Programme Thesis
TWAS offers fellowships, research grants, and visiting scientist programmes to strengthen scientific capacity in developing countries by supporting early-career researchers from the Global South. The programme exists to foster South–South collaboration, enable advanced training at top institutions, and advance global knowledge in fields aligned with sustainable development.
Selection Criteria
- Eligibility: Applicant must be an early-career scientist from a developing country (Nigeria qualifies); for PhD/postdoc fellowships, a preliminary acceptance letter from a host institution is required; age limits vary by programme (e.g., SG-NAPI: ≤40; GTCR-MENA: ≤46).
- Scientific merit: Quality and novelty of the research proposal, alignment with TWAS fields (Medical Sciences, Biology, etc.).
- Feasibility: Clear methodology, realistic timeline, and appropriate host institution.
- Capacity building: Potential to strengthen research capacity in the home country and contribute to the Global South.
- For grants: Justification for equipment/consumables or MSc student support.
- For visiting programmes: Fit with German host institution and potential for future collaboration.
Past Winners / Cohort Profiles
TWAS fellows and grantees typically include early-career researchers from Africa, Asia, and Latin America who have completed a PhD or are pursuing one at a partner institution. Past winners often have strong publication records, host institution support, and proposals that address local challenges. Named examples are not provided on the page, but archetypes include PhD students in agricultural sciences, postdocs in biotechnology, and early-career faculty in medical research.
Ideal Candidate Fingerprint
The ideal applicant is an early-career scientist from a developing country with a clear research proposal that aligns with TWAS priority fields, a confirmed host institution, and a track record of productivity (e.g., publications, preprints). They demonstrate potential to become a leader in their field and to apply their training to benefit their home country.
Recommended Framing
Eniola should position his independent CCT model as a groundbreaking, low-cost computational approach to addiction treatment that directly addresses a major public health burden in Nigeria and other LMICs. His Bayesian validation, preprints, and endorsements from top neuroscientists (Berridge, Gershman, Daw) provide strong evidence of scientific rigor and global relevance, making him an ideal candidate for TWAS's mission to support innovative research from the Global South.
Watch Out
Eniola does not yet have a PhD, which may limit eligibility for postdoctoral fellowships and visiting scientist programmes that require a PhD. He is not currently enrolled in a PhD programme, so he would need to apply for PhD fellowships (e.g., TWAS PhD fellowships) or the SG-NAPI seed grant (which requires a PhD). The lack of a preliminary acceptance letter from a host institution is a critical requirement for most fellowships; he must secure one before applying.