Global South Fellowship
The University Centre Saint-Ignatius Antwerp (UCSIA) and the University Foundation for Development Cooperation (USOS) are offering a Global South Fellowship in cooperation with the European Leadership Programme (ELP). The traineeship placement is with the two foundations in the consecutive semesters, while the Fellow at the same time pursues the European Leadership Programme.
UCSIA & USOS
UCSIA and USOS are two non-profit organizations focusing on issues of social justice.
They both want to contribute to a more just society through education, cooperation with civil society organizations and academic institutions in the Global South and academic research.
For that purpose, UCSIA and USOS work closely together with the University of Antwerp and are looking for a motivated candidate to fill in the position of their Global South Fellowship.
The selected candidate will start from October 1st, 2025, onwards for a 10 month assignment and will become, at the same time, a Fellow of the European Leadership Programme (ELP) in Brussels.
European Leadership Programme
The Fellows live and work in the heart of Europe, receive an introduction to Jesuit spirituality, help marginalised communities and follow spiritual coaching as well as professional mentoring sessions.
An opportunity to meet current and former leaders from the EU ecosystem is provided, facilitating informal discussions and testimonies of their career and ethical challenges.
ELP is a residential formation, offering 20 places each semester, so the successful candidate is required to live in one of the ELP houses. Formation hours are in the evenings and weekends, not impacting working hours with the foundations above. The ELP room costs range between 660-755 eur /month and should be paid by the candidate.
Application
- Fill in the Application Form
- Deadline: 21 April 2025
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Renumeration: 1300 EUR/month
(without social security, tax issues to be resolved by the candidate) - Location: Antwerp & Brussels (Belgium)
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Questions about the Global South Fellowship?
Please contact Janus Verrelst. -
Questions about the European Leadership Programme?
Please contact the ELP Assistant.
Profile
- Hold a master's degree.
- Research skills in academic context.
- Good organisational and communication skills.
- Proactive attitude.
- Experience in international cooperation and project management is an asset.
Required documents and proofs
- Standardized Application Form
- An English CV
- Motivation letter with emphasis on social involvement (up to two A4 pages)
- English language certificate or proof that BA level studies included at least one semester in English
- Copy of the Bachelor Degree and transcript of records
- Letter of Reference: the candidates shall attach two recommendation letters with contact details of the referees to their application.
Tasks
- Support USOS in facilitating the multilateral network of partners in DR Congo, India, Morocco, Nicaragua, Suriname and Brazil by:
- Involvement in the reception of partners in Antwerpen, late November 2025, as part of the publication of the USOS book ‘Caring for our common home’. During this programme, you will co-support talks between the partners on further collaborations and you will be involved in the celebrations as part of the 40th anniversary of USOS.
- After November, you will follow up on the actions that came out of the talks between the partners.
- Join the USOS staff team. We will see on the basis of your interest and talents where you can be engaged in USOS’ campus work, which has the aim to promote global citizenship among students of University of Antwerp, which includes reciprocal student exchanges with partners of the Global South.
- Cooperate with the UCSIA staff for planned activities within the programme ‘Europe and Solidarity’ as part of the UCSIA Solidarity Academy.
- Develop your own project for UCSIA, preferably within the fields of the just transition (climate goals and social challenges) or migration and refugee studies. Other projects within the fields of social economy, ecology or social justice from a European policy perspective may also be considered. You are expected to organize a public event on the chosen topic.
The fellow can rely on a limited financial support in the process of visa application and international travel from UCSIA/USOS.
Previous ELP Fellows at UCSIA & USOS
Divin-Luc Bikubanya
In 2023 we welcomed Divin-Luc Bikubanya in our team. Divin-Luc is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He has a background in Rural Economy (Catholic University of Bukavu) and Globalization and Development Studies, with research focusing on the informal gold and 3T (tin, tantalum, tungsten) minerals sector in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
He developed an excellent conference programme on the EU policy on responsible mineral trade.
Divin-Luc is currently a teaching assistant and doctoral researcher at the Institute of Development Policy at the University of Antwerp. His work examines the regional supply chains of construction materials in Africa’s Great Lakes Region.
Maria Cordero-Fernández
Maria Jose Cordero-Fernandez is a Nicaraguan environmental engineer specializing in agrobiodiversity and food systems. She earned her International Master of Science in Rural Development from Ghent University, where her thesis focused on collaborative agrobiodiversity governance among native potato farmers in Paucartambo, Cuzco, Peru. Her research highlighted the importance of social networks and community collaboration in preserving biocultural heritage and enhancing food security.
At UCSIA Maria successfully organised a conference on how to move towards a socially and ecologically equitable food system. She managed to bring together all the players in the field and offered a platform to both local innovative projects and international networks working on the topic.
Maria is currently working on her PhD at the Institute of Development Policy (IOB) at the University of Antwerp. Her research project explores grassroots social mechanisms that facilitate the circulation of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and AgroEcological Knowledge (AEK) by comparing agroecology practices in Flanders with indigenous communities in the Peruvian Andes.
Partners
UCSIA and USOS are offering the Global South Scholarship together.
The scholarship is a part of the Jesuit European Social Centre’s (JESC) European Leaderschip Programme (ELP).
