Now Open: NIERA Policy Fellowship Program 2025 (1st Cohort).

Admin,

The Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA) invites African
policymakers to apply to our inaugural 2025 Policy Fellowship Program Request for
Applications (RFA). In this call, NIERA invites policymakers from eligible countries in West
and East Africa to apply for a 6-week fellowship aimed at enhancing their knowledge and
skills in evidence-informed policymaking.

Join this request for application to begin.


For this upcoming call, interested applicants can apply to 1 of 3 thematic areas:
• Education
• Health
• Agriculture
The application deadline is 5:00 PM East African Time (EAT) on May 7, 2025
NIERA Policy Fellowship Program- 2025 Request for Applications (1st cohort)


Eligibility

Applicants to the NIERA Policy Fellowship Program must:
• Be fluent in English (written and spoken), and a strong communicator.
• Be from an eligible West or East African country (see list of eligible countries below).
• Be a mid-level policymaker (i.e. technical staff within ministries, government agencies,
sub-national government structures, and or parliament) with direct responsibility for
providing technical advice to top-level policymakers and/or drafting policy or program
documents.

  1. Have at least a Bachelor’s degree.
    • Have demonstrable experience in policy development, or program management.
    • Have good computer skills especially in using MS-Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint,
    Excel, Outlook, and Access), use of the Internet, and reasonably conversant with various
    Internet search engines.
    • Own a laptop and have a reliable internet connection for participating in the online
    workshop.
    • Be a self-driven individual ready to learn and apply their acquired skills, as well as
    support others needing similar skills.
    • Have written support from their employer.

Application Process


To respond to the 2025 NIERA Policy Fellowship Request for Applications (RFA), please
submit the following information and documents by Wednesday, 7 May, 2025 at 5 pm EAT.
All documents must be written in Arial font, size 11, single line spacing, normal margins.
Acceptable formats include docx and pdf. Documents not following these specifications will
not be considered.
• Personal Statement (1 page max): Please describe your personal motivations
for applying to the NIERA Policy Fellowship. Why are you particularly interested in
this program? What do you hope to accomplish during the fellowship and beyond?
How have you used research evidence to influence policymaking in your work? Also
comment on your ability to commit to the fellowship and how this will fit into your current
commitments.
• Curriculum Vitae/Résume (4 pages max)
• Evidence Needs Statement (1 page max): This fellowship is designed for
policymakers who already have a clear understanding of the evidence needs within
their government ministry, agency, or department. When writing this statement, please
answer the following questions: What are some examples of these evidence needs,
and how could this fellowship support you in addressing them? If these needs are
addressed, how might they impact decision-making or policy development within your
institution? Please ensure that no sensitive data or confidential information is shared. If
you are accepted into the fellowship, you will be expected to develop a proposal based
on one of the identified evidence needs. We will match you with a NIERA researcher
with expertise in your sector who will provide guidance and support to help you develop
the proposal.
NIERA Policy Fellowship Program- 2025 Request for Applications (1st cohort)
3
4 NIERA Policy Fellowship Program- 2025 Request for Applications (1st cohort)
• Letter of Support from your supervisor or other relevant authority at your institution
demonstrating support and certifying that, if selected, you will be able to attend the
online workshop and spend some of your time working on the proposal.
• Name and contact information for two references: Please provide a name, email,
phone number, and affiliation for two individuals (supervisors, senior colleagues) who
can speak to your suitability for the NIERA fellowship

List of eligible countries

  • Applicants must be located in one of the following countries
  • Burundi
  • Cote D’Ivoire
  • Ethiopia
  • Ghana
  • Kenya
  • Mali
  • Nigeria
  • Rwanda
  • Senegal
  • Tanzania
  • The Gambia
  • Uganda
  • Cameroon

How to apply


Please submit your application materials to proposals@nieraglobal.org by 5:00 PM EAT
on Wednesday May 7, 2025.
Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.
An acknowledgement of receipt will be sent to all applicants whose application was
received before the deadline.
All personal information and documents submitted will be kept confidential, used solely for
the fellowship application process, and will be stored securely

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Selection Process

March 24, 2025 – Release of Request for Applications
April 3, 2025 – Virtual information session for potential applicants (2:00 PM EAT)
To register for the information session click here
May 7, 2025 – Application deadline
May 8 – 23, 2025 – Application review
May 26 – June 6, 2025 – Interviews with shortlisted applicants
June 13, 2025 – Notification of final selection.

The application deadline is 5:00 PM East African Time (EAT) on May 7, 2025

To join, you must first register for the virtual session by clicking here

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