The Masters by Research in Sustainable African Futures is a fully funded postgraduate research scholarship jointly offered by the University of Edinburgh and the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. This Masters by Research programme is designed to strengthen research capacity among emerging African researchers by providing advanced, interdisciplinary training focused on sustainability challenges facing the African continent.
The Sustainable African Futures programme is delivered primarily online, making it accessible to participants across Africa, while also integrating structured in-person academic components in South Africa. Applications are now open for the 2026 cohort, with a closing date of 2 February 2026.
Background and Context of the Sustainable African Futures Programme
Globally, societies are confronted with two deeply interconnected challenges: building just and inclusive social systems that guarantee dignified employment, access to quality education, and healthcare, while simultaneously safeguarding planetary health through environmental sustainability. In Africa, these challenges are particularly complex due to historical inequalities, demographic trends, and uneven access to economic and natural resources.
The Sustainable African Futures programme is grounded in a conceptual understanding of sustainability that recognises the need for development pathways that are both socially just and environmentally responsible. Sustainability, within this framework, is not limited to environmental protection but also encompasses equity, inclusion, and long-term social wellbeing.
A central principle of the programme is the promotion of an African-driven sustainability agenda. The initiative seeks to ensure that sustainable development solutions are informed by local knowledge systems, community participation, and African research leadership rather than being dominated by priorities from the Global North. This approach recognises that just transitions in the Global South must respond to local contexts, resource availability, and historical experiences of resilience.
Through this lens, the programme engages with sustainability challenges across sectors such as agriculture, mineral resources, green energy, infrastructure, organisational effectiveness, and governance. Addressing these interconnected issues requires advanced research skills and interdisciplinary approaches—capabilities that the Masters by Research in Sustainable African Futures is specifically designed to develop.
About the WESAF Doctoral Programme
The Wits–Edinburgh Sustainable African Futures (WESAF) Doctoral Programme was established in 2023 and has since supported cohorts of MSc by Research students and PhD candidates. The current call for applications applies only to the second cohort of MSc by Research (MScR) candidates.
It is important to note that:
- Recruitment is exclusively for an online Masters by Research programme
- There is no affiliated funding for a WESAF doctoral programme associated with this call
The MScR programme functions as a stand-alone research degree while also serving as a strong foundation for graduates who may later pursue doctoral studies at the University of Edinburgh, the University of the Witwatersrand, or other institutions.
Academic supervision throughout the programme is provided by faculty from the University of Edinburgh.
Programme Aims, Outcomes, and Innovations
Programme Aims
The Sustainable African Futures programme aims to:
- Equip emerging African researchers and academics to engage critically with complex sustainability challenges
- Generate interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to sustainable development in Africa
- Support the development of African-led research strategies with regional and global relevance
- Strengthen research networks across African partner institutions
Expected Outcomes
Graduates of the programme are expected to:
- Develop the capacity to lead advanced sustainability research within their countries of origin
- Contribute to academic and applied research environments addressing real-world sustainability problems
- Become part of an integrated African research community, including scholars from historically marginalised and underrepresented groups
Programme Innovations
Key innovative features include:
- Predominantly online programme delivery combined with in-person academic components
- Centralised academic supervision by the University of Edinburgh
- Access to the broader Mastercard Foundation WESAF Fellows network
MSc by Research in Sustainable African Futures: Programme Details
Mode of Delivery
The MSc by Research in Sustainable African Futures is delivered predominantly online and administered by the University of Edinburgh. All applications must be submitted through the University of Edinburgh admissions portal.
While the programme is online, it includes two compulsory in-person Sustainability Schools held at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Online qualifications awarded by the University of Edinburgh are academically equivalent to degrees taught on campus.
Programme Duration
- Full-time only
- September 2026 to August 2027 (12 months)
Programme Structure
The MScR programme provides structured research training through:
- Three compulsory core courses
- Two in-person Sustainability Schools
- An independent research dissertation of 18,000 words
Core Courses
The programme includes the following compulsory courses:
- Data Collection
- Research Design
- Dynamics of African Development
In addition, students will complete two online micro-methods courses that do not carry academic credit.
Dissertation
The dissertation is a central component of the degree and allows students to develop original sustainability-focused research. The programme welcomes innovative, multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary research projects that engage with sustainability in broad and critical ways.
Indicative Programme Timeline
- September 2026
- Pre-orientation to postgraduate study
- In-person Sustainability School at Wits University (approximately 5 days)
- September – December 2026
- Teaching Term 1
- Data Collection (core course)
- Two online micro-methods courses (non-credit)
- January – March 2027
- Teaching Term 2
- Research Design (core course)
- Dynamics of African Development (core course)
- April / May 2027
- Second in-person Sustainability School at Wits University (approximately 9 days)
- Social and academic networking activities
- April – August 2027
- Teaching Term 3
- Dissertation design and writing under academic supervision
Course scheduling may be subject to change.
Funding and Scholarship Coverage
The programme is delivered in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. The scholarship covers the full duration of the MSc by Research programme.
Costs Covered
- Full MSc by Research tuition fees
- Participation in two in-person Sustainability Schools in Johannesburg, including:
- Return international flights
- Internal travel
- Accommodation and subsistence
- Visa application costs for South Africa
- Required vaccinations
- Workload relief or work experience stipend for early career researchers
- Laptops and connectivity stipend where appropriate
- Online access to academic reading materials and resources
No additional costs are attached to courses or dissertation supervision.
Eligibility Criteria
The scholarship is intended for early career researchers and university staff members who meet the requirements to pursue a social sciences Masters degree at the University of Edinburgh.
Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
Academic Requirements
- Successful completion of a university degree qualifying for entry into a Masters programme at the University of Edinburgh
(UK 2:1 Honours degree or international equivalent)
Institutional Affiliation
Applicants must be:
- Recent graduates from one of the 14 partner universities OR
- Actively involved in research projects at one of the partner universities OR
- Staff members (including lecturers, early career researchers, or professional services staff) at one of the partner universities
Applicants should generally have completed their most recent degree no more than 3.5 years prior to application.
Age Requirement
- Applicants must be 35 years or younger at programme commencement
- For the 2026/27 intake, applicants must be born on or after 1 January 1991
Nationality and Residency
- Applicants must be a citizen, resident, or hold refugee status in an African country, including North Africa
Language Requirement
- Applicants should demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency to succeed in postgraduate study
- Limited support may be available for candidates slightly below the required IELTS band
Partner Institutions
Eligible applicants must be affiliated with one of the following institutions:
- Ain Shams University
- University of Dar es Salaam
- University of Ghana
- University of Ibadan
- University of Malawi
- University of Mauritius
- University of Rwanda
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of the Free State
- Eduardo Mondlane University
- Makerere University
- Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar
- University of Namibia
- Moi University
Women, applicants from refugee or displaced backgrounds, candidates with disabilities, and applicants without a completed Masters degree are especially encouraged to apply.
Application Process
Applications must be submitted through the University of Edinburgh admissions portal.
Application Period
- Opens: 10 December 2025
- Closes: 2 February 2026
Required Documents
Applicants must upload:
- Curriculum Vitae (including publications, if applicable)
- Final official degree certificate
- Final official academic transcript
Applicants are responsible for sourcing all required official documents in advance of the deadline.
Important Dates
- Applications open: 10 December 2025
- Application deadline: 2 February 2026
- Programme start date: September 2026
The Masters by Research in Sustainable African Futures offers a fully funded, academically rigorous pathway for emerging African researchers seeking to engage deeply with sustainability challenges from an African-centred perspective. Through its collaborative structure, interdisciplinary research focus, and strong institutional support from the University of Edinburgh, the University of the Witwatersrand, and the Mastercard Foundation, the programme contributes to building long-term research capacity for sustainable development across the African continent.
APPLY HERE
