Dear All,
The Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nairobi in collaboration with The Ohio State University, USA, is inviting applications for:
Scholarships to undertake the online Master of Arts (MA) in Bioethics at The Ohio State University (OSU), USA. Two successful applicants will receive funding to cover tuition and fees for the 2-year MA programme, travel costs for a 2-week research visit to OSU in Year 2, and a book allowance. Two scholarships will be awarded to start in August 2023, with four additional scholarships available to start in 2024 and 2025.
The application deadline is July 24th 2023.
The scholarships are part of the Master of Science in One Health and Emergency Research Ethics (MOHERE) programme housed at the Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi and funded by the US’s National Institutes of Health - Fogarty International Center. This programme is a joint initiative involving the University of Nairobi, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and OSU. The MOHERE programme aims to deliver both an MSc and a Postgraduate Diploma in One Health and emergency research ethics at the Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Nairobi. One Health research is an approach to health that engages human, animal and environmental factors, and raises distinct research ethics challenges, especially during emergencies. The purpose of these scholarships for the OSU MA in Bioethics is to develop an interdisciplinary core of faculty who will contribute to sustaining the MOHERE programme at the University of Nairobi.
Applications are encouraged from a wide range of disciplines, including veterinary, medical, health sciences, social sciences, philosophy, law and other relevant disciplines.
Applicants for this scholarship must satisfy two sets of required criteria: (1) those for the OSU MA in Bioethics and (2) those for the Scholarship in Research Ethics.
(1) Criteria for the OSU Graduate School (these are directly copied from: https://gpadmissions.osu.edu/programs/program.aspx?prog=0254)
- The equivalent of a four-year bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited college or university, earned by the expected date of entry into the MA in Bioethics.
- A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale or equivalent) for the last bachelor's or advanced degree earned.
Students who do not meet the GPA requirement should address it in their personal statement.
- Transcripts or other credentials documenting that you have completed prerequisite academic work.
- The additional English language testing requirements if applicable. (International students, read about international admission.)
(2) Criteria for the Scholarship in Research Ethics
1. Teaching experience: applicants must demonstrate experience in teaching, training and mentorship at university or professional level. Such experience may exist in a wide variety of disciplines, including medical, veterinary, health sciences, social sciences.
2. Research ethics experience: applicants must articulate (in their personal statement and interview) a clear interest in research ethics. Ideally, applicants can demonstrate a track record of involvement in research ethics through membership of a research ethics committee or active involvement in research or participation in research regulation. The nature and extent of this, and it’s relevance for this scholarship, should be discussed in the applicant’s personal statement.
3. A commitment to supporting the MOHERE programme during the scholarship period is essential. The applicant should articulate in their personal statement how they propose doing this, which could consist of such deliverables as delivering guest lectures, mentoring MOHERE students, hosting a webinar, etc.
4. Those employed by any organization or working in any relevant sector are invited to apply, but in the event of similarly qualified applicants, priority will be given to faculty at the University of Nairobi to facilitate the sustainability of the MOHERE program.
5. Attendance at a Selection Interview. From the initial pool of applications, qualified applicants will be invited to attend an in-person selection interview on a date to be determined in July 2023 at the University of Nairobi. This will include a personal interview and a group exercise involving discussion of relevant research ethics case(s).
Required documents:
1. Complete application form, available at https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2tPQzZH2Fu3xNfU.
2. Up-to-date CV.
3. Two (2) letters of recommendation from people in your professional network who have first-hand knowledge of your potential to contribute to teaching and training in research ethics.
4. Personal statement (maximum 2 pages): indicating the applicant’s interest in research ethics, experience in teaching and mentoring, and background in One Health and/or emergency or disaster settings. The applicant should also articulate how they plan to use the MA in Bioethics training to support the MOHERE programme and research ethics capacity in Kenya.
5. Commitment statement: a signed statement indicating that the applicant, if successful in obtaining this scholarship, will start the OSU MA in Bioethics program in August 2023, make every effort to complete the MA in 2 years, attend an annual 1-week in-person MOHERE workshop at the University of Nairobi, and present their MA thesis/practicum results at a MOHERE conference.
6. Letter of institutional support: a letter from the applicant’s department chair or employment supervisor or equivalent which must state: (a) that the successful applicant will be provided access to the necessary resources in their institution to enable them to be successful in the OSU MA in Bioethics, including its research or practicum project; (b) that the employer will provide the scholarship recipient adequate time to take the online MA; and (c) that the successful applicant will be granted time off to attend the required in-person MOHERE workshops and to travel to OSU for approximately 2 weeks in Year 2 for the purposes of their research project/practicum work.
Additional Expectations
The OSU MA in Bioethics includes a number of specialty tracks and elective courses (https://medicine.osu.edu/departments/bioethics/graduate). The successful recipients of this scholarship will be required to select courses which are directly relevant to teaching in the MOHERE program. For example, elective courses in research methods or disaster ethics should be prioritized over courses in less directly applicable topics, such as bioethics and the Holocaust.
As scholarship recipients progress through the MA in Bioethics program, they will be asked to engage with the MOHERE programme through providing guest lectures, participating in MOHERE events and activities, and helping to advise and mentor students in the MOHERE programme.
Kind regards,
John A. O. Orindi, MCIPR
Director of Corporate Affairs
Office of the Vice-Chancellor
University of Nairobi
P.O Box 30197-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20491 3195
Office: +254 20491 3193
Email: pr@uonbi.ac.ke
Website: www.uonbi.ac.ke
