J-PAL MENA Scholars Fellowship opens call for 2024 applications

The Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) MENA Scholars Fellowship has opened its call for applications for the 2024 cohort. The two-year fellowship creates a pathway for MENA region-based researchers to build skills and experience to design and conduct randomised evaluations of poverty reduction and social development policies and programmes.

With support from Community Jameel and the Sawiris Foundation for Social Development, the MENA Scholars Fellowship supports early career researchers and scholars interested in expanding their research portfolio to include randomised evaluations. Cohorts of MENA Scholars Fellows will help shape J-PAL MENA’s research portfolio and strengthen the local grounding and policy influence of impact evaluations across the region.

The 2024 fellows will represent the MENA Scholars Fellowship's second cohort, following the announcement of Eman Eleish, Noha Magdy, Nouf Abushehab, Reem Alsukait, Yasmin Kamal and Zakaria Mansouri as the 2023 cohort of fellows.

The MENA Scholars Fellowship consists of eight components:

• Work on randomised evaluations with a J-PAL affiliate, J-PAL MENA staff member and implementing partners

• Mentorship pairing with a member of the J-PAL affiliate network, J-PAL scientific directors or J-PAL MENA post-doctoral fellows

• Networking opportunities

• Educational courses through the MIT MicroMasters online programme

• Capacity building on unique aspects of randomised evaluations in the MENA region, website development, proposal writing and technical training

• Media coverage guidance from J-PAL and a public relations firm to increase media coverage of research

• Participation in J-PAL MENA policy events

• Evaluation design project

Each fellow will receive a USD 15,000 stipend over the two year fellowship period to support the fellow's participation in the programme activities.

Applicants must complete this form and provide a résumé and cover letter explaining their motivation behind applying for the fellowship.

Application closes on 30 April 2024 at 23h59 EEST (GMT+2).

The selection process of the short-listed candidates will include a first round of applications screening by J-PAL MENA senior staff, followed by an interview with the J-PAL affiliates selection committee. Shortlisted candidates will be notified by the end of May 2024.

For more information, please read here and reach out to MENAScholars@povertyactionlab.org.