Doctoral Scholarships (German candidates):

Applications open until filled

 

 Important Notice for African Candidates  

Information on Doctoral applications from African candidates can be found on our

Main UKUDLA Webpage — not through UKUDLA Hohenheim.

Please note that applications for African candidates are already closed and will currently not be extended. 

 

PhD stipends are for GERMAN applicants = 

German passport holder, person with unlimited residence permit for Germany  

 

The research topics listed on this webpage apply only to German applicants.

 

 

Call for Doctoral Scholarship Applications 2026

The African German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricul-tural and Food Data Science (UKUDLA), funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), Germany, offers scholarships to German applicants to support PhD-Thesis research projects in southern Africa in cooperation with one of our partner institutions (University of the Western Cape, University of Pretoria, University of Mpumalanga and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources).

  • The primary aim of UKUDLA is to develop the expertise of young scientists in sustainable and resilient food systems and applied data science. Applications that integrate both aspects are particularly encouraged.
  • The scholarship covers a time period of 36 months (with an optional extension of six months) and includes a subsistence allowance, travel and flight costs are provided, and additional research funds can be applied for. 
  • Applications will be open until filled.
  • Your application must relate to a research topic published on our website.

We are looking forward to receiving your application.

Documents:

PhD Scholarship Announcement (PDF)

PhD Scholarship Information (PDF)- Application & File upload via Homepage University of Pretoria available

PhD Research Project Application Form (DOCX)

Research Topics

To complete your project proposal form, you must select and address one of the announced research topics: 

Topic ID Topic Supervisor / Institute
2026-G01 Discovery and Evaluation of Novel Lipopeptides for Agricultural Fungal Disease Management Prof. Dr. Rudolf Hausmann, Department of Bioprocess Engineering
2026-G02 Cropping systems and resilience for abiotic stesses related to climate change Prof. Dr. Sandra Schmöckel, Department of Physiology of Yield Stability
2026-G03 A comparative assessment of the effects of biochar producing feedstock types on the nutrient content of biochar and its nutrient release characteristics Dr. Marc Cotter, Institute for Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics (Hans-Ruthenberg-Institute)
2026-G05 Agricultural intensification pathways for small farms in Malawi Jun. Prof. Dr. João Vasco Silva, Department of Plant Production in the Tropics and Subtropics
2026-G06 Effects of indigenous versus commercial crop-based diets on the chicken gut microbiome Prof. Amélia Camarinha Silva, Department of Livestock Microbial Ecology
2026-G07 Institutional and Behavioural Drivers of Nutrition Programme Success in Malawi Prof. Dr. Regina Birner, Department of Social and Institutional Change in Agricultural Development
2026-G08 Fast and low-cost near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for plant oil quality assessment at processor level Prof. Dr. Joachim Müller, Agricultural Engineering in the Tropics and Subtropics
2026-G09 Foresight-Driven Investment Pathways for Climate-Resilient Food-System Infrastructure in South Africa and Beyond Prof. Dr. Arndt Feuerbacher, Department for Ecological-Economic Policy Modelling
2026-G10 Using data science approaches and deep learning for characterizing the genetic and phenotypic diversity of quinoa and amaranth as grain and vegetable crop Prof. Dr. Karl Schmid, Crop Plant Biodiversity and Breeding Informatics
2026-G11 Technical regulations in agri-food trade between South Africa and its trade partners: the regulatory heterogeneity in fruits and meat trade Prof. Dr. Christine Wieck, Department of Agricultural and Food Policy
2026-G14 Price discovery dynamics in South African commodity markets Prof. Dr. Thomas Dimpfl, Department of Business Mathematics and Data Science
2026-G15 Supplementary and therapeutic foods and sustainable and healthy food systems in South Africa Prof. Dr. Christine Wieck, Department of Agricultural and Food Policy
2026-G16 From Compliance to Transformation: Analysing impacts of Corporate Due Diligence in Agricultural Supply Chains Prof. Dr. Christine Wieck, Department of Agricultural and Food Policy