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 clinical biochemistry biomarkers and molecular biology.

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 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 study will contribute to this overall objective but will focus on identifying risk factors of anemia in school-age children and designing an intervention to reduce the impact of the identified risk factors on the risk of developing anemia in school-age children in Somaliland.

The PhD fellow’s study will utilize molecular and biochemical methodologies (e.g., PCR, Mindray®, and Oxford Nanopore Technology Sequencing®) to assess a wide range of risk factors for anemia. Furthermore, 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 of Science degree within the field of natural sciences from a recognized institution.
• Experience with molecular techniques is essential, and prior training/experience with serological techniques will be 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 risk factors associated with anemia in Somaliland (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 17^th, 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 period 15th-18th of June, 2026.

PhD Enrolment and Evaluation:

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