AERC Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP) 2022

Launched in 2002, the Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP) in Economics’ primary aim is to strengthen teaching and research capacity in sub-Saharan African countries, to increase the pool of potential researchers and policy analysts, and to gradually build-up and retain African scholars in Africa, leading to an increase in capacity across the continent. CPP aims to increase output of professionals conversant with – and specialists in – African issues, leading to the possible emergence of various theories and African solutions to these problems. CPP integrates theory, tools and African applications into academic teaching, ensuring that theory is firmly grounded on the empirical side. Human and other resources available on the continent have been harnessed and pooled to produce a distinctive, common, uniform, high-quality doctoral programme in Africa. 

From the outset, one of CPP’s comparative advantages is its direct relevance to Africa – in terms of research relevance, policy orientation, use of the African reality (data, literature, focus, and examples), and development of theories, literature, and academic materials relevant to Africa – than any comparable doctoral programmes in economics in the world. 

About African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)

The launch of AERC goes back to the late 1980s, when a small group of Africanists and African scholars began to recognize the disconnect between economic policy making and economic research in sub-Saharan Africa. Available research results, applied to other economies, did not always seem appropriate to the African context. And where such results were available, they were too often not put to use. Their concern swelled into a full-fledged idea; they had a discussion about a vehicle for pooling their expertise and applying it to the development of economic policy capacity in sub-Saharan Afric... read more

Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP)

Aim and Benefits of Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP)

The scholarship is fully funded.

Requirements for Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP) Qualification

To qualify, candidates must

1. Have applied and been admitted to any one of the CPP degree-awarding universities.
2. Have attained at Bachelor’s Degree level at least a Second Class Honours (Upper Division) or equivalent in Economics or related field from an accredited university.
3. Have a Masters Degree (with coursework and thesis component) in Economics, Agricultural Economics or related fields from a recognized University. The coursework should have covered microeconomics, macroeconomics and quantitative methods.
4. Female and applicants from post-conflict and fragile states are encouraged to apply.
5. Possession of at least 1 relevant publication in a refereed journal will be an added advantage.
6. Evidence of engagement in economic management, research and/or training in the public sector will be an added advantage.

Documents Required for Application

Requests should be supported by the following documentation:

• Evidence of registration in a recognized PhD programme in Economics.
• A copy of approved research proposal, complete with clearly defined objectives, substantial literature review, a well?outlined analytical framework as well as pertinent research methodology. The limitations and policy relevance of the study should also be addressed.
• A letter of reference from the thesis supervisor.
• A description of the plan of work for the thesis research including details of fieldwork and write-up.
• A detailed budget.
• Evidence of any additional financial support that may be necessary to complete the programme.
• A curriculum vitae.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Applications should be submitted to:

The Director of Training

African Economic Research Consortium (AERC)

3rd Floor, MEBANK Towers, Jakaya Kikwete Road

P.O. Box 62882-00200 Nairobi, Kenya

Email: [email protected] 

For more details, visit AERC website.