UNESWA Climate Research Coordinator Encourages emaSwati Thinkers to Apply for Post-Grad Grants
Prospective postgraduate students have been encouraged to step forward with bold and practical research ideas as applications open for the 2026 Climate Research Grants programme.
The initiative, led by the University of Eswatini through its Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Research (C3SR), is aimed at supporting Master’s and PhD candidates whose work focuses on climate resilience and sustainability in Eswatini.
C3SR Coordinator Dr Wisdom Dlamini said there was a need for researchers who could move beyond conventional approaches and develop practical responses to some of the country’s most pressing environmental challenges. He said the Centre was looking for thinkers and doers who could bring fresh perspectives, strong methods and workable solutions to issues affecting communities and institutions. Dr Dlamini said this was an opportunity for postgraduate students to shape ideas into meaningful research capable of influencing policy and decision-making.
He encouraged applicants to focus on proposals that addressed climate risks, livelihoods and sustainability, while remaining grounded in practical outcomes. Among the priority areas are stronger early warning systems, resilient enterprises, improved water security, climate-smart agriculture, biodiversity protection and stronger national emissions data systems.
Dr Dlamini said there was particular interest in projects that could improve understanding of long-term water trends, strengthen agricultural resilience, protect ecosystems and species, and improve the country’s transparency and reporting on emissions. He further encouraged prospective applicants to ensure that their proposals combined creativity with a clear sense of impact.
He said the strongest applications would be those that demonstrated scientific rigour while also showing how the research could be used to support policy, practice and vulnerable communities. The Climate Research Grants programme is being run in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, with financial support from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Under the programme, two Master’s research grants worth up to E80,000 each will be awarded, while four PhD grants worth up to E200,000 each will also be made available. The grants target research in areas such as water security, biodiversity, climate-smart agriculture, emission factors and reporting, early warning systems and resilient enterprises. The funding comes at a time when Eswatini continues to face climate-related pressures, including erratic rainfall, drought, biodiversity loss and threats to food security. Applications close on 15 May 2026.
