Fellowship from United Nation – The Nippon Foundation of Japan

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 coastal States Parties and non-Parties to UNCLOS through a new Fellowship Programme. The Programme 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 main objective of the fellowship is to provide opportunities for advanced education and training in the field of ocean affairs and the law of the sea, and related disciplines including marine science, to Government officials and other mid-level professionals from developing coastal 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.



Upon completion of the fellowship, fellows should have an advanced awareness and understanding of key issues and best international practices in ocean affairs and are expected to return to their home-countries to contribute their experience to assist with the effective implementation of UNCLOS and related instruments and programmes. Fellows should be able to design, implement and/or evaluate specific improvement projects in their home countries related to ocean affairs and the law of the sea, develop a core leadership capacity and have an in-depth understanding of legal frameworks, methodologies and tools to further improve implementation of instruments and programmes and to provide for their effective enforcement in conformity with international law.

Fellowship Programme Structure
The 9-month Fellowship Programme is composed of two consecutive phases which provide Fellows with advanced and customized research and training opportunities in their chose fields:
• Phase One: 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.
• Phase Two: 3-month Research and Training - normally undertaken at DOALOS at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Eligibility
• Be nominated by their government or employer
• Be between ages 25 and 40 (NEW)
• Possess a first university degree in a related discipline, and have a demonstrated ability to undertake independent advanced research and studies in an academic context
• Be mid-level professionals who demonstrate that they work directly on ocean issues
• Be in a position to accept placement with host institutions for a period of no less than nine consecutive months
• Be in a good state of health so as to be cleared by UN Medical Service (NEW simplified medical form for 2009)
• Be in a position to obtain all relevant visas, including etransit visas

Each year, the UN-Nippon Selection Commitee will review application and select 10 candidates to be awarded Fellowship.

This application deadline for this year’s Fellowship Programme is: 15 August 2009

Visit the United Nation-The Nippon Foundation of Japan Fellowship Programme website for all the latesr information, including application forms, alumni profiles and sresearch papers. The URL is www.un.org/depts/los/nippon.