Background

The University of Hargeisa started operation in the year 2000. It is the largest and leading chartered public university in the Republic of Somaliland. It is the leading higher education institution in the country, and it is committed to providing a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs. The goal of the university is to equip all graduates with the skills needed for success in their future careers and to contribute to wider processes of educational and professional development in Somaliland. “TOWARDS A BETTER FUTURE ”Is our motto, and we take pride in living it every day. The University of Hargeisa is committed to advancing research excellence, capacity building, and evidence-based policy development in Somaliland.

Project Outline:

The Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through the Consultative Research Committee for Development Research (FFU), has recently granted full support to the research project: Enhancing Healthy Young Lives: Tackling Health Challenges Among School-Aged Children in Somaliland (EMPHASIS). This support includes funding for a PhD fellowship focusing on child development with a focus on learning, cognition, and health.

Objective:

The overall objective of EMPHASIS is to improve the health of school-aged children in Somaliland by providing evidence-based and context-tailored recommendations for preventive measures against leading causes of anemia. The PhD study will contribute to this overall objective but will focus on the effect of the prevention of anemia on learning and cognitive functions in school-aged children. The overall project incorporates a large correlational longitudinal study and an intervention study targeting the causes of anemia to investigate the effect of the prevention of anemia on learning, cognition, and health.

The PhD fellow’s study will utilize various methodologies, including testing of children in relation to academic performance and cognition, as well as testing of motor performance and physical fitness. Furthermore, the PhD fellow will work on optimizing test batteries and qualitative and quantitative data collection techniques and do analysis of the data using complex statistical models. Moreover, the PhD fellow will closely collaborate with a large team of local and international researchers working on the project.

Qualifications:

• Candidates must hold a relevant master’s within the field of education and behavioral sciences from a recognized institution (either psychology, education, guidance and counseling, educational psychology, or human movement sciences).
• Experience with studies on children and prior training/experience with interventions or evaluation of children in relation to learning, cognition, or health is an advantage.
• Strong communication skills in English, both oral and written, are required.
• Previous publications/work related to the research theme are considered an asset.
• Willingness to commit full-time effort to the PhD training program.
• Willingness to serve as permanent teaching staff at UoH, conduct extensive field research in Somaliland, and spend time abroad.
• Candidates must be less than 40 years old to be eligible for consideration.

Application:

Applications must include the following documents:

• Cover letter (max. 1 page)
• Short concept note focusing on the subject of the PhD call, specifically the impact of anemia on learning, cognitive abilities, and overall health of school-age children (max. 2 pages, excluding references). It is important to note that the use of AI in this context is discouraged.
• Recent CV in EUROPASS format (max. 2 pages), indicating previous and/or current employers and positions held, as well as a list of peer-reviewed publications (if any).
• Certified copies of academic transcripts and relevant certificates.
• Letters of recommendation from two referees, including phone numbers and email addresses.
• Staff, graduates, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Application Deadline:

Applications must be submitted to the Director, Human Resource Management, University of Hargeisa, through e-mail: fellowship@uoh.edu.so and copied to Co-Principal Investigator Faisal Nooh faisal.nooh@uoh.edu.so , before May 24th, 2026. Applications received later than this date will not be considered.

Please, note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted for a selection interview. The interview will take place on periods 22-25th of June, 2026.

PhD Enrollment and Evaluation:

The successful candidate will be enrolled at a university in East Africa and be offered a 4-year PhD scholarship covering university fees, research costs, and a student stipend in accordance with institutional regulations of the University of Hargeisa. The PhD supervision will be a joint effort between three universities from Somaliland, Denmark, and the university where the student will be enrolled. The PhD fellow will have the opportunity to take advanced courses at the enrolled university and universities in Somaliland and Denmark. Evaluation of the progress of the PhD activities will be done according to current regulations at the three universities involved.

Commencement:

The program is scheduled to commence during the academic year of 2026.

The EMPHASIS project is funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Center (DFC) and is headed by the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with the University of Hargeisa.