IGC Sierra Leone Early-career Local Researcher Fellowship 2025

📖 About the Fellowship

The Herbert P. M'cleod Local Researchers Programme (HPMLP), under the International Growth Centre (IGC), is launching the 2025 Early-career Local Researcher Fellowship to nurture Sierra Leone's next generation of economists and policymakers. This fellowship provides early-career researchers with the opportunity to engage in high-impact, policy-relevant work addressing pressing national priorities. Fellows will collaborate with ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to produce actionable insights that inform decision-making and drive sustainable development.

Key Focus Areas for 2025:

1. Agricultural Resilience:
   • Dedicated to advancing Sierra Leone's goal of rice self-sufficiency and food security in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.
2. Economic Reforms:
   • Focused on broader economic reform priorities, including fiscal governance, private-sector growth, and inclusive development.

📅 Opportunity Details

• Date Published: August 19, 2025
• Application Deadline: August 29, 2025
• Category: Fellowship
• Eligible Locations: Sierra Leone
• Sponsor Organisation: International Growth Centre (IGC)

🎯 Policy Domains and Priority Themes

Track 1: Rice Policy and Food Security (Ministry of Agriculture)

Sierra Leone remains heavily dependent on rice imports despite its agro-ecological potential for self-sufficiency. Fellows will work with the Ministry of Agriculture to address:

• Price Elasticity of Demand: How do different consumer segments respond to price changes for imported vs. local rice?
• Import Substitution Strategies: What are feasible strategies by region, season, or rice variety, and how should sequencing be structured?
• Political Economy Constraints: What factors in the rice trade ecosystem influence tariff policy, subsidies, and distributional outcomes?

Track 2: Broader Economic Policy Challenges

Aligned with the MTNDP and IGC's thematic areas, research proposals are invited in the following areas:

1. State Effectiveness and Public Finance:
   • Improving service delivery and budget execution.
   • Innovations in taxation, procurement, or digital governance to enhance domestic revenue mobilisation.
2. Private Sector Development and Firm Capabilities:
   • Addressing constraints faced by SMEs and large firms.
   • Impact of business environment reforms (e.g., credit access, contract enforcement, tax policy) on firm performance.
3. Labour Markets and Human Capital:
   • Creating jobs for youth, women, and informal sector workers.
   • Influence of education and skills development programmes on employment outcomes.
4. Energy, Environment, and Climate Adaptation:
   • Achieving reliable energy access while transitioning to sustainable energy sources.
   • Economic costs of environmental degradation and climate-related risks.

🎁 Benefits of the Fellowship

• Research Grant: £5,000 to support fieldwork, data collection, and living costs.
• Mentorship: Guidance from IGC-affiliated academics and the IGC Sierra Leone country team.
• Policy Engagement: Opportunities to collaborate with relevant government ministries and stakeholders.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be Sierra Leonean nationals or residents currently enrolled in a postgraduate programme (PhD or Master’s) or serving as junior researchers or faculty in a Sierra Leonean institution.
• Demonstrate strong quantitative and analytical skills, including proficiency in tools such as Stata, R, SPSS, or Python.
• Clearly articulate a research idea aligned with one of the thematic tracks.
• Be committed to producing work that directly informs public policy and is accessible to non-academic audiences.

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• Prior exposure to policy-engaged research or government data.
• Familiarity with Sierra Leone’s economic landscape, household surveys, administrative data, or sector-specific policy debates.
• Strong academic writing and communication skills.

📝 Application Process

Interested candidates must submit:

1. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) (max 3 pages).
2. A Cover Letter (max 1,000 words) describing:
   • Motivation for applying.
   • Relevant research experience.
   • A short outline of the proposed research idea under one of the tracks.
3. One academic reference (can be sent separately by the referee).
4. An optional writing sample (e.g., thesis chapter or policy paper).

Submission Instructions:

• Email all application materials using the subject line:
  “Application – IGC SL Local Fellowship 2025 – [Track Name]”
• Submit applications to: sierraleone@theigc.org

Selection Process:

• Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview with the IGC team and relevant government counterparts.

📌 Application Deadline

August 29, 2025

📧 Contact Information

For further inquiries, contact:
Email: sierra.leone@theigc.org

🌐 Additional Information

For more details, visit the official IGC Fellowship Page.

• A research grant of £5,000 to support fieldwork, data collection, and living costs.
• Mentorship from IGC-affiliated academics and the IGC Sierra Leone country team.
• Policy engagement opportunities with relevant government ministries and stakeholders.