United Nations – Nippon Foundation of Japan Fellowship Program for Developing Countries 2017/2018

Application Deadline: 15th September 2017

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: International

To be Taken at (Organisation): Participating host institutions and the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

About the Fellowship: On 22 April 2004, the United Nations and The Nippon Foundation of Japan concluded a trust fund project agreement to provide capacity-building and human resource development to developing States Parties and non-Parties to UNCLOS through a Fellowship Program.

The Program is jointly executed by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) of the Office of Legal Affairs and the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). DOALOS serves as the focal point in charge of all substantive elements of the Project. DESA, in its capacity as implementing agency for the Project, is responsible for providing certain administrative services to the Project on behalf of DOALOS.

The objective of the fellowship is to provide opportunities for advanced education and research in the field of ocean affairs and the law of the sea, and related disciplines including marine science in support of management frameworks, to Government officials and other mid-level professionals from developing States, so that they may obtain the necessary knowledge to assist their countries to formulate comprehensive ocean policy and to implement the legal regime set out in UNCLOS and related instruments.

Type: Fellowship

Offered Since: 2004

Who is qualified to apply? Candidate wishing to be considered for a Fellowship award must:

• must be between the ages of 25 and 40;
• must have successfully completed a first university degree, and demonstrate a capacity to undertake independent advanced academic research and study;
• must be a mid-level administrator from a national government organ of a developing coastal State, or another government related agency in such a State, which deals directly with ocean affairs issues, and your professional position must allow you to directly assist your nation in the formulation and/or implementation of policy in this area. This includes marine sciences and the science-policy linkage. Your “Nomination and Recommendation Form” should be completed by a Government official who can attest to the nature of your work with respect to the Government’s ocean affairs and law of the sea related activities, and indicate how an Award would directly contribute to these activities; and
• Candidate’s proposed research and study program must contribute directly to your nation’s formulation and/or implementation of ocean affairs and law of the sea policies and programmes.
• Candidates must be free of all non-Fellowship obligations during this entire period unless otherwise authorized by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations. Phase 1 is approximately 3 months at United Nations Head Quarters in New York (normally April through June) and phase 2 is approximately six months at the host institution (normally July through December).

Selection Criteria: Satisfaction of the above criteria must be clearly demonstrated by the candidate through the application forms and confirmed by a nominating authority.

Number of Awards: 10

Value of Award: Fully-funded. Fellows will receive a stipend in accordance with the cost of living in the country in which he/she will be studying; travel costs and other support.

Programme Structure: The 9-month Fellowship Program is composed of two consecutive phases which provide Fellows with advanced and customized research and training opportunities in their chosen fields:

• Phase One: 3-month Research and Training – normally undertaken at DOALOS at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
• Phase Two: 6-month Advanced Academic Research and Study – undertaken at one of the prestigious participating Host Institutions and under the guidance of subject matter expert(s) who have recognized in-depth expertise in the Fellows’ chosen field of study.

How to Apply: It is important for interested candidates to go through the Application Requirements before applying.

Visit the Scholarship Webpage for Details

Sponsors: The United Nations, The Nippon Foundation.