Strengthening African universities is one of the most effective ways to contribute to the continent’s growth and continued excellence. The U-M African Presidential Scholars (UMAPS) program has helped retain and strengthen faculty members working in African institutions of higher education, and empowered them to contribute to international academic networks and set their own research agendas.
The UMAPS Program brings early career faculty from African universities to Ann Arbor, Michigan. Scholars are paired with a faculty collaborator during their stay and have full access to the University of Michigan’s (U-M) resources to further their work on a research project, an academic degree, publications, grant proposal, or other relevant activity. The program supports the development of the next generation of African scholars by integrating them into international academic networks, and promotes U-M’s international commitment to research and teaching collaborations across diverse disciplines, from engineering to literature to economics.
The UMAPS program hosts two cohorts per year—August through December, and January through May—with *one* application round for both cohorts. Applicants will have the opportunity to indicate their preference for a particular cohort during the application process, but placement in a particular cohort (upon acceptance in the program) is not guaranteed.
Unfortunately, ASC is not able to help prospective applicants connect to U-M faculty, nor do we recommend reaching out to them directly.
Since 2009, the UMAPS Program has hosted scholars from Ghana, South Africa, Liberia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Gabon, and Zambia representing a wide range of disciplines that closely align with the following initiatives:
- African Heritage and Humanities Initiative (AHHI) supports research related to the arts, humanities, and interpretive social sciences, which highlights the dynamic, contested process by which African cultures and histories are made;
- African Social Research Initiative (ASRI) promotes social science research on democratic governance and distributive politics; income dynamics and poverty; and gender, health, and development;
- Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Initiative (STEM-Africa) seeks to nurture the study of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in Africa, which extends scientific knowledge and yields solutions to global problems.
Founded in 1817, University of Michigan is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the large town of Ann Arbor (population range of 50,000-249,999 inhabitants), Michigan. This institution has also branch campuses in the following location(s): Dearborn, Flint. Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Higher Learning Commission, University of Michigan (U of M) is a very large (uniRank enrollment range: over-45,000 students) coeducational higher education institution. University of Michigan (U of M) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor degrees, master degrees, doctorate degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. This 202 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. The admission rate range is 20-30% making this US higher education organization a very selective institution. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.