August 2, 2021
Call for Regional Representatives for the Afronomicslaw Academic Forum (West Africa)
Opening 2 August 2021 - Midnight 21 August, 2021
I. Background
The AfronomicsLaw Academic Forum is a branch of the wider AfronomicsLaw platform. It is an inclusive and accessible forum that brings together African undergraduate and graduate students as well as early career researchers from across the world who are interested in International Economic Law (IEL) issues as they relate to Africa and the Global South.
Our goals are to;
- Expose our Regional Representatives to IEL topics of their interest, through guest lectures from renowned IEL experts;
- Help our Regional Representatives build core research and employability skills, by organising workshops, masterclasses and annual poster/essay competitions on international economic law issues;
- Encourage and support our Regional Representatives to produce IEL scholarship for publication and dissemination, including but not limited to the Afronomicslaw blog and the African Journal of International Economic Law (AJIEL);
II. Purpose of the Call
The aim of this call is to invite applications for Academic Representatives to join the West African branch of the Academic Forum. The Academic Forum was first piloted in Eastern Africa with a small group of passionate students and early career researchers in 2020. The Academic Forum also has a Southern Africa branch which was formed in 2021. Across both regions, the Academic Forum currently has over 70+ representatives from over 17 countries.
We are keen to hear from university students (undergraduate and postgraduate) and early career researchers from any country in the West Africa region who are passionate about or interested in IEL issues as they relate to Africa and the Global South.
Membership to the Forum runs on a yearly basis, after which members will be given an opportunity to renew their membership. The Regional Board for the West Africa Academic Forum is committed to providing an equal opportunity to all the applicants.
III. Membership Options Available to Applicants
Members of the Academic Forum are called 'Regional Representatives'. There are two major 'streams' or 'departments' within the West African branch of the Academic Forum:
- The Editorial stream – this stream is generally charged with the responsibility of editing all blog pieces written by the Forum's representatives and any external source. It also takes the lead on any initiatives within the Forum that touch on legal research and writing (e.g., legal writing and writing workshops, research projects, etc).
- The Partnerships stream – this stream is saddled with the responsibility of actively looking for and sharing career opportunities that could help actualise the representatives' development plans and contribute, in this way, to their professional growth. This stream plays a key role in assigning mentors to the members of the Forum. Mentors are usually experienced professionals and academics in the field of IEL.
When applying to the Forum, applicants can express an interest to join either of the two streams, provided that applicants to each of the streams will be required to meet the additional criteria specified under Part V of this document.
IV. Prospective Duties and Responsibilities of Regional Representatives
Regional Representatives are expected to exercise their positions and responsibilities in the highest standards of excellence, integrity, and prudence. Their duties include:
- Writing blogs on IEL matters as they relate to Africa and the Global South;
- Submitting/acting on all agreed and assigned work consistently, on time and done excellently;
- Making attendance at all sessions a priority;
- Being prepared to discuss the issues and businesses on the agenda and having read all background material relevant to the topics at hand;
- Cooperating with and respecting the opinions of fellow representatives, and leaving personal prejudices out of all discussions, as well as following the principles of collective responsibility; and
- Representing the Forum in a positive and supportive manner at all times and in all places.
V. Eligibility Criteria
Eligible candidates must meet the following criteria:
a) General Membership
- Must be from a country in West Africa (Ghana, Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Togo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cape Verde).
- Citizen of, and student or researcher in any country in the region they are representing.
- Undergraduate, graduate student or early career researcher with a demonstrated interest in international economic law as it relates to Africa and the Global South.
b) Additional eligibility requirements for membership of the Editorial Stream
Applicants to the editorial stream will need to meet the following criteria:
- Demonstrated editorial experience or knowledge in substantive matters of legal research and writing and/or notable experience in legal research-related projects or initiatives;
- Excellent written and spoken English;
- Excellent written and spoken communication skills; and
- Evidence of published writing will be an advantage.
c) Additional eligibility requirements for membership of the Partnerships Stream
Applicants to the partnerships stream will need to meet the following criteria:
- Have good interpersonal and communication skills.
- Display great emotional intelligence.
- Must be willing to adhere to deadlines.
- Must display that they have good problem-solving skills.
VI. Application Process
To become a member of the academic Forum, applicants should proceed as follows:
Stage 1
• Submit a statement of interest in English or French (with not more than 250 words) which is:
- Tailored to the Forum's objectives.
- Well written and concise.
- Demonstrate how they will apply the skills they will get from being a member of the academic Forum.
- Demonstrate where they see themselves in 2-3 years and how the Forum could help achieve that.
- Submit a Curriculum Vitae (3 pages maximum).
Stage 2
Shortlisted Applicants will proceed to the interview stage. This will be conducted virtually at a specified date and time to be communicated to the shortlisted applicants.
Applicants are to send their applications to afronomicslawacademicforum.wa@gmail.com. The deadline for receiving the applications is 21 August 2021 at midnight (West African Time).
In the event that you have any queries, do not hesitate to contact the Regional Board at afronomicslawacademicforum.wa@gmail.com.
For more information, click here.