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CODESRIA Research Grants 2027: Receive US$5,000 to US$15,000 for African University Research

Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA)Africa

Researchers affiliated with African universities and research institutions can apply for the CODESRIA Research Grants on University Ecosystems 2027, a research funding opportunity supporting studies on higher education, gender equality, academic freedom and university life across Africa.

FundingAndrew Carnegie Foundation
Duration15 months
Who can applyAfrican countries
Application feeFree

Overview

Organised by the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), with funding support from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, this initiative aims to strengthen research and produce evidence that can inform academic debates, institutional reforms and public policy.

Selected researchers will receive support for a 15-month research project, with proposed budgets ranging from US$5,000 to US$15,000. The programme also provides opportunities for knowledge exchange, peer learning, academic publication and policy engagement.

The call welcomes individual research proposals as well as collaborative projects involving teams of three to five members. Women scholars, early-career academics and researchers affiliated with less well-resourced universities are particularly encouraged to apply.

The Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa is a pan-African organisation that supports social science and humanities research and knowledge production across the continent.

Through the Research Grants on University Ecosystems programme, CODESRIA aims to support interdisciplinary research examining the challenges, opportunities and transformations shaping African universities.

The call focuses on two broad, interconnected areas: gender and associational life in African universities, and academic and intellectual freedom.

The programme seeks research that goes beyond academic discussion to generate findings that can inform institutional decision-making, policy development, advocacy and the future of higher education in Africa.

Successful applicants will be expected to conduct original research, participate in knowledge-exchange activities, produce publishable outputs and contribute to public dialogue or policy engagement.

At a glance

About

Opportunity type: Research Grant
Host institution: Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA)
Location: Africa
Duration: 15 months
Mode: Research project, knowledge-exchange workshops and peer-learning activities
Funding type: Research project grant
Research project duration: 15 months
Detail: Information
Official website: CODESRIA
Application portal: Grants and Subventions Portal
Event: Date
Call announced: 23 October 2026

Funding

Funding support: Andrew Carnegie Foundation
Funding amount: US$5,000 to US$15,000 per research project
Application fee: Free

Eligibility

Minimum degree required: Not specified in the official call
Age limit: None
Work experience: No fixed minimum specified
Nationality: African countries

Who can apply

The eligibility requirements are specific to academic and research work connected with African higher education institutions.

1. Institutional Affiliation Is Required

Applicants must be affiliated with a recognised African higher education institution or research institution.

A formal letter of affiliation or endorsement from the institution must be included in the application.

The call is not designed as a general grant for independent entrepreneurs, businesses or individuals without the required institutional affiliation.

2. Individual and Collaborative Applications Are Accepted

Researchers may apply individually or submit a collaborative proposal.

Collaborative teams must consist of three to five members. Interdisciplinary, inter-institutional and multi-country research teams are strongly encouraged.

For team applications, CVs of all team members must be attached.

3. African Scholars in the Diaspora

African scholars living outside the continent are encouraged to apply in collaboration with colleagues affiliated with an Africa-based institution.

Applicants should ensure that the proposed collaboration meets the call’s institutional requirements.

4. Women Scholars and Early-Career Academics

CODESRIA particularly encourages applications from women scholars, early-career academics and researchers affiliated with less well-resourced universities across Africa.

These groups are encouraged to submit proposals that address the programme’s themes and demonstrate a clear research contribution.

5. Previous CODESRIA Grant Recipients

Applicants with outstanding or pending deliverables from ongoing or previous CODESRIA-funded projects are not encouraged to apply.

Is There a Minimum Degree or Age Requirement?

The official call does not specify a universal minimum academic degree, age limit or fixed number of years of professional experience.

However, the application requires a research proposal, a CV highlighting relevant qualifications and research experience, and institutional affiliation documentation. Applicants should demonstrate their ability to carry out the proposed work.

Can Researchers from India Apply?

The programme specifically requires affiliation with a recognised African higher education or research institution. Being an Indian national or being based in India does not, by itself, establish eligibility.

Researchers based outside Africa should review the diaspora collaboration provision and contact CODESRIA if they are unsure whether their institutional arrangements qualify.

What you get

1. Research Funding of US$5,000 to US$15,000

Applicants must submit a draft budget ranging from US$5,000 to US$15,000 for their proposed research project.

The requested amount should reflect the research activities, methodology, work plan and intended outputs. The funding is intended to support the proposed research, rather than serve as an unrestricted personal stipend.

The official call does not provide a universal item-by-item list of allowable expenses. Applicants should ensure that their budgets are realistic and directly connected to their research activities.

2. Fifteen Months of Research Support

Selected researchers will receive support for a 15-month project period.

During this time, they will conduct original research, develop their findings, participate in knowledge-exchange workshops and peer-learning forums, and prepare the expected research outputs.

3. Opportunities for Academic Publication

Researchers are expected to produce at least one publishable manuscript, such as a journal article and policy brief or an equivalent combination of outputs.

This can help researchers contribute evidence and analysis to discussions about university governance, academic freedom, gender equality and higher education policy.

4. Knowledge Exchange and Peer Learning

The programme includes knowledge-exchange workshops and peer-learning forums. These activities are intended to help researchers share insights, discuss their work and engage with other scholars working on related issues.

5. Policy Engagement and Public Dialogue

Supported projects are expected to contribute to public dialogue and policy engagement activities. Research should therefore be designed with a clear understanding of how its findings could inform debates, institutional practices or policy reform.

Fields & areas

The call identifies two broad themes and several related research priorities.

Theme 1: Gender and Associational Life in African Universities

This theme examines gender relations, participation, inclusion and the quality of intellectual and associational life within African higher education institutions.

Researchers may explore topics such as:

Gendered experiences of students, academic staff and university employees.
Institutional cultures and university governance through a gender lens.
Barriers to women’s academic progression, participation and leadership.
Gender-based violence, campus safety and student wellbeing.
Inequality and the experiences of minority groups in university spaces.
Student associations, faculty associations and other forms of campus participation.
Policy reform and institutional change that could make universities more inclusive.

The call particularly encourages research addressing the challenges faced by women students and academics, as well as minority groups whose participation in university life may be constrained by institutional or social structures.

Theme 2: Academic and Intellectual Freedom

This theme focuses on the conditions that support or undermine academic freedom in African universities and the wider intellectual community.

Researchers can investigate how political interference, institutional governance, funding arrangements, restrictions on academic participation or weakened university associations affect intellectual independence.

Relevant questions include how universities protect independent research, how institutional autonomy is maintained and how academic communities can participate meaningfully in university decision-making.

The call also encourages research examining the connections between academic freedom, gender, university associations and the public role of higher education.

Additional Research Priorities

The official call identifies several related areas that proposals may address:

University governance, autonomy and accountability.
Funding models and their implications for equity and quality.
Digital transitions, artificial intelligence and emerging teaching innovations.
Research ecosystems, knowledge production and epistemic justice.
Gender, minority inclusion and social justice in universities.
Neoliberalism, globalisation and institutional autonomy.
Private universities and technical and vocational education and training institutions.
Universities’ contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
Graduate outcomes in a changing labour market.
Partnerships between universities, communities, governments, industry and civil society.

Projects should engage with relevant theoretical and conceptual debates, use appropriate research methods and demonstrate how their findings could contribute to academic understanding or institutional and policy change.

How to apply

Applicants must prepare the following documents.

1. Curriculum Vitae

Submit a recent CV highlighting the principal investigator’s qualifications, research experience and relevant publications.

For collaborative applications, include the CVs of all team members.

2. Research Proposal Synopsis

The proposal synopsis must not exceed 4,000 words and should include:

A clearly defined research question or problem statement.
Evidence of familiarity with recent literature and relevant academic debates.
A conceptual or theoretical framework.
The proposed research methodology.
A work plan with timelines.
A draft budget.
A list of intended scholarly and non-scholarly outputs.

The proposal should explain the research problem, establish why it matters and show how the chosen methods will help answer the research question.

3. Draft Research Budget

Prepare a draft budget ranging from US$5,000 to US$15,000.

The budget should be consistent with the research methodology, work plan and expected outputs.

4. Institutional Affiliation or Endorsement Letter

Include a formal letter confirming affiliation with, or endorsement by, a recognised higher education or research institution.

This is a key eligibility requirement and should be arranged before submitting the application.

Follow these steps to prepare and submit your application.

Step 1: Read the official call.

Review the complete CODESRIA Research Grants on University Ecosystems announcement to understand the research themes, eligibility criteria and application requirements.

Step 2: Identify a relevant research question.

Choose a specific research problem connected to gender and associational life in African universities, academic freedom or one of the call’s related priority areas.

Step 3: Confirm your institutional affiliation.

Ensure that you meet the institutional eligibility requirement. Request the formal affiliation or endorsement letter from your institution.

Step 4: Prepare your research proposal.

Write a proposal synopsis of no more than 4,000 words. Include the research question, literature review, conceptual or theoretical framework, methodology, work plan, draft budget and intended outputs.

Step 5: Prepare your CV and supporting documents.

Compile your CV and, if applicable, the CVs of all collaborators. Check that your institutional documentation is complete.

Step 6: Finalise the budget.

Prepare a draft budget between US$5,000 and US$15,000 that reflects the needs of the proposed research.

Step 7: Submit the application online.

Submit all required documents electronically through the official CODESRIA Grants and Subventions Portal.

Step 8: Submit before the deadline.

The final deadline is 16 January 2027. CODESRIA states that late applications will not be considered.

For questions specific to the call, contact tgf@codesria.org.

Go to the official application

Tips for Preparing a Strong Research Proposal

1. Align your research with the call. Make the connection between your research question and one or more of the programme’s themes explicit.

2. Identify a clear research gap. Explain what is missing from existing research and how your project will contribute new evidence or a different perspective.

3. Use an appropriate methodology. Describe how you will collect and analyse evidence, why your methods suit the research question and how the work will be completed within the project period.

4. Demonstrate institutional relevance. Explain why the research matters to the university, research community or broader higher education system being studied.

5. Build a realistic budget. Ensure that the proposed costs correspond to the research activities and intended outputs.

6. Plan for publication and policy engagement. Identify how the findings could contribute to academic publications, policy briefs, public dialogue or institutional reform.

7. Confirm the affiliation requirement early. Since formal institutional affiliation is required, do not leave the endorsement letter until the final days before submission.

Final Thoughts

The CODESRIA Research Grants on University Ecosystems 2027 provide an opportunity for eligible researchers to investigate important questions about African higher education, gender equality, academic freedom and university governance.

With project budgets ranging from US$5,000 to US$15,000 and a 15-month research period, the programme is particularly relevant to scholars who have a well-defined research question, appropriate institutional affiliation and a plan to produce useful academic and policy outputs.

Before applying, confirm your eligibility, secure the required institutional endorsement and prepare a clear research proposal with a realistic budget.

Deadline: 16 January 2027.

Official Links

Frequently asked questions

1. Is the CODESRIA Research Grants 2027 application open?

The call was published on 23 October 2026, and the announced deadline is 16 January 2027. Check the official CODESRIA announcement for any updates before applying.

2. How much funding is available?

Applicants must submit a draft project budget between US$5,000 and US$15,000. The grant supports research activities and related project outputs; it is not described as a personal salary or unrestricted living allowance.

3. How long is the research project?

The programme provides support for a 15-month research project.

4. Can I apply without university affiliation?

The official call requires affiliation with a recognised African higher education or research institution. A formal letter of affiliation or endorsement is required.

5. Can I apply as an individual researcher?

Yes. Individual proposals are accepted, as are collaborative proposals involving teams of three to five members. Both must satisfy the institutional affiliation requirement.

6. Can researchers living outside Africa apply?

African scholars in the diaspora are encouraged to apply in collaboration with colleagues affiliated with an Africa-based institution. Other applicants should contact CODESRIA if their circumstances do not clearly fit the published criteria.

7. Is the grant fully funded?

The call specifies research project budgets of US$5,000 to US$15,000. It does not describe the award as a fully funded personal scholarship, and applicants should not assume that personal living expenses or all project costs will be covered.

8. Is there an application fee?

The official call does not specify an application fee. Applicants should check the official application portal for any instructions or updates.

9. What is the application deadline?

The deadline is 16 January 2027. Late applications will not be considered.

10. Where can I submit my application?

Applications must be submitted through the official CODESRIA Grants and Subventions Portal.