Ten Lisa Maskell Fellows Graduate with PhDs at University of Ghana
Ten doctoral scholars supported by the Lisa Maskell Fellowship have graduated with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees during the University of Ghana’s July 2026 Congregation Ceremonies.
The graduating scholars, drawn from Cohorts 1 and 2 of the fellowship scheme, represent a diverse group of emerging researchers from across sub-Saharan Africa. The cohort comprises seven international fellows and three Ghanaian fellows from the Departments of History (six), Political Science (two), Archaeology and Heritage Studies (one) and the Institute of African Studies (one).
Having successfully fulfilled the requirements for their doctoral degrees, the fellows joined university officials, supervisors and members of the Lisa Maskell Fellowship project secretariat on campus to receive their degrees and celebrate the completion of their academic journeys.
The Principal Investigators of the Lisa Maskell Fellowship project at the University of Ghana, Prof. Kwame Offei and Prof. S. Agyei-Mensah, congratulated the graduates and commended their dedication, rigorous research contributions and resilience throughout their doctoral training.
The graduating fellows reflected on the impact of the fellowship on their academic journeys, expressing gratitude to their supervisors, departments and the project team for the support they received throughout their studies.
Beyond providing funding for tuition, research activities and academic travel, the fellows highlighted the wider benefits of the programme, including a supportive intellectual environment, opportunities for cross-border academic networking and access to resources that enabled them to complete doctoral research in the historical humanities.
With their doctoral degrees now conferred, the new alumni are expected to contribute to higher education, research and knowledge production across Africa, bringing with them expertise gained through their training.
About the Lisa Maskell Fellowship
The Lisa Maskell Fellowship was introduced at the University of Ghana in 2019 as part of an initiative established in 2014 by the Gerda Henkel Foundation, Germany.
Named in honour of the Foundation’s founder, the programme is one of the largest international funding initiatives for doctoral students in the Foundation’s history.
The fellowship seeks to strengthen the academic landscape of sub-Saharan Africa, support outstanding doctoral training in the historical humanities and contribute to efforts to retain qualified young researchers on the continent.
It supports doctoral research in disciplines including History, Archaeology, Art History, Philosophy, History of Law, History of Science, Study of Religions and Classics, among others.
As a sub-regional hub for the fellowship in West Africa, the University of Ghana partners with the Gerda Henkel Foundation to provide full four-year doctoral scholarships to talented researchers from Ghana and across sub-Saharan Africa, fostering the development of a new generation of African scholars.
Through this partnership, the fellowship continues to strengthen research capacity and support scholars whose work contributes to knowledge production and academic development across the continent.
