The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture has announced a call for applications for 26 PhD Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) positions at the University of Eldoret in Kenya. This opportunity forms part of the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) programme, a 10-year initiative (2023–2033) implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and several African universities. TAGDev 2.0 aims to strengthen higher education institutions to better serve communities by equipping young people with skills that promote inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient agricultural transformation across Africa. Programme Overview The assistantship is embedded within the Agri-food Systems and Entrepreneurship Development in Dairy Value Chain in Kenya (ASEC-Dairy) project. Led by the University of Eldoret in collaboration with institutions such as Moi University and Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, the initiative focuses on strengthening dairy value chains across multiple regions of Kenya. The project emphasizes research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and community engagement within the dairy sector, covering production systems for both cow and goat farming. It also targets diverse ecological zones, including highlands and arid regions, ensuring broad-based impact across agricultural systems. Graduate Teaching Assistantship Structure The GTA programme is designed to build high-quality academic and research capacity across African universities. It supports doctoral training while enhancing teaching and institutional collaboration. Fellows are nominated by their home institutions and placed at host universities, where they contribute to teaching, research, and community-based initiatives. Under this structure, the host university provides tuition waivers and accommodation support where applicable, while the sending institution contributes to costs such as travel and research. A tripartite agreement between the fellow, sending university, and host institution governs the arrangement, ensuring accountability and structured academic progress. Available PhD Programmes The three-year PhD assistantships (2026/27–2029/30) are offered across several disciplines aligned with the ASEC-Dairy priorities: Seed Science: Focuses on seed systems, climate-resilient crops, and forage development for dairy productivity. Microbiology: Covers dairy safety, food systems, and biological innovations for agriculture. Agricultural Extension Education: Emphasizes knowledge transfer, digital advisory systems, and farmer engagement. Agroforestry: Explores sustainable land use, climate resilience, and integrated farming systems. Human Nutrition: Targets value addition, food security, and nutrition-sensitive dairy innovations. Technology Education: Supports digital transformation, e-learning, and precision agriculture tools. Each programme integrates teaching responsibilities with research, enabling fellows to contribute to both academic instruction and applied innovation. Research Focus Areas Applicants are expected to align their research proposals with key thematic priorities within the dairy value chain. These include improving dairy productivity and milk quality, advancing fodder and seed systems, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and strengthening market linkages. Additional focus areas include digital innovation, youth entrepreneurship, community engagement, and sustainable land management. The programme also prioritizes inclusive development, encouraging research that benefits vulnerable populations and supports equitable growth. Benefits of the Assistantship Successful candidates gain access to a comprehensive academic and professional development environment. Benefits include tuition waivers, accommodation support where applicable, and mentorship from experienced academics. Fellows participate in teaching, laboratory work, and field-based research, while also building skills in academic writing, publishing, and stakeholder engagement. The programme provides exposure to innovation platforms, entrepreneurship initiatives, and community outreach activities linked to the ASEC-Dairy project. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must be teaching staff at a RUFORUM member university and be formally nominated by their home institution. A relevant Master’s degree from a recognized university is required, along with demonstrated academic excellence and research potential. Candidates should show strong interest in teaching, community engagement, and applied research aligned with dairy systems. Applicants must also be willing to relocate to the University of Eldoret for the duration of the programme and commit to completing their PhD within the stipulated timeframe. Preference is given to candidates under 40 years of age who demonstrate financial need. The programme strongly encourages applications from women, refugees, internally displaced persons, individuals with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups. Application Process and Requirements Interested candidates must submit a complete application package as a single PDF via email. Required documents include a motivation letter, curriculum vitae, certified academic transcripts, and a concept note or research proposal aligned with ASEC-Dairy priorities. Additional requirements include a nomination letter from the applicant’s home university, institutional endorsement, and contact details for academic referees. Where applicable, candidates may also include academic publications or writing samples. Applications should be submitted to the University of Eldoret’s Board of Postgraduate Studies via email at bpgs@uoeld.ac.ke, with a copy to RUFORUM. Important Dates and Contact Information The application deadline is 30 June 2026. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for further evaluation. For further information, applicants may contact programme coordinators at the University of Eldoret or visit the RUFORUM website for additional details on the GTA programme and related initiatives. Advancing Agricultural Transformation in Africa Through initiatives such as TAGDev 2.0, RUFORUM continues to strengthen Africa’s higher education and research ecosystems. By investing in doctoral training and fostering collaboration across institutions, the programme contributes to building a new generation of researchers and educators equipped to drive sustainable agricultural transformation and economic development across the continent. VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn and WPChannel Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.