International Master in Rural Development (IMRD)

The joint International Master in Rural Development (IMRD), part of the European Commission's Erasmus Mundus JMD programme, offers the opportunity to become an international expert on rural development in its diversity of approaches and applications, on a scholarship provided by the European Union.

The IMRD master course programme, is a high level academic programme aimed at training top students from all over the world into specialists in integrated rural development, focussed on socio-economic and institutional aspects; not only from the European Union but also from developed, developing and transition countries outside the EU. The IMRD master course programme is a 2 year master programme (120 ECTS) jointly organised by 16 worldwide leading universities in rural development and agricultural economics. The methodology consists of a combination of basic and specialised training in technical, economic and social sciences, a case study of one month, an individual master thesis and a high extent of student and scholar mobility.

Depending on their geographic interest and foreseen specialisation, students may opt for a regional and specific comparative course programme which leads to the awarding of a double degree on rural development and agricultural Economics (i.e. the IMRD joint diploma + a national diploma of a non-EU partner).

applications.imrd@ugent.be

OFFICIAL WEBSITE: http://www.imrd.ugent.be/index.asp?p=86&a=86

The MasterCard Foundation $50 Million Fund to Help Small holder Farmers in Africa

The Foundation’s “Fund for Rural Prosperity” will promote innovation in financial services to improve the lives of one million financially excluded people
The MasterCard Foundation has launched a US$50 million challenge fund to improve the lives of smallholder farmers in Africa by enabling businesses to begin or expand financial services in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The MasterCard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity will support innovative ideas that have the potential to grow to scale and also have a deep social impact on the lives of rural people living in poverty throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. The Fund will operate under two broad categories:
  • Innovation: $15 million will support the development of ideas for new products, services or processes that increase access to finance for the rural poor; and
  • Scaling: $35 million will help to scale the most promising ideas or pilots that have the potential to drive financial inclusion for smallholder farmers in new geographic areas.
The MasterCard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity will be managed by KPMG International Advisory Services . Initial applications for innovation proposals will be accepted from January 20, 2015 to March 20, 2015 for projects in 24 countries (see list of countries below). Later in the year, applicants will have the opportunity to submit proposals for scaling business ideas, products or services in eight countries (Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia). More information, including application forms, guidance notes and details on eligible countries are on the website: www.frp.org 

The 24 countries where The MasterCard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity will operate its innovation competition are: Burundi, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, DRC, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

For more information, please contact:
Rose Ndung’u
Operations Manager
The MasterCard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity
+254-722-945-712

Roger Morier
Senior Communications Manager, Financial Inclusion
The MasterCard Foundation
+1-416-616-1864


CODESRIA National Working Groups: Call for 2015 Proposals

Deadline: CLOSED

Grants range between USD7, 500 and USD20,000.

CODESRIA uses National Working Groups (NWGs) Programme to mobilize national-level research capacities and channel them into organised reflections.

NWG sizes vary over time and space but most of the groups sponsored by CODESRIA in the past have had between five and seven members. It is advantageous to ensure that a proposed NWG is multidisciplinary in composition, sensitive to gender issues both in its composition and research concerns, and accommodating of younger scholars who might simultaneously benefit from being mentored through their participation in the research project.

NWG proposals can focus on any topic that explores the economy, politics, culture, environment and society in any African country.

All proposals for CODESRIA’s 2015 NWG competition should be sent electronically to CODESRIA at nwg@codesria.sn by 15 March, 2015 at the latest. All proposals received will undergo an independent review process and successful applicants will be informed by 20 April, 2015. Kindly use the subject line NWG 2015 in your email to ensure your application does not get lost.

Visit CODESRIA official website for more details: http://www.codesria.org

CODESRIA National Working Groups Programme,
CODESRIA,
Avenue Cheikh Anta Diop x Canal IV
BP 3304, CP 18524
Dakar, Senegal.
Tel: +221-33 825 98 22/23
Fax: +221-33 824 12 89
E-Mail: nwg@codesria.sn
Website: http://www.codesria.org

Université de Lyon Master’s Scholarships: 2015/2016 academic year

Availablity: Foreign Students

Criteria: The scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic merit

Université de Lyon is offering scholarships for foreign students willing to join one of their Master’s degree programmes:
ADMIRE Master’s Degree / Hosted by ENS de Lyon and Sciences Po Lyon
Altervilles Mater’s Degree / Hosted by Université Jean Monnet Saint Etienne and Sciences Po Lyon
AlterEurope Master’s Degree / Hosted by Université Jean Monnet Saint Etienne, ENS de Lyon and Sciences Po Lyon
AlterEurope Master’s Degree / Hosted by Université Jean Monnet Saint Etienne, ENS de Lyon and Sciences Po Lyon
Biosciences Master's Degree / Hosted by ENS de Lyon and Université Claude Bernard Lyon1
Infectious Disease Master’s Degree / Hosted by Université Claude Bernard Lyon1 and Université Jean Monnet Saint Etienne
Information Architecture Master’s Degree / Hosted by ENS de Lyon and ENSSIB
Nanoscale Engineering Master’s Degree / Hosted by Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon1 and INSA de Lyon
Oncology Master’s Degree / Hosted by Université Claude Bernard Lyon1 and VetAgro Sup'
Physics and Chemistry Master’s Degree / Hosted by ENS de Lyon and Université Claude Bernard Lyon1
Public Policies Master’s Degree / Hosted by Sciences Po Lyon, Université Lumière Lyon2, ENTPE and VetAgroSup

How to apply
Eligible students should complete an online scholarship application before the application deadline
Nanoscale Engineerig Master's Degree: The application deadline is June 15, 2015 for candidates who are nationals of the European Economic Area and May 15, 2015 for all other applicants.
AlterEurope Master's Degree: The application deadline is April 30th. 
AlterVilles Master's Degree
Public Policies Master's Degree
Oncology
Infectious Disease

Official Website: http://lyon-university.org/education/universite-de-lyon-master-s-scholarships-apply-now--291576.kjsp

Full Undergraduate International Scholarships: University of Westminster

Deadline: 01 may 2015

Host institution: University of Westminster, London

Benefits: full tuition fee award, accommodation, living expenses and flights to and from London

Available to international students from developing countries and hold an offer of a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate degree at the university.

Criteria: Academic excellence, financial need and development potential.

Undergraduate scholarships are the most competitive at the University of Westminster, each year hundreds of bright students from around the world apply.

Postgraduate Scholarships for international students also available.

Official website: http://www.westminster.ac.uk/study/prospective-students/fees-and-funding/scholarships/undergraduate-scholarships/university-of-westminster-full-international-scholarships

GLOBAL CENTER FOR FOOD SYSTEMS INNOVATION GRANTS 2014-2015

GLOBAL CENTER FOR FOOD SYSTEMS INNOVATION

Deadline: 16 Mar, 2015 17:00 US Eastern Time

Michigan State University’s Global Center for food Systems Innovation (GCFSI) is seeking applicants for Grant competition.

Eligibility: Open to government or private laboratories or research organizations, for-profit and non-profit companies. Individuals may apply if able to meet the requirements of this RFA.

Focus Countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nepal, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia

This RFA requests applications at the following three grant levels:
  • Innovation Scalability Grants (maximum $500,000 each, with a required 1:1 match)
  • Innovation Evaluation Grants (maximum $250,000 each)
  • Early Stage Innovation Grants (maximum $100,000 each)
Application Submission
Apply: https://proposals.crdfglobal.org/InnovationGrants/PendingPage.aspx
Applications should only be submitted to 2014/2015 Food Systems Innovation Grants. Please email GCFSI@crdfglobal.org with any questions.

For more information, please download the following documents:

    Request for Application
    FSIG Budget Form
    Thematic Areas and Background Information


Rotten Football Federations

With the declining football standards, FKF and KPL wrangles anything and everything is possible. Al Jazeera’s match fixing documentary accuses three Harambee stars players for receiving bribes to fix Kenya vs Nigeria match. If the allegations are true then the football governing bodies in the country are Rotten and should be disbanded with immediate effect, why did it take them long since they had started their investigations back then? Wrangles between FKF and KPL are also a reason for change of guard. An interim body can be constituted by the government to run the affairs of the disbanded bodies so as not to affect the game.
KPL, FKF and Clubs should ensure that all players have a medical insurance fund that can cater for medical expenses incase of any ailments or injuries instead of all this bickering. The health of all sports men and women is more paramount. If all this wrangles could have been centered on how much a player should earn I could have supported either side but until the player benefits, FKF and KPL you are ‘Rotten’ and you must be sent packing.
Talent pays and we should support talent development through football academies as means of creating employment to numerous youths out there filling the job market every day when they could have been signed by top clubs or got sponsorships to develop their skills locally and internationally. Better payment is always a motivation for success; Football beings a source of income for many youths in Kenya the government should set the minimum wage for local footballers. Now with all this wrangles how will the game develop and who is to blame?

Bocconi Scholarship for International Students– Undergraduate AY 2015-2016



Università Bocconi offers need-based scholarships to international students applying to a Bachelor program or a Law Program at Bocconi for the AY 2015-2016. The awarding of the scholarship takes into consideration not only the economic conditions of the students but also their academic profiles.

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD
The Scholarship provides a full tuition waiver, worth approximately € 11,000.00 per year for a maximum of 3 academic years (for Bachelor programs) or 5 academic years (for the Law program). The renewal of the scholarship is subject to meeting merit criteria.
Scholarship applications must be submitted by the same deadline as that of applicant’s selected Bocconi admissions

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Only applicants for the first year of a Bocconi Master program who meet all the following conditions will be taken into consideration for the awarding of the scholarship:
- non-Italian citizenship;
- non-Italian residence;
- a non-Italian High School Diploma degree earned abroad or in Italy.

Application Time Frames and communication of results
Admission’s
Round
Bocconi

Online
Admission’s
Application
Deadline

Online
Scholarship
Application
Deadline
Scholarship
Results
Available TBC
Enrollment
Deadline
TBC

Deadline to
submit
scholarship
supporting
documents
TBC

Spring
19/03/2015
19/03/2015
3PM
18/05/2015
29/05/2015
17/07/2015

2015 - 2016 scholarships fall around January to May but have provided for May deadline. Complete information can be found at Università Bocconi official website:
www.unibocconi.it Applicants must fill out and submit the online Bocconi Scholarship application form, available at
www.unibocconi.eu/finaidapplications, by the same deadline as that of their Bocconi online admissions.
For further information please contact:
Student Services Office - Piazza Sraffa, 13 – 20136 Milano - Italia
e-mail:
financial.aid@unibocconi.it tel. (+39) 02.5836.2152