Call for applications: Zambia Evidence Lab (ZEL) PhD Fellowship

The Zambia Evidence Lab (ZEL) is a ground-breaking, government-led project spearheaded by the Government of Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and National Planning (MoFNP) with support from the International Growth Centre (IGC), a global research centre based at the LSE and majority funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). ZEL is designed to enhance the use of data and evidence in making policy decisions. The Lab is fully integrated within the MoFNP and is closely aligned with the government of Zambia’s priorities, serving the needs of policymakers.  The Lab’s in-house team, including government economists, statisticians, and data engineers, works together with MoFNP staff to develop relevant, actionable outputs. The Lab helps connect policymakers’ questions to the data they hold, transforming raw data into actionable insights that improve governance outcomes. 

Supported by the IGC, the visiting PhD fellows will spend 2 consecutive months at the Lab before returning to their home institution. During their time in Lusaka, fellows are expected to develop research projects related to economic growth challenges in Zambia and linked with one of the IGC’s four primary themes (Firms, trade, and productivity; State effectiveness; Cities; Energy and environment). The Lab will organise seminars for fellows to present their proposed research questions, progress, and (if applicable) findings to an audience of researchers, policymakers, and IGC country economists. Along with the Lab, the PhD fellowships will also form an active part of IGC’s engagement in Zambia. Where possible, Fellow may also publish their research in the form of an IGC Policy Brief or Blog. 

Successful applicants will be matched to IGC-affiliated academics who will provide mentorship and feedback over the course of the fellowship. Matchmaking will be done based on the thematic areas of fellows’ work. Mentors who will be involved in the 2025 fellowship scheme include: 

• Katherine Casey (Stanford University),
• B. Kelsey Jack (University of California, Berkeley),
• Nava Ashraf (London School of Economics),
• Torsten Figueiredo Walter (New York University Abu Dhabi)
• Eric Werker (Simon Fraser University).

• Applicants must be either enrolled in a PhD programme or have defended their PhD in 3 years preceding the fellowship. The programme is addressed at researchers at any stage of their PhD.
• Candidates must have shown the ability to conduct research on developing economies.
• Candidates working in fields other than economics may also apply but must have a strong quantitative aspect to their research agenda.
• Applicants should be fluent in oral and written English and possess excellent analytical skills.
• Applicants should be able to describe at least one research project with a strong policy application that they will work on during their time at the Lab. This can include broad research questions they aim to develop during the fellowship, with relevant policymakers and mentorship from IGC-affiliated academics.
• Applications from suitably qualified early-career, female, and developing country researchers are particularly encouraged.
• Two fellowships will be open to all candidates interested in working in Zambia. Only Zambian nationals will be considered for the remaining two fellowships.

The Zambia Evidence Lab provides financial assistance covering living expenses (accommodation and subsistence) in Lusaka during the period of the fellowship. The fellowship will also cover travel expenses to and from Lusaka. The programme does not provide services or cover expenses related to dependents. Note that the support mentioned above only applies to the period of stay in Lusaka, not online/remote work.