Africa Institute Fellowship 2026 in UAE | Fully Funded

The Africa Institute Fellowship 2026 in UAE offers senior and postdoctoral research opportunities at Global Studies University, Sharjah. This fully funded program supports scholars in African and African diaspora studies, humanities, and social sciences through named fellowships honoring Toni Morrison, Ali A. Mazrui, Okwui Enwezor, and Fatema Mernissi.

The Africa Institute, part of Global Studies University, is a globally oriented research center dedicated to the study and teaching of Africa and its diaspora. It operates as a research-based think-tank and postgraduate institution, offering master’s and PhD programs while hosting a series of prestigious research fellowships each year.

Africa Institute Fellowship Benefits

• Full-time residency in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• Senior Fellowship: one-year residency (September 2027 – June 2028)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: two-year residency (September 2027 – June 2029)
• Opportunity to conduct research at a globally oriented institute
• Access to resources and community of scholars in African and diaspora studies

Africa Institute Fellowship Eligibility Criteria

• Senior Fellowships are open to scholars at the associate professor or full professor levels, or their equivalents within or outside the academy.
• Postdoctoral Fellowships require a Ph.D. awarded within the last five years prior to assuming the fellowship.
• Applicants must propose a research project relevant to African and African diaspora studies.

Required documents

• A research abstract of no more than 300 words
• A project statement of between 1,000 and 2,000 words
• An optional one-page bibliography containing key sources
• Two published or unpublished writing samples
• A letter of interest
• A current curriculum vitae
• Contact information for three referees.

Available Fellowships

The program is not limited to one narrow academic department. Each fellowship is named after an influential intellectual and supports a distinct area of research.

1. Toni Morrison Senior Fellowship in African Diaspora Literature and Cultural Studies

The Toni Morrison Senior Fellowship is designed for established academics, authors and intellectuals whose work engages with African or African diaspora literature, culture and related fields. Suitable areas may include:

• African diaspora literature
• Literary and cultural studies
• Critical theory
• Black intellectual traditions
• African American experiences
• Cultural production across the African diaspora

Applicants should normally be associate or full professors, or independent writers and public intellectuals whose published work has earned critical recognition. The selected fellow will undertake a full-time, one-year residency in Sharjah from September 2027 to June 2028.

2. Ali A. Mazrui Senior Fellowship in Global African Studies

The Ali A. Mazrui Senior Fellowship is open to well-established scholars examining Africa and its diaspora through the humanities, social sciences or interdisciplinary research. Relevant fields may include:

• African studies
• Global African studies
• African diaspora studies
• History and politics
• Sociology and anthropology
• International and cultural studies
• Interdisciplinary humanities and social sciences

Associate professors, full professors, equivalent senior researchers, independent authors and critically recognised public intellectuals may apply. This is also a one-year residential appointment running from September 2027 until June 2028.

3. Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellowship in Visual Culture, Performance Studies and Critical Humanities

The Okwui Enwezor Postdoctoral Fellowship targets emerging scholars whose research connects Africa or the African diaspora with visual and performance-based disciplines. The fellowship may suit researchers working in:

• Visual culture
• Performance studies
• Art history
• Art criticism
• Curatorial studies
• Cultural studies
• Critical humanities

Applicants must have earned a PhD within the previous five years before taking up the position. The successful researcher will be based in Sharjah for two academic years, from September 2027 to June 2029.

4. Fatema Mernissi Postdoctoral Fellowship in Social and Cultural Studies

The Fatema Mernissi Postdoctoral Fellowship supports emerging social-science researchers whose work examines Africa or the African diaspora through subjects associated with social and cultural change and priority areas include:

• Gender studies
• Feminist studies
• Cultural studies
• Visual cultures
• Sociology
• Sociopolitical change
• Islam and society
• African and African diaspora studies

Candidates must hold a PhD awarded within the last five years. Like the Okwui Enwezor Fellowship, this is a full-time, two-year residential appointment from September 2027 through June 2029.

How to Apply for Africa Institute Fellowship

• Submit an application through the online portal: Apply as a New Applicant.
• Prepare an abstract (up to 300 words) outlining the proposed research project.
• Write a project statement (1,000–2,000 words) covering research objectives, approach, and importance.
• Include two samples of writing (published or unpublished).
• Provide a Letter of Interest and a CV.
• Supply contact details of three referees (the Institute will solicit references directly).
• Ensure all materials are uploaded; individual file sizes must not exceed 3 MB.
• Submit before the deadline: September 30, 2026 (11:59 PM GST).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Africa Institute Fellowship. These answers cover eligibility, benefits, deadlines, and how to apply for this fully funded research program in the UAE.