Who can apply
- African PhD candidates researching topics connected to the institute theme
- African scholars in the early stages of their academic careers
- Academics and researchers working in African universities or research centres
- Academically inclined policy actors
- Intellectuals active in public-policy processes
- Researchers and intellectuals active in social movements
- Qualified people active in civil-society organisations
- Resource-person applicants with relevant expertise and published research
- Young African academics in the diaspora who can self-fund their participation
- Non-African scholars who can self-fund their participation
Focus areas
- Migration governance in Africa
- Mobility and democratic agency
- Regional and continental migration frameworks
- African sovereignty and external influence
- Free movement and regional integration
- Migrant rights and democratic accountability
- Digital technologies and border surveillance
- Civil-society participation in migration governance
- Migrant voices and community-level experiences
- Gender, youth and class inequalities in migration
- Climate change, labour markets and migration
- Knowledge production and epistemic justice
- Future democratic innovations in migration governance
Requirements
- Select whether applying as a resource person or laureate
- Demonstrate serious engagement with migration governance and democratic agency in Africa
- Provide an application letter
- Provide a current curriculum vitae
- Provide two relevant published papers when applying as a resource person
- Provide a proposal of no more than five pages outlining two proposed lectures when applying as a resource person
- Include at least one lecture addressing methodological issues when applying as a resource person
- Complete the official application form when applying as a laureate
- Provide a letter confirming institutional or organisational affiliation when applying as a laureate
- Provide a research proposal not exceeding ten pages when applying as a laureate
- Explain the proposed research, theoretical contribution and connection to the institute theme
- Provide two reference letters from recognised scholars or researchers
- Provide a copy of a valid passport
- Be prepared to revise and submit a draft research paper if selected as a laureate
Application steps
- Read the complete CODESRIA call and institute theme
- Choose whether to apply as a resource person or laureate
- Prepare the documents required for the selected application category
- Create an account or sign in to the CODESRIA application portal
- Complete the relevant online application form and upload all required documents
- Submit the application before 31 August 2026
Global Grants Hub strategic note
This is a specialised academic and policy fellowship, not a general NGO grant. It best suits applicants with a serious research interest in migration governance and the ability to prepare a strong analytical proposal. Laureates need a ten-page research proposal, institutional affiliation, two references and a passport copy. Resource persons need two relevant publications and a five-page lecture proposal. Applicants should not assume that travel, accommodation or a stipend are covered because the current call does not clearly itemise these costs.