African Linguistics School Fact Sheet

This is a fact sheet I put together for potential donors. I created the ALS on the model of the EGG, and invited Enoch Aboh, Akin Akinlabi and John Singler to be co-organizers. If you have ideas for funding sources, please let me know.

Fact Sheet for the African Linguistics School

Purpose: The African Linguistics School (ALS) is a two-week institute which brings the latest work in core areas of linguistics to students from African universities. The areas of focus are syntax, semantics, phonology, sociolinguistics and fieldwork.

Organizers: Akin Akinlabi (Rutgers University), Enoch Aboh (University of Amsterdam), Chris Collins (New York University), John Singler (New York University)

Past Schools: Accra, Ghana (2009), Porto Novo, Benin (2011), Ibadan, Nigeria (2013), Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire (2016)

Future Schools: Rhodes University, South Africa (2018) or Lomé, Togo (2018)

Past Donors:   NYU Africa House, NYU Accra, the Office of the Vice Provost at NYU, NYU Dean for the Social Sciences, NYU Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Science, National Science Foundation, University of Amsterdam, Rutgers University, Carnegie Corporation of New York, African Millennium Foundation, GLOW (Generative Linguistics in the Old World)

Students: 70 students from universities all over Africa (Togo, Ghana, Benin, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia) chosen each time from over 300 applications. A small number of students come from universities in Europe or North America.

Faculty: Approximately 16 internationally recognized faculty from North America, Europe and Africa. All faculty teach pro-bono. Most of the faculty pay for their own plane tickets.

Benefits to Students: Students participate in two weeks of intense training in the core areas of linguistics through a combination of course work, presentations, projects and individual consultation with faculty members. They develop international networks with faculty members and other students. Through ALS they gain access to a library of relevant literature. Students take what they have learned back to their host universities to share with their colleagues. After attending the ALS, some students go on to gain admission to North American and European graduate schools.

Student Cost: Apart from a nominal registration fee, all costs are covered for students from African universities. Students coming from outside Africa cover their own travel expenses; all other expenses are covered for them as well.

Funds Needed: Travel to and from the school for students and junior faculty, food and accommodation for students and faculty, administrative expenses, internet access, materials for courses, welcome reception, publicity, awards ceremony and a weekend excursion.