Deadline: 31 January 2025
Working Language: English
Duration: 46 months
The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) under the sponsorship of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is pleased to announce application for its PhD Programme in Climate Change Economics.
The main objective of this programme is to train West African leaders for a better inclusion of climate change issues in the policies and sustainable development projects and programmes. Graduates will, therefore, be well skilled in order to jointly fulfill the following points:
- Promote an integrated approach to climate change issues
- Build capacities to assess the impacts of climate change on economics sectors to develop adaptation strategies and build resilience mostly for vulnerable communities of West Africa
- Promote an operational approach to knowledge in the field of climate change particularly through case studies
- Develop strategies for better technology absorption in the green economy
I. Eligibility criteria
PhD in Climate Change Economics is opened to:
- Students from partner countries in West Africa (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, The Gambia, and Togo)
- Holders of a Master II / DEA in Economics or equivalent
- With no more than 40 years old at the end of December 2025.
- Having a good English proficiency
- Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply
II. Training and research
The PhD program in Climate Change Economics is composed of two poles: Training and Research.
i) Training
The training includes four modules specified in the following way:
Module 1: Quantitative Tools
- Mathematics
- Econometrics
- Data Mining
Module 2: Economic Theory and Climate Change
- Macroeconomics
- Microeconomics
Module 3: Resources Economics and Climate Change
- Climate change and Sustainable Development
- Theory of Environmental Policies
- Introduction to the biophysics of Climate Change
- Bio Economics and Green growth
- Environmental Accounting and footprints
- Integrated approaches to Climate Change and Economic Modeling
- International Trade and the Environment
- Climate change and Finance
- Renewable Energies
Module 4: Cross-cutting Module
- Communication Skills
- Research Methodology
- Geographic Information Systems
ii) Research
The research part consists of four phases:
Phase I: Writing and validation of the research project
Phase II: Field study
Phase III: Internship in Germany
Phase IV: Final writing of these at UCAD
III. Application procedures
- Selection will be based on the following documents: Form duly filled and two passport photos, Curriculum vitae, Two letters of recommendation (including one signed by the employer, if applicable), A cover letter Certified copies of diplomas and transcripts (Baccalaureate to Master 2)
- Researcher Applications must be submitted to [email protected] ; [email protected] and copy [email protected].
- Deadline for applications: 31 January 2025
- Only short-listed candidates will be notified for interviews
- Interviews will be done in English by a committee
- A scholarship letter will be sent to the selected candidate by WASCAL Headquarters
IV. Scholarship and research support
- A monthly stipend to take care of accommodation and living expenses
- Research Budget
- A four-month English language courses for Francophones and Lusophone students at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana and French language courses for Anglophones at University of Lome, Togo.
- 3-6 months travel to Germany for data analysis
- Tuition
V. Job opportunities
This PhD programme will allow students to hold the following jobs:
- Lecturer in universities
- Climate change adaptation and mitigation project developer
- Expert in climate change economics issues with national or international institutions
- Economist in, a government agency or an international organization
VI. About WASCAL
WASCAL is a wholly West African international organization with focus on academic and transdisciplinary research, building graduate-level scientific capacity and serving policy makers in West Africa with science-based advice on adaptation to climate change impacts and land use management. It cooperates with many agencies and universities in the region, providing a knowledge platform of excellence for its partners. WASCAL is funded by BMBF, multilateral and bilateral partners and its 11 West African member countries, namely: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, The Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
WASCAL’s mission is to provide information and knowledge services at the local, national and regional levels to West African member countries to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change. We do this through capacity building support to young West African scholars in fields of climate, natural and social sciences and by delivering climate and environmental services in member countries.
The Graduate Studies Programme (GSP) in Climate Change Economics was launched at Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in 2011 and has already trained 4 batches of students from different WASCAL member countries. This programme contributed to train 40 PhDs in Climate Change Economics in topics such as agriculture, fishing, livestock, food security, gender, migration, urban planning, coastal erosion, renewable energy, green entrepreneurship in the context of Climate Change. This call for applications concerns the 6th batch which aims to select students among the member countries.