sustainability, and socio-economic development challenges.

​📌 Program Overview & Structure

​The doctoral program spans 4 years of full-time study at Africa’s top-ranked research institution, combining rigorous academic preparation with transdisciplinary field research.

• ​Year 1 (Structured Coursework): Intensive, pre-doctoral academic coursework covering interdisciplinary climate change methodologies, policy analysis, sustainability science, and advanced research ethics.
• ​Years 2–4 (Independent Thesis Research): Execution of field research, data analysis, academic publications, and thesis writing under the guidance of world-class supervisors and research teams at UCT.

​💰 Fellowship Benefits & Coverage

​The fellowship is fully funded to support scholars throughout their 4-year doctoral tenure:

• ​Full Tuition & Academic Fee Coverage for all four years at the University of Cape Town.
• ​Monthly Living Allowance / Stipend to cover accommodation, food, and day-to-day living expenses in Cape Town.
• ​Research Support & Fieldwork Funding tied to specific project deliverables.
• ​Doctoral Skills & Leadership Training, including international conference participation, policy briefing writing, and career development support.

​🎯 Eligibility Criteria

​Applicants must meet all the following requirements to be considered:

1. ​Citizenship: Must be a national/citizen of an African country. African scholars residing anywhere in the world (inside Africa or in the diaspora) are eligible.
2. ​Age Limit: Applicants must be under 35 years of age as of 1 February 2027.
3. ​Academic Qualifications: Must hold a completed, relevant Master’s degree (or equivalent) in a field directly aligned with the specific research topic selected (e.g., Geography, Development Studies, Environmental Science, Urban Planning, Statistics, Public Health, Political Science, or Biological Sciences).
4. ​Single Application Rule: Candidates can apply to ONLY ONE of the listed research topics. Submitting multiple applications will lead to automatic disqualification.
5. ​UCT Admission: Fellowship awardees will receive step-by-step assistance to complete formal admission to UCT.

​🔬 Featured Research Topics & Projects

​Each of the 12 fellowships is attached to a dedicated research project led by experienced faculty members at UCT:

​1. The Politics of Care in an African Urban Flooding-Health Context

• ​Supervisor: Alice McClure (Department of Environmental & Geographical Science – EGS)
• ​Focus: Investigates how flood risks and health impacts in informal urban settlements (e.g., Khayelitsha, Cape Town) are mediated through physical, social, and institutional care infrastructures. Uses ethnographic and creative storytelling methods.
• ​Ideal Background: Master’s in Human Geography, Anthropology, Development Studies, Urban Studies, Public Health, or Sustainability Science.

​2. Managing Brown Locust Outbreaks Under Climate Change

• ​Supervisor: Prof. Birgit Erni (Department of Statistical Sciences)
• ​Focus: Applies mathematical modeling, statistical analyses, ecological forecasting, and adaptive management principles to understand and predict brown locust (Locustana pardalina) population growth and outbreak patterns under shifting climate scenarios in Southern Africa.
• ​Ideal Background: Master’s or strong background in Biological Modeling, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, or Quantitative Ecology with programming skills in R, Python, or MATLAB.

​3. Whose Energy Transition? Governance of Electricity Commons & NDCs in Sub-Saharan Africa

• ​Supervisor: Dr. Britta Rennkamp (Department of Environmental & Geographical Science – EGS)
• ​Focus: Examines how existing inequalities shape national and regional arrangements for Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) implementation under the Paris Agreement. Develops frameworks for energy commons and climate justice in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• ​Ideal Background: Master’s in Political Science, Sociology, Energy Policy, Economics, Development Studies, or Science & Technology Policy.

​4. Who Gets Resilience? Water Infrastructure Investment in African Cities

• ​Supervisor: Dr. Elizabeth Musvoto (Department of Construction Economics & Management)
• ​Focus: Analyzes how decisions around climate-resilient urban water infrastructure are made and how benefits and costs are distributed across diverse socioeconomic communities, aiming to foster climate justice and equitable urban governance.
• ​Ideal Background: Master’s in Urban & Regional Planning, Town Planning, Geography, Water Governance, Property Studies, or Civil/Environmental Engineering.

​5. Knowledge Systems and Governance in Urban Climate Adaptation

• ​Supervisor: Prof. Gina Ziervogel (Department of Environmental & Geographical Science – EGS)
• ​Focus: Explores how different forms of knowledge (climate data, local community knowledge, municipal planning priorities) interact with local governance structures to shape climate adaptation policies and implementation in Southern African cities.
• ​Ideal Background: Master’s in Environmental Science, Human Geography, Public Policy, Urban Governance, or Climate Change Adaptation.

​📋 Required Application Documents

​When submitting your application online, prepare the following documents:

• ​Curriculum Vitae (CV) highlighting academic achievements, publications, and relevant research experience.
• ​Motivation Letter / Personal Statement explaining your interest in the specific research topic and how your background qualifies you.
• ​Academic Transcripts & Degree Certificates for both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
• ​Concept Note / Research Outline aligned with your chosen project topic.
• ​Contact Information for Academic References (typically 2–3 letters of recommendation).

​📅 Important Dates & Application Details

• ​Application Deadline: 15 October 2026 at 23:00 (South African Standard Time – SAST)
• ​Program Start: First Quarter of 2027
• ​Official Application Portal: Apply Online via ACDI UCT
• ​Detailed Topic Profiles & Guidelines: Africa Climate Collaborative Opportunities