Organisation : HEARD
Announcement : HEARD 2019 PhD Scholarship Applications
Applicable for : South African Citizen,PhD Applicants
Application Deadline : 25 January 2019
Website : https://www.heard.org.za/news-post/2019-phd-scholarship-applications-now-open/
HEARD PhD Scholarship
The Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division (HEARD) based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal is a regional and global leader for applied research and policy development on critical health and development challenges for the African continent.
Related : The Old Mutual Education Trust OMET Scholarship 2018 : www.southafricain.com/13377.html
HEARD’s mission is to influence and support evidence-based policy and good practice to more effectively address Africa’s health and development issues and to contribute to achieving health and sustainable development across the continent.
A critical component of achieving HEARD’s mission is investing in the development of African scholars to master quantitative and qualitative research methods for understanding policy problems and for devising, evaluating and/or implementing policy or programmatic solutions.
The aim of our PhD programme is to produce expertly qualified graduates to advise or to be part of influential policy-making or programme implementing entities in Africa, and to pursue additional research priorities
Candidate Responsibilities
** Award of the HEARD PhD research scholarship is conditional on candidates meeting the requirements for a PhD at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
** Students will be required to participate in a compulsory training component during the first year of study.
** The training component will be conducted over four one week blocks during the first year.
** Candidates will produce a thesis related to one of HEARDs priority research nodes, as detailed below.
** During their PhD, students will be strongly encouraged to present their work at international meetings and funds will be made available for this purpose.
Who should apply?
** Applications are invited from citizens of all African countries.
** Female candidates and, in the case of South Africa, those from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, are especially encouraged to apply.
Applicants Must :
** Hold a Master’s Degree (first or upper second class pass or its equivalent)
** Have demonstrable research experience
** Undertake to register for a PhD dissertation (full time) at the University of KwaZulu–Natal (UKZN)
** Make a commitment to remain on the African continent for at least TWO years after graduation.
How To Apply
Applications Must Include :
** A letter of motivation
** CV
** An eight to ten page concept note on one of the three abovementioned three research questions.
** Certified copies of both your academic qualifications and of your full academic records. In the case of qualifications obtained from non-English speaking countries and English translation must be included.
** A certified copy of your ID/passport.
** Two letters of reference, at least one of which must be academic.
** The second can be from an individual of professional standing.
Fees & Scholarship
** The value of each scholarship is R540, 000.
** It will be paid in equal tranches over three years.
** Tranche payments will be paid dependent on a satisfactory progress report.
** Successful candidates are required to be based in Durban, South Africa, for the duration of the scholarship, with the exception of the time during which they may undertake field research elsewhere.
Notes :
** Applicants in the process of completing a Master’s degree will not be considered.
** PhD students may not work while studying.
** Funding will be renewed annually over the three year period dependent on satisfactory progress.
** The first scholarship tranche will be released on proof of PhD registration and the opening of a South African bank account.
** If you have not received a reply within 8 weeks of the closing date kindly consider your application as unsuccessful.
** Applications must be submitted to Cailin Hedderwick, PhD Programme Coordinator (Hedderwick@ukzn.ac.za).
** Applications close on 25 January 2019.
** If you have not received a reply within 8 weeks of the closing date, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.
About The Scholarships
** Three scholarships will be awarded to students undertaking research focusing on the themes of health financing, health systems and health policy, as specified below
The Global Financing Facility
Emperor’s new clothes or a paradigm shift for health financing in low and middle income countries?
** The Global Financing Facility in Support of Every Woman Every Child (GFF) is the innovative approach to financing that sees countries significantly increase investment in the health of their own people.
** The GFF aims to save and improve lives and increase countries’ ability to thrive in the global economy.
** The initiative was launched as part of a global conversation about how to finance the SDGs and empower/enable countries to work towards achieving the SDGs.
Universal Health Coverage & Health Equity
** With the adoption of the SDGs, countries have expressed a desire to work towards universal health coverage, with financial risk protection as a means to improve health and reduce health inequities.
** Its implementation in several countries has however seen health inequalities rise in recent years.
** In order to test the association between UHC, improved reach/access and health outcomes, dedicated research might entail Identifying a country which has recently adopted UHC, studying how reducing inequities are addressed and analyzing the outcomes.
Pathways to UHC
** Prioritising health services and coordination of donor funds
** Many low-income countries rely heavily on donor funding to finance essential health services.
** However, this type of funding is often directed to a specific disease or population group.
** These countries have at the same time committed to work towards universal health coverage with financial risk protection.
** Effective provision of services under UHC requires proper prioritisation of which services should be provided and to whom.