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PhD student first in Africa to win European Early Career Research Award
Author: Corporate Communication / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie [Alec Basson]
Published: 02/11/2018

​​Dr Anouk Albien, currently a research psychologist in the Department of Psychology at Stellenbosch University (SU), recently became the first doctoral student in Africa to receive the Early Career Researcher's Award from the European Society for Vocational Designing and Career Counselling (ESVDC).  For her doctorate, Albien did research on black adolescents' vocational identity status and career adaptability competencies in a South African township.

The ESVDC's Early Career Researcher's Award recognizes a researcher's excellent contribution to the field of Vocational Designing and Career Counselling. Recipients of the award are honoured with a 5 year membership to the ESVDC. The ESVDC aims to stimulate and promote European and international collaboration in research and development in the fields of life-designing, vocational guidance and career counselling.

“This has exceeded my wildest dreams. I still find it hard to believe that I won it," says Albien.

“The ESVDC award is an incredible honour for an emerging researcher and is used as a benchmark measure of innovation and excellence in the field of the Vocational Designing and Career Counselling research."

Albien says the award will allow her access to a network of Vocational Psychology and Career Guidance Counselling professionals and various opportunities to collaborate with these professionals to move the Vocational Psychology field in new innovative directions.

She adds that it also presents an opportunity to celebrate Africa's innovative thought leaders that are recognised by the Global North professional community and represents the direction of future research endeavours that can be traced back to the excellence associated with SU.

Albien says she dedicates the award to her belated mother who passed away during the completion of her PhD research.

She will soon take up a position at the University of Bern in Switzerland.