The African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town invites applications for two PhD and one post-doctoral opportunities focusing on sustainable infrastructure and adaptive governance. In a context of rapidly expanding cities in Africa, there is an opportunity to develop contextually relevant sustainable infrastructure such as low carbon, resource efficient and labour intensive strategies embedded in participatory governance with multilevel governance. The successful candidates will contribute to exploring this from an African and southern cities perspective.

The ACC is a response to the growing recognition world-wide of the importance of cities, and particularly cities in the developing world. In South Africa this is reflected in the increasingly urban emphasis in policy documents at both national and provincial level. The sense is one of impending crisis, with the realisation that rapid urbanisation also raises issues of adequate food supply, affordable shelter, employment opportunities, water and waste management, public transportation, crime and disease, and environmental degradation and climate change. Established in 2007, the ACC seeks to facilitate critical urban research and policy discourses for the promotion of vibrant, democratic and sustainable urban development in the global South from an African perspective using interdisciplinary approaches.

Conditions of Awards

To be eligible for the PhD funding, a candidate should have a Master’s degree with an average mark of at least 70% (in the case of a coursework Masters) or a full-thesis Master’s result of at least 65%, and must have graduated within the past four years. . Applicants must be citizens of an African Union country, but preference will be given to South African candidates Successful applicants will commence in 2017 and the award is tenable for a period of 3 years and is not renewable. Successful applicants will receive an annual amount of R80 000.

 To be eligible for the Post-Doctoral funding, applicants must have obtained their doctorate no more than five years ago in a field related to sustainable infrastructure and adaptive governance, and must not have held a established teaching post in a an institution of higher education. Applicants must be citizens of an African Union country, but preference will be given to South African candidates. Successful applicants will commence in 2017 and the award is tenable for a period of 12 months and is not renewable. Successful applicants will receive an annual amount of R140 000.

PhD and Post-Doctoral Funding Expectations

Successful applicants will be expected to participate actively in vibrant ACC and UCT research community, produce annual reports and provide a final report at the conclusion of the funding that includes: an abstract of the research conducted and copies of publications resulting from the research. Successful applicants will also be expected to present their research as part of the Brown Bag or Academic Seminar Series each year of their funding.

Application Guidance

 To apply for the PhD and Post-Doctoral Funding submit the following materials:

  1. Cover page (please include: name, title of proposal)
  2. Curriculum Vitae
  3. Names as contacts of at least two academic referees
  4. Expression of interest (EOI) that addresses the challenges or research interests within the ambit of sustainable infrastructure and adaptive governance in African cities. The EOI must:
  1. Support the ACC’s mission and goals
  2. Introduce the proposed research
  3. Clearly state the research challenges
  4. Define an approach
  5. Be three pages maximum, typed, 12 pt font, include references/bibliography.
  1. Proof of PhD degree prior to assignment start date (for the post-doc)

Please note that your application will be considered incomplete if submitted without the required information, and will not be reviewed. We reserve the right not to appoint.

Questions of clarity can be submitted via email to ntombini.marrengane@uct.ac.za. Complete applications must be submitted in hard copy or via email no later than 16 January 2017 to:

Mrs. Maryam Waglay, Senior Secretary, African Centre for Cities, Environmental and Geographical Science Building, Level 2, Upper Campus, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa, Maryam.waglay@uct.ac.za