Agriculture PhD Opportunity: Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) at the University of the Free State 2025

Explore the Agriculture PhD Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) at the University of the Free State, supported by RUFORUM and Mastercard Foundation under the TAGDev 2.0 programme.

Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) PhD Position – University of the Free State (UFS)

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and several African universities, has announced a new Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) opportunity at the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa.

This initiative is part of the Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0) programme — a 10-year project running from 2023 to 2033. The programme aims to strengthen universities and TVET institutions to serve communities more effectively by empowering young Africans to lead the continent’s agriculture and agri-food systems toward inclusive and climate-resilient growth.

Learn more about RUFORUM and its vision at www.ruforum.org.

About the TAGDev 2.0 Programme

TAGDev 2.0 is designed to support economically disadvantaged but academically talented students across Africa in accessing higher education. It promotes inclusivity by prioritising women, refugees, internally displaced persons, and persons with disabilities.

The initiative is implemented in collaboration with a consortium of leading African universities, including:

• Gulu University (Uganda)

• Egerton University (Kenya)

• Africa University (Zimbabwe)

• University of the Free State (South Africa)

• Malawi University of Science and Technology (Malawi)

• University of Eldoret (Kenya)

• Uganda Martyrs University (Uganda)

• University of Port Harcourt (Nigeria)

• University of Cape Coast (Ghana)

• University of Bamenda (Cameroon)

• National University of Agriculture (Benin)

• Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (Morocco)

This wide network of partnerships ensures a truly pan-African approach to agricultural education and research.

Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) Programme Overview

The Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) is a cornerstone of RUFORUM’s strategy to build human capacity and academic excellence in the field of agriculture. Since its inception in 2015, the GTA has contributed to RUFORUM’s Vision 2030 goal: to build synergy from networks of specialisation and develop high-quality human resources needed to transform Africa’s agricultural productivity.

The GTA programme aims to:

1. Improve the quality of higher education and increase the pool of PhD-trained academic staff in African universities.

2. Provide opportunities for doctoral research to contribute directly to African development.

3. Strengthen inter-university collaboration in higher education and agricultural research.

4. Promote staff mobility among RUFORUM member universities across Africa.

This initiative allows universities to exchange knowledge, research capacity, and practical expertise to tackle the continent’s most pressing challenges in agriculture, food security, and climate resilience.

For additional information on RUFORUM’s academic goals and strategic priorities, visit the Vision 2030 Strategy.

Graduate Teaching Assistantship Opportunities at UFS

As part of TAGDev 2.0, the University of the Free State (UFS) is offering several PhD positions under the GTA scheme. These positions focus on sustainable agriculture, livestock improvement, wildlife management, soil science, agrometeorology, agro-processing, and standards and certification.

Each GTA position is designed to combine doctoral research with teaching responsibilities, enabling candidates to gain both academic and professional experience while contributing to Africa’s agricultural transformation.

Successful applicants will receive comprehensive support to conduct research aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Programme Benefits and Impact

The GTA model ensures that postgraduate education directly benefits African communities and agricultural sectors by:

• Building a new generation of PhD-qualified lecturers and researchers.

• Promoting locally relevant agricultural innovations.

• Enhancing institutional collaboration among African universities.

• Encouraging mobility and knowledge exchange within the continent.

Graduates from this programme are expected to play a key role in shaping national policies, implementing practical solutions, and advancing research in agriculture and food systems.

Eligibility and Application Process

Applicants must be:

• Citizens of African countries affiliated with RUFORUM member universities.

• Academically qualified, preferably with a Master’s degree in agriculture, environmental sciences, or a related field.

• Passionate about agricultural research, teaching, and rural development.

Both male and female applicants are welcome. However, female candidates, refugees, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Deadline : 30 November 2025

Interested applicants can find the detailed call for submissions and full application guidelines on the official RUFORUM website at : click here 

Detailed information about available GTA positions, eligibility, and the application process can be found on the official RUFORUM Opportunities page.

Conclusion

The Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) PhD positions at the University of the Free State represent a transformative opportunity for aspiring African scholars to contribute to sustainable development through agriculture research and education.

By empowering young academics to drive innovation in the agri-food sector, RUFORUM and its partners — including the Mastercard Foundation — are investing in a generation that will lead Africa’s agricultural transformation for decades to come.

For more scholarship and fellowship opportunities, visit Opportunities For Youth.

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