CEGA Fellowship Program
About the CEGA Fellowship
The CEGA Fellowship Program seeks to equip early-career African social scientists with the skills needed to carry out rigorous evaluations of economic development programs by providing resident and non-resident fellowships. Since launching in 2012, the CEGA fellowship program has hosted a network of 69 low-and middle-income country (LMIC) scholars who influence decision-making in their home regions.
Fellows access faculty and Ph.D. student peer mentors, research funding, and “catalyst” grants to support fellows to institutionalize their learnings when they return. The program further helps to disseminate research to policy-makers through annual evidence summits and government involvement in funded research.
Resident Fellowship
Activities:
During the resident fellowship, researchers will:
- Participate in seminars and conferences on research in social and economic development;
- Present their own research during seminars and workshops;
- Engage in UC Berkeley/Northwestern University coursework, such as a rigorous doctoral-level seminar in impact evaluation;
- Carry out an independent research project under the mentorship of a CEGA/GPRL faculty member (projects can use existing data for retrospective analysis or set up a study design for future data collection);
- Participate in tailored, hands-on modules on research transparency and reproducibility, communication skills, qualitative data analysis, and cost-effectiveness analysis;
- Meet and collaborate with faculty and students in multiple academic departments;
- Visit and present at other campuses, including UC San Diego, University of Chicago, UC Davis, and/or Stanford University;
- Design impact evaluation curricula that will be taught at an East or West African institution
- Join team building and sightseeing activities with CEGA staff
What’s included:
- Costs of room and board in Berkeley/Northwestern University, health insurance, a monthly stipend, visa fees, round-trip economy airfare, and a visit to at least one other campus.
*Please note that the program does not provide financial support for spouses or other family members.
Upon successful completion of the fellowship:
- “Catalyst” training grants of $5,000 to train others in impact evaluation methods and build institutional capacity to conduct rigorous evaluations
- Pilot research grants of $7,000-10,000 to continue working on research developed while on the fellowship
- Sponsorship to attend CEGA’s annual Africa Evidence Summit, a dissemination event held in a different East or West African country each summer.
- Invitation to join the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA), an association of African scholars seeking to advance decision-focused impact evaluation of development programs through capacity building, evidence generation, and policy outreach.
- Eligible to apply for larger research grants of up to $75,000 to conduct an impact evaluation that answers a pressing economic development question in East or West Africa.
The Non-Resident Fellowship
Activities:
During the 12-week fellowship, non-resident fellows will:
- Actively audit one online course, such as an intensive causal inference workshop or a doctoral-level seminar in impact evaluation;
- Participate in tailored, hands-on (virtual) modules on research transparency and reproducibility, communication skills, qualitative data analysis, and cost-effectiveness analysis
- Carry out an independent research project under the mentorship of a CEGA faculty member, a peer mentor, and an Africa-based mentor (projects can use existing data for retrospective analysis or set up a study design for future data collection);
- Meet via Zoom to collaborate with faculty and students in multiple academic departments;
- Present their own research during online seminars and workshops;
- Attend online CEGA conferences and other relevant events;
- Design impact evaluation curricula that will be taught at an East or West African institution
What’s included:
- 12-week fellowship, with remote activities at a pace of 15-20 hours per week
- A stipend to support their internet data costs and their time spent on the fellowship
Upon successful completion of fellowship:
- Within the year following, a 1-2 week campus visit to UC Berkeley to present their research in person, meet with CEGA affiliates and Ph.D. students, attend 2-3 Ph.D. level seminars, and engage in a sightseeing activity
- “Catalyst” training grants of $5,000 to train others in impact evaluation methods and build institutional capacity to conduct rigorous evaluations
- Pilot research grants of $7,000-10,000 to continue working on research developed while at UC Berkeley
- Sponsorship to attend CEGA’s annual Africa Evidence Summit, a dissemination event held in a different East or West African country each summer
- Invitation to join the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA), an association of African scholars seeking to advance decision-focused impact evaluation of development programs through capacity building, evidence generation, and policy outreach.
- Eligible to apply for larger research grants of up to $75,000 to conduct an impact evaluation that answers a pressing economic development question in East or West Africa
Resident and Non-Resident Fellowship Roadmap:
- December or January Release of Request for Applications
- End of February Application deadline
- Mid- April Notification of final selections
- August- November Fall Non-Resident Fellowship
- August 18 – December 17 Fall Semester Fellowship (Berkeley)
- January 13 – May 16 Spring Semester Fellowship (Berkeley)
- September 16 – December 8 Fall Quarter Fellowship (Northwestern)
Which model is the best fit for me?
While both the Resident and Non-resident fellowships will both offer opportunities to forge networks with scholars in the same field and expand their research capacity, each has its unique benefits.
If you are seeking an immersive learning experience and would like to commit to a semester or quarter of in-person engagement, our Resident Fellowship might be the right option for you. Resident fellows will have the opportunity to join a wide variety of seminars, workshops, and networking events that Berkeley and Northwestern University have to offer. This is an intensive in-person fellowship and most resident fellows will spend at least 8 hours per day, engaged in research, attending courses and seminars, networking, and studying. It is therefore important to limit work engagements back home during the fellowship.
On the other hand, long travel and time away from home are not suitable for all. If you have an engagement at home or at work (i.e. are not able to take a full sabbatical or childcare responsibilities), our Non-Resident Fellowship might be a more flexible option for you. Without having to worry about extensive planning to leave your home for a long period, our online mentorship and extensive virtual opportunities will provide you with plenty of avenues to connect with relevant training and faculty. This is a rigorous remote fellowship and will take a commitment of 15-20 hours of work per week, although we are flexible on accommodating each fellow’s needs. With the follow-up activities provided, you’ll still have ample opportunities for in-person engagement after the successful completion of the remote fellowship.
