Applications are currently being accepted for Cohort 2 of the 2024 African Union (AU) Digital and Innovation Fellowship Program.
The program, spanning 12 months, is designed to identify and deploy skilled tech innovators from Africa to various units and organs within the African Union headquarters as resident fellows. Their role involves gaining insights into the systems of these units, identifying data management challenges, and devising innovative solutions through co-creation and building tailor-made products and processes. These solutions aim to enhance data management processes and overall AU operations, with a focus on ensuring the sustainability of developed products and processes beyond the fellowship period by bolstering the internal capacity of AU staff within these units.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Residency: Applicants must be based in Africa and nationals of an African Union member state.
- Age: Candidates must be under the age of 34 at the time of application.
- Education: A tertiary education degree or its equivalent is required.
- Analytical Skills: Applicants should demonstrate the ability to gather comprehensive information on complex problems, evaluate and analyze information accurately, and identify key issues to offer solutions.
- Technical Expertise: Candidates must possess experience and technical know-how in designing innovative technology products and solutions.
- • Availability Requirement: Applicants must be able to attend an induction workshop and commit to dedicating 12 months to the fellowship. This entails taking a break from current obligations and relocating to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
- Language Skills: Proficiency in more than one AU official language (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swahili) is advantageous.
Throughout the fellowship, all expenses related to travel, including deployment to Addis Ababa, participation in events, learning tours, offboarding activities, etc., will be fully covered by the fellowship.
- Induction Workshop: Fellows will undergo various capacity-building training sessions, starting with an induction workshop held at the beginning of the fellowship.
- Virtual Pre-deployment Workshop: Prior to their deployment to AU departments/organs in Addis Ababa, fellows will participate in a virtual pre-deployment workshop led by experienced tech fellowship experts.
- Needs-based Capacity Building Training: Fellows will receive training tailored to their specific needs, identified through a needs assessment process. This training, conducted by experienced trainers from the AfriLabs network, will address areas requiring enhancement.
Fellows will embark on a learning tour to visit a leading tech organization with expertise in supporting innovative tech solutions to address governmental and organizational challenges in administration processes.
Application and Selection:
The African Union Digital and Innovation Fellowship application is open to all qualified candidates, and the selection procedure is completely based on merit.
For more details,
Application Deadline: April 28, 2024
