About VIB International Plant Biotechnology Outreach (VIB-IPBO):
The UGent-VIB International Plant Biotechnology Outreach (VIB-IPBO) is a non-profit organization established in 2000 through a collaboration between the Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB) and Ghent University. The organization’s vision is to actively engage agricultural communities in developing sustainable agricultural systems, fostering a healthy planet with social, cultural, economic, and environmental harmony.
Open Doors Fellowship Program:
The Open Doors Fellowship Program aims to empower women researchers in Africa by providing them with essential hard and soft skills to strengthen their positions within research institutions. The program emphasizes the importance of creating awareness and supportive environments within hosting institutions to prevent the dropout of women from STEM research. It particularly focuses on agricultural-related fields such as agro-biotechnology, plant breeding, molecular biology & genetics, microbiology, chemical ecology, and plant & soil health.
Aims and Benefits of Open Doors Fellowship Program:
The fellowship seeks to enhance leadership and communication skills in women researchers, expanding their networks in Africa and Belgium. By offering training opportunities, the program aims to increase the chances of these women leading and participating in new projects, accessing better research resources, and achieving greater success in publication.
Requirements for Open Doors Fellowship Program Qualification:
Eligible candidates include women researchers in post-doc positions or mid-career positions who face challenges in career progression due to limited access to capacity-building opportunities and international networks. Candidates must demonstrate active research in specific African countries and be employed by an (inter)national research center or university. Active research fields include agro-biotechnology, plant breeding, molecular biology & genetics, microbiology, chemical ecology, and plant & soil health.
Documents Required for Application:
Candidates must submit a duly filled application, a motivation letter, a maximum 3-page CV, academic transcripts, a list of publications, a letter of support from their supervisor, an official letter from the HR office of their institution, and, for Modality B applicants, a letter from the Belgian research center supporting the short research stay.
Application Deadline: January 10, 2024
How to Apply: Incomplete applications will be notified, and applicants will have ten days to provide missing documents. Submissions are accepted via email to ipbo@vib-ugent.be.
Testimonial: Dr. Anique Godjo, a Research Assistant from the University of Parakou, Benin, acknowledges the program’s well-thought-out design and anticipates a positive impact on women’s research careers.
Eligibility Criteria:
Applicants must be post-doc female scholars or in mid-career positions, facing challenges in career progression. There are no age limits, and candidates should be national and resident in specific countries or employed by target organizations. Research fields must align with specified categories, and candidates must have an active employment contract in a higher education institution or research center in the listed countries, where they conduct research and teach.
The VIB-IPBO Open Doors Fellowship Program stands as a beacon for empowering women researchers in Africa, fostering collaboration, and creating a conducive environment for sustained contributions to STEM fields.
#WomenInSTEM #Empowerment #ResearchOpportunity
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