Deadline  16 May

About

CIFE and the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) start the PhD Support Programme “The EU, Central Asia and the Caucasus in the International System“ (EUCACIS). Funded by the Volkswagen Foundation and the Erasmus+ Programme, it offers scholarships for three years to excellent postgraduates who are working on a doctoral thesis in political science, contemporary history or economics on a topic of the programme’s focus at a university in the Southern Caucasus or Central Asia (including Afghanistan, the Kashmir region in India, and the autonomous region Xinjiang in China).

It is the objective of the EUCACIS programme to provide intensive PhD research training for its participants to bring them closer to international standards, to support them until they submit their doctoral theses, and to help them establish their own networks with other young researchers in the target regions and in Europe. This will be achieved through four international conferences (in Almaty, Berlin, Yerevan, and Bishkek); three PhD schools in Berlin, Yerevan and Istanbul; two research training stays; and continuous online coaching.

Eligibility

The programme is open for postgraduates who have started to work on a PhD or an equivalent degree at a Central Asian or South Caucasian university in the fields.

Applicants have to be postgraduates working on their doctoral thesis on a topic related to the programme focus to obtain the doctorate (PhD or equivalent academic degree in the third cycle of higher education) in political science, international relations, contemporary history, economics or a closely related field of studies from an institution (university or academy of sciences) in the target region.

They have to fulfill ALL following compulsory requirements:

• Advanced stage of doctoral studies;
• university degree in the second cycle of higher education;
• enrolment as a doctoral student in political science, international relations, contemporary history, economics or a closely related field of studies at an institution (university or academy of sciences) in the target region;
• fluency in English;
• working on a doctoral thesis (also advanced projects) on a topic related to the programme focus (for details see below) to obtain a doctorate (PhD or equivalent academic degree in the third cycle of higher education);
• approval of participating in the programme by the doctorate supervisor and employer(s);
• willingness to complete a doctoral thesis and write and publish an additional research/policy paper in English within the next three years;
• willingness and availability to actively participate during the next three years in all online and presence programme elements, taking place in Armenia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkey;
• internet access;
• availability to participate in the application process during May to August 2016 (for details see the section “application process”).

Scholarships

The selected EUCACIS fellows will receive:

— a scholarship of 300 Euro per month for three years;
— an additional travel grant of up to 500 Euro to conduct field research for the PhD thesis or the research/policy paper;
— travel costs and accommodation during the four international conferences, the three PhD schools and the research training stay.
The payment of the scholarship will be made in several instalments linked to the active participation in the programme and to the progress in writing the doctoral thesis and the research/policy paper.

Costs
The selected EUCACIS fellows do not have to pay a tuition fee for participating in the programme, but the EUCACIS PhD support programme does not cover any costs in addition to those mentioned above. The EUCACIS fellows are expected to cover costs such as for internet access, computers, office supplies, health or other insurances, and visa fees on their own or from their scholarships.

Required Documents

• filled in application form (pdf for download) ;
• Curriculum Vitae (Europass welcome, available here);
• copies of all academic certificates obtained (original and translation into English);
• outline of the doctoral thesis in English (3,000 – 5,000 characters) including research question(s) and method(s);
• preliminary table of contents of the doctoral thesis in English;
• list of literature for the doctoral project;
• time schedule for the doctoral project until its completion, indicating its current state;
• enrolment certificate as a doctoral student of an institution in a target country (original and translation into English);
• letter of support of the doctoral supervisor;
• letter of reference (not from supervisor);
• previous academic work in English (seminar paper, essay, or equivalent);
• scan of passport or ID card;
• English language test certificates are welcome but not compulsory.

Application Process

In the first round candidates will be pre-selected on the basis of the submitted documents. For the second round applicants have to be available for Skype-based interviews during June 2016. In the third round, selected applicants will be invited to the opening conference in Almaty (Kazakhstan) at the end of August 2016. Their performance, including language skills, during the conference discussions and the subsequently held individual interviews will serve as a reference for the decision of the selection committee. Travel costs and accommodation for the invited applicants will be covered by the EUCACIS PhD support programme. Other costs such as visa fees or health insurance cannot be covered. To organize their journeys, selected applicants have to be available by email in June, July and August 2016. Depending on the visa regulations of the Republic of Kazakhstan,selected applicants have to be available in July and August 2016 to obtain visa for their journey to Almaty.

If you want to apply, please send your complete application via E-Mail to info@eucacis.eu. The application should be a single PDF file, not exceeding 10 MB.

MORE INFORMARION.

TweetTooltip Text