The 2024 Brian O’Connell (BOC) Scholarship Programme call is now open for applications

The SANORD Network would like to invite all eligible students from the SANORD network to apply for 2024 Brian O’Connell (BOC) Scholarship Programme.

Philosophy:

SANORD is committed to enhancing the experiences of internationalisation of students from member institutions through the BOC Scholarship Programme, which facilitates capacitation and development through student mobility and research collaboration.

The BOC Scholarship programme aims to provide such scholarships to students from a SANORD member institution in the Southern African region to spend 3-5 months at a SANORD Nordic member institution to work on their research and dissertation. The primary focus will be mobility for academic and research collaboration with our Nordic partners based on scholarly merit.

Purpose:

• Supporting students from SANORD member institutions to undertake studies, research projects, or exchange programs within the network.
• Promoting collaboration and partnership between institutions in Southern Africa and the Nordic countries.
• Enhancing capacity building and skills development among scholars and students in areas of mutual interest.
• Fostering academic excellence and innovation through cross-cultural and interdisciplinary engagement. In this regard SANORD makes provision for partial the BOC scholarship funding of R100,000.00 per applicant. Qualifying master’s students who are registered at a SANORD member institution of higher education in the Southern African region are eligible to apply.
  Successful master’s students will be required to spend 3 to 5 months at a SANORD Nordic member institution of their choice. Successful candidates will be required to engage in activities that will support the completion of their master’s degree. Preference will be given to those projects aligned with the SANORD Strategy 2023 refer to the link: https://sanord.uwc.ac.za/about/strategy-2023/ . The scholarship funds will be disbursed during the 2025 academic year.
  SELECTION CRITERIA:
  Applicants should:
• Be enrolled for a master’s degree at a university in the Southern African region belonging to the SANORD organisation during the year of travel (you should be in the 2nd year of your masters studies)
• Provide a detailed study plan (academic activities the student aims to undertake at the host institution). e.g., which courses, what kind of research, and is the research aligned to the host institution’s niche areas? Is it aligned with SANORD’s strategic goals? What are the envisaged scholarly outputs, e.g.? Conference presentations, colloquia participation, peer-reviewed papers, and theses.
• A motivation letter explaining why you wish to pursue this collaborative international study abroad opportunity and how it will benefit your development and contribute to Southern Africa’s knowledge production and the UN Sustainable Development
  Goals (SDG’s)?
• Provide an accredited transcript of records for both the bachelor’s degree and master’s degree.
• Provide a written letter of acceptance from the host institution (invitation letter with the duration of your stay).
• Provide a letter of support from the home supervisor and the relevant dean of the faculty that supports your stay at the host institution.
• Be committed to returning to the home institution after the completion of your exchange programme.
• Sign a binding contract with the SANORD Central Office (SCO) in line with the objectives of the programme (once your application has been successful).
• Submit a detailed written report within 1 month of returning from the host institution to share experiences gained (upon completion of the programme).

Applicants should:

• Consult the SANORD Contact Person at your home institution or international office for all the relevant information you will need for your application (such as a host institution that is also a SANORD member from the Nordic region). The contact person will either be at your international office or your supervisor for your thesis, and they can assist you with selecting an institution. It is advisable and recommended that you choose an institution with an existing/active Student Exchange Agreement/Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with your home institution. This is essential for the waiver of tuition fees, as the BOC scholarship does not cover tuition fees.
• The funds will be paid over to your home university’s departmental account. The departmental supervisor will be responsible for fund disbursement and will assist with all travel arrangements (after successful application).
• You will be responsible for communicating your travel plans to the SANORD Central Office to ensure that the funds are transferred timely and in line with your travel dates.

Applicants are encouraged to reach out to the SANORD Central Office if they require assistance, and a list of SANORD member institutions and their contact persons is available on request. Member institutions can also be found on the SANORD website:https://sanord.uwc.ac.za/governance/council-3/
Kindly note that the scholarship amount is 100,000 ZAR, and the total amount of R100,000 must be used to cover the following costs:

• A return economy-class airline
• Accommodation (at host institution)
• Living expenses (day-to-day expenses)
• Travel Insurance for the period (which could be included with your air ticket)
• Visa costs

Please submit your application by completing the link below and uploading all the required supporting documents. Application link:https://form.jotform.com/231972305813051

For questions, please email: sanordcentraloffice@uwc.ac.za

Kindly note that incomplete applications will not be considered. All the supporting documents must be uploaded to the portal.

DATES:

• Due date for applications: 6 September 2024
• Announcement date: 25 October 2024

CHECKLIST:
Complete the application form with all the required fields and attached the following supporting documents:

1. A letter of approval from your home institution (where you are registered) either from your current supervisor or HOD.
2. Letter of Invitation from host institution (University in the Nordic region)
3. A detailed study plan
4. A detailed letter of motivation
5. An accredited transcript of record study
6. A valid passport that will not expire within the next six months and with sufficient pages.