The SSIIM UNESCO Chair has announced a new round of research fellowships under the MAPS Project, a European Union-supported initiative that aims to deepen understanding and stimulate evidence-based research on migration and forced displacement within Sub-Saharan Africa.

These fellowships are intended for early-stage researchers from ten countries in the region — Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda — who are interested in shaping academic and policy discussions around migration patterns and the integration of displaced populations, including refugees, IDPs, and asylum seekers.

Purpose of the Fellowship

• Enhance the research landscape on migration and displacement issues across Sub-Saharan Africa
• Support the production of original, field-based data to guide policymaking
• Foster inclusive and transnational research with a strong practical and academic impact

Thematic Focus Areas

Selected fellows will conduct research aligned with one of four main themes:

• Peace: Conflict, human rights, and the dynamics of borders
• People: Gender, disability, age, and other dimensions of vulnerability
• Planet: The role of climate crises and natural disasters in driving displacement
• Prosperity: Socio-economic integration, including access to education, health services, housing, and employment