EMPOWER Fellowships
The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) under its Youth4South initiative and the ICGEB have partnered to offer early-career female scientists from the Global South, aged 45 or under, exchange visits of 6-months at the ICGEB laboratories in New Delhi (India) and Cape Town (South Africa) or at other institutions based in an eligible ICGEB Member State*, to perform research work on biotechnology and related fields, including Health (Infectious Diseases and Non-Communicable Diseases), Sustainable and Effective Agriculture, Industrial Biotechnology and Renewable Energy.
The fellowships will include:
- Stipend, health insurance and travel
- Applying the latest techniques and methodologies to your chosen research topic
- Opportunities for mentoring, peer-to-peer learning and complementary skills Immersion in a top-class international scientific environment
Who can apply:
Applicants from the following ICGEB Member States are eligible to apply. Priority will be given to nationals from developing countries, particularly from Least Developed Countries:
Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, India, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Libya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova (Republic of), Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela (the Bolivarian Republic of), Viet Nam, Zimbabwe
In case of emergency related to COVID-19, the programme may be subject to adjustments
Guidelines for Application
| To Apply | Applicants should contact the ICGEB Group Leader of their choice in New Delhi or Cape Town or the Principal Investigator of the identified hosting laboratory in one of the eligible ICGEB Member States* by sending a motivation letter and an outline of the proposed research project (2 pages maximum), to determine availability of laboratory space and define the proposal that will form integral part of the application. Proposed projects must be innovative and fall within ICGEB research domain namely Infectious Diseases, including research on SARS-CoV-2, Non-Communicable Diseases, Medical Biotechnology, Industrial Biotechnology, and Plant Biology and Biotechnology (please see https://www.icgeb.org/science/ and ICGEB laboratories in New Delhi and ICGEB laboratories in Cape Town). The written statement from the Principal Investigator who is willing to support your project is mandatory to apply. |
| Eligibility | – Applicants must be nationals of an eligible ICGEB Member State*, although priority will be given to candidates from Least Developed Countries – Applicants may not apply for fellowships to be undertaken in their country of origin unless working abroad at the time of application – Pre-doc and postdoc researchers may apply, although preference will be given to scientists having already completed their PhD/Master or equivalent – No age limit applies, but preference will be given to candidates below the age of 45 – Good working knowledge of English is mandatory for fellowships at ICGEB New Delhi and Cape Town |
| Financial support | Duration: 6 months Monthly stipend: US$ 1,800 or equivalent Travel: the fellowship includes provision for travel expenses from the participant’s home country to the host lab at the beginning of the fellowship and a return travel provision upon completion of the fellowship. Medical health insurance coverage is provided for the duration of the fellowship. Visa/permit of stay application and renewal costs are reimbursed. ICGEB makes no financial provision, nor can it provide administrative support for family members of participants in the programme |
| Submission | Please complete this application online. You will be allowed to complete a portion of the application form and return later to finish the rest. Before starting the application online, kindly carefully read the call guidelines and FAQ. Only one application per call is accepted for each candidate |
| Documents to be uploaded | Please note that you will be requested to upload the following documents in pdf format: (i) Your full CV (ii) Written Statement from the ICGEB Group Leader or CV of the Principal Investigator of the identified hosting laboratory (iii) A valid identification document (passport or identity card) (iv) For visits to ICGEB Component laboratories, English Certificate (TOEFL, Cambridge or similar), if available. This document is not requested when scholastic education has been undertaken in English. Different language certificates might be requested by other host institutions. |
| Selection | The ICGEB Fellowships Selection Committee will evaluate complete applications received by the closing date. The candidates will be notified of the outcome by e-mail as soon as possible following the closing date for applications. The main criteria for selection include the scientific excellence of the project, the qualities of the candidate’s CV and the potential benefit in terms of mentoring and acquisition of new expertise. |
| Accommodation | ICGEB New Delhi: a Guest House is run on campus, on a twin-share basis, for a nominal rate. ICGEB Cape Town: accommodation support is provided to fellows. Arrangements are agreed prior to arrival. For other ICGEB Member States, please get in touch with the hosting institution |
| Info and contacts | For additional information or clarification on the EMPOWER Call for Fellowship or the application procedure, please refer to the Call Guidelines, the Call FAQ or write to the address fellowships@icgeb.org |