PhD Scholarship 15/04/2010
SWISS NATIONAL CENTRE OF COMPETENCE IN RESEARCH (NCCR) NORTH-SOUTH PROGRAMME Topic and Scope of the PhD Research The scholarship is part of the NCCR’s Research Project on “Spatio-temporal variability in access to services and natural resources at meso-scale, and their impact on household welfare and poverty in Africa and Southeast Asia”, which is being implemented in Kenya and Tanzania (JACS East Africa), in Laos and Vietnam (JACS Southeast Asia), and in Mauritania (JACS West Africa). The meso-scale approach of the Research Project implies that in the different countries, the respective research will need to take a countrywide perspective. The PhD research project in Tanzania will center around research on “Access to health and education services and its impact on household welfare in rural Tanzania”, and will analyze the impact of varying degrees of access to health and education services on household welfare in rural Tanzania, using primarily available national information bases. The project will develop spatial data layers on socio-economic indicators based on a) 2000 population census information, and b) the temporally corresponding, and the most recent available household budget survey. Based primarily on these data sources, the research project will develop poverty measures for 2000 at a high spatial resolution using small-area estimation techniques [small-area estimation methods combine household survey and census information to estimate household expenditure and thereby the economic dimension of poverty levels at a high level of spatial disaggregation]. The analysis will then focus on investigating how access to public and private health and education services impacts on rural household welfare across space and will attempt to model changes in those aspects over time using household survey data. The analysis shall differentiate Tanzania’s rural population according to their level of access to the different services, and analyze the emerging segments of the population in terms of their socio-economic and socio-cultural characteristics. Technical and methodological challenges that will need to be addressed include, among others, the spatial capturing of socio-economic characteristics of nomadic populations, the development of small-area estimated poverty measures for rural Tanzania, and the development of national spatial data layers on public and private health and education services. Scientific challenges that will need to be addressed include, the prognostic spatial modelling of socio-economic dynamics, as well as the spatial statistical analysis of the different degrees of access to those services among different population groups, and relate those to respective household welfare. Eligibility, Conditions of Offer and Selection Criteria Any researcher meeting the requirements for admission to a PhD programme in any of the public universities in Tanzania and is interested to conduct research in the framework of NCCR N-S programme is eligible for this scholarship. The scholarship is valid for 36 months from the date of commencement. The successful candidate is expected to start developing his/ her PhD proposal and work plan no later than in May 2010, and will be expected to finalize the Thesis by June 2013. There will be provision for a Sandwich Programme within the network of the local collaborating universities, including an extended stay in the Institute of Geography, University of Berne to be granted on merit. The scholarship will cater for tuition fees, including supervision fees, student’s stipend for 36 months, fieldwork and logistics (Research Assistants, transport, stationery and production of reports/thesis). Preliminary screening, through a competitive selection process, will be conducted at a designated selection centre at the collaborative universities (Dar es Salaam and Sokoine University of Agriculture) and the Regional Coordination Office at CETRAD, Nanyuki, Kenya. The best two candidates will be subject to further (final) screening by the NCCR N-S Board of Directors (based in Switzerland). The best overall candidate will then sign a three months contract to prepare a comprehensive PhD Research Proposal before the scholarship can be awarded. The study will commence immediately after. Submission of Applications Interested candidates are invited to submit a one-page application stating their area of research interest and topic of study, and the university/department one would prefer to undertake the study. Applications should be sent, electronically, to the Regional Coordinator not later than 30th April 2010. The shortlisted candidates shall be informed on the date and venue of interview. Any enquiries may be directed to: Dr. Boniface Kiteme Regional Coordinator JACS East Africa CETRAD, Nanyuki, Kenya Tel: +254 62 31328; Mob: +254 722-835863 e-mail: b.kiteme@africaonline.co.ke 
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