Skip to main content

99FM – Your Inspiration Station

UNLOCKED OPPORTUNITIES: Two Major 2026 Opportunities for African Researchers and Namibian Creatives

If you’re an African researcher or a Namibian creative, here re two opportunities: advance your work through a continental research grant on school leadership, or turn your talent into a sustainable business through a free, intensive skills and industry programme in Windhoek. Both are open now, with one’s application closing today.

Namibia Creative Skills Exchange & Industry Development Program 2026

If you’re a musician, designer, filmmaker, writer, dancer, visual artist, or work in any creative field in Namibia, The Namibia Creative Skills Exchange & Industry Development Program 2026—also called the Creative Skills Exchange is for you.

This is a national initiative to strengthen Namibia’s creative economy through practical skills, business support, technology adoption and stronger industry connections. It is a free, one‑week programme is designed to help creatives turn talent into sustainable, bankable businesses.

Aligned with Namibia’s development priorities and NDP6, the programme aims to grow creative MSMEs by equipping founders and creative entrepreneurs with the tools, networks and capabilities they need to build sustainable, export‑ready businesses.

This is happening in person in Windhoek from 23 to 28 August, and applications are open.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSe1wKhtj…/viewform

Applications close: Today, 16 August 2026

African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL) – Cohort II Research Grants

The African Centre for School Leadership (ACSL), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is inviting applications for Cohort II of its School Leadership Research Grants. The programme aims to support African researchers to generate strong, context‑specific evidence on school leadership that can directly inform policy and practice across the continent.

Up to 23 researchers will be selected, with grants of up to US$15,000 for descriptive action research (12 months) and up to US$35,000 for comparative action research (24 months).

Applicants will be considered if they meet criteria such as:

  • Citizenship & location:
    • Must be a citizen of an African country and based in Africa.
    • Research must focus on school leadership practice in one or more African countries.
  • Academic profile:
    • Principal Investigator (PI) should hold a Doctorate (PhD/EdD) in Education, Educational Leadership, Educational Management, or a closely related field, preferably obtained within the last 5 years.
    • Experienced researchers without a PhD but with a strong research track record may also be considered (depending on the specific call details).
  • Team composition:
    • Research teams should ideally be 3–5 members, multidisciplinary where possible.
    • Teams are encouraged to include early‑career researchers, women, and practitioners (e.g. school leaders, teachers, policy actors).
  • Research focus & approach:
    • Proposals must use an action‑research methodology (descriptive or comparative).
    • Priority themes include:
      • Gender equality in school leadership
      • Disability inclusion
      • Leadership in rural and underserved communities
      • Support for other marginalised groups
    • Projects should show clear potential to inform national or continental education policy and practice.
  • Institutional affiliation:
    • Applicants are typically affiliated with an African university, research institution, government department, or recognised knowledge organisation.

Link: https://africancentreforschoolleadership.org/call-for-applications-for-acsl-cohort-ii-grants/

Application deadline: Wednesday, 30 September 2026 at 11:59 pm GMT.

Catch this segment Mon-Wednesday on The Crossover with CHANTE, be sure to tune in at 11h14, only on 99FM! While at it save our whatsApp line +26483 000 1099, for instant opportunity links.

Categories

Blog