Are you passionate about addressing real-world challenges in Nairobi and Kenya? Do you want to collaborate with students from diverse disciplines and engage with local communities, policymakers, and practitioners? The LDE-East Africa Research Network (LEARN) Interdisciplinary Master's Thesis Lab is your chance to make an impact through your research while gaining hands-on experience in a dynamic, cross-cultural environment.
Note: the application procedure for this lab is different from the other labs. See further below. As part of this lab, students are required to join 2-3 months fieldwork between Februari-April 2027.
The 2026/2027 Global Thesis Lab in Kenya will focus on the following core themes:
(i) Carbon removal technologies,
(ii) Clean cooking and energy planning,
(iii) Urban heat and digital technologies, and
(iv) Climate mobility and housing.
Read more about the Core Themes in this flyer!
Why Join?
- Collaborate across borders: Work alongside fellow students from various Kenyan universities and Dutch universities, specifically Leiden University, Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam. Form interdisciplinary teams combining social science, engineering, architecture, health, and more.
- Engage with real stakeholders: Partner with local communities, policymakers, and practitioners in Nairobi and in the Netherlands. Gain insights that will enrich your research and broaden your perspective.
- Tailored supervision: Benefit from the guidance of expert supervisors from Nuvoni Centre for Innovation Research and universities in Kenya, together with supervisors from The Netherlands.
- Focus on impactful themes: Choose from critical topics like carbon removal technologies and community governance, clean cooking and energy planning, urban heat and digital technologies, and climate mobility and housing. Shape your thesis around solutions that matter.
- Joint learning: Participate in preparatory online meetings and an intensive seminar week in Nairobi, with discussions and interdisciplinary exchanges tailored to your research theme.
- Financial support: The selected students can apply for a contribution to their data collection expenses in Kenya.
Programme timeline:
- 4 Online preparatory meetings between November 2026 and January 2027
- 1 week thesis lab workshop in Nairobi, with mini-lectures, field visits and methods-labs first week of February 2027
- 2–3-month fieldwork for MA/MSc thesis, with peer support from students and regular check-ins with Nairobi-based and the Netherlands-based supervisors.
Who Can Apply?
MA and MSc Students from LDE universities based in the Netherlands from varied disciplines, among them, engineering, architecture and planning, social sciences, humanities, behavioural sciences, health, business, and other relevant disciplines. The student must be at the point to/ able to fully commit to do their thesis research and be ready to join for the required fieldwork between February - April 2027.
The students should be available to focus on their thesis full-time between February and July 2027 and deliver a knowledge product based on their research by end of July 2027.
Your supervisor may choose (voluntarily but very welcome) to provide some support for the Thesis Lab by attending meetings, providing one or two lectures on a related topic over the course of the 6-month Thesis Lab, and help guide the other students in your multidisciplinary team.
How to apply?
Note: the application timeline and procedure for this lab is different from all other Thesis Labs.
If you are interested in taking part in this Thesis Lab, please send the following via email to Agnieszka Kazimierczuk, a.h.kazimierczuk@asc.leidenuniv.nl, before or on the 4 October 2026:
- A letter of motivation
- A draft concept note for your proposal
- A statement that you have enough financial resources to cover travel and accommodation in Nairobi for three months
- CV and other academic credentials
For any additional queries, please write an email to a.h.kazimierczuk@asc.leidenuniv.nl.
Case holders
Nuvoni Centre for Innovation Research is an independent academic research firm based in Nairobi, Kenya. Their mission is to undertake research on science, technology and innovation and its role in fostering inclusive development in Africa. Their current focus areas are energy, technology and innovation management and urban development.
The African Studies Centre Leiden is an interfaculty institute of Leiden University that undertakes research and is involved in teaching about Africa and aims to promote a better understanding of and insight into historical, current and future developments in Africa. It has an excellent library (open to the general public).
