UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme

What is it about?

Reinforcing its belief in “people building the next era”, the Government of Japan offers 20 fellowships per year, for the twelfth consecutive year, to be awarded to deserving candidates from developing countries, especially the least developed countries (LDCs), who are eager to undertake research on one or more of the topics listed below. The aim of the fellowships is to support innovative and imaginative post-graduate research in four areas of development of particular interest to UNESCO.

UNESCO designed the project “UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme” (UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme) in the framework of the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Capacity-Building of Human Resources which was established in November 2000 by the Government of Japan to enable UNESCO to give impetus to research in four areas under UNESCO’s Priority Programme Areas. 

Objective of the Programme

The UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme (UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme) funded under the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the capacity-building of Human Resources will aim, in particular, to impact on capacity-building and research activities in the following areas:

• Environment (with particular emphasis on water sciences);
• Intercultural Dialogue;
• Information and Communication Technologies; and
• Peaceful conflict resolution.

 No other research topics will be considered.

DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION REGARDING THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH UNDERTAKEN UNDER THIS PROGRAMME 

Once the Fellowship has expired, the beneficiaries will be encouraged to disseminate the results of their research. No prior approval of UNESCO will be required for publication of a scholarly paper resulting from research done while benefiting from the UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme. However, the Fellow will be asked to acknowledge UNESCO, UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme and the Government of Japan in their paper as having provided support for the Fellowship and the Fellow will be required to send a copy of the report and/or printed article to the Organization for information. It should be emphasized that UNESCO has no obligation to publish the scholarly papers and no allowance will be provided for that purpose. 

Selected beneficiaries will be required to submit an interim and a final report describing the results of the research undertaken. Fellows will be required to send UNESCO a one-page summary with their report that will  be disseminated widely by UNESCO.

The UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme (UNESCO/Japan Young Researchers’ Fellowship Programme) funded under the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the capacity-building of Human Resources will aim, in particular, to impact on capacity-building and research activities in the following areas:

• Environment (with particular emphasis on water sciences);
• Intercultural Dialogue;
• Information and Communication Technologies; and
• Peaceful conflict resolution.

Eligibility and Conditions for Applications

Applicants, a maximum of TWO from each applying National Commission, must meet the following general criteria:

1.  Candidates under this Programme must be post-graduate researchers, already holding either an M.A. or M.Sc. degree (or equivalent) and wishing to pursue research work abroad (preferably in their own region) with a view to enhancing knowledge in one of the four specific fields mentioned in paragraph D.1 below. Thus, those who are in the process of completing their Master’s degree must have completed it PRIOR to taking up their Fellowship.
2. Candidates must be persons of high intellectual promise who may be expected to make significant contributions to their country on return.
3. Candidates must be no more than 40 years of age. Thus, applicants born before 1 January 1975 will not be considered under the Programme.
4. The selected Fellow must carry out the research under the auspices of an academic supervisor in a host institution. Confirmation of acceptance from the academic supervisor is imperative.
5. Priority attention will be given to: * Women candidatures  * Candidates from least developed countries (LDCs)  * African researchers
6. Candidates must be proficient in reading and writing the language of instruction in the proposed country of study/research.

Application Procedures

All applications must be submitted with the required documentation on the UNESCO Fellowship Application Form. Each Member State may nominate a maximum of two (2) candidates. It is the National Commission’s responsibility to select the two candidates whose applications it wishes to submit to UNESCO. The application(s) should reach the Fllowships Section  UNESCO, 7, Place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP before 26 December 2014 midnight and an advance copy may be sent by fax to: 33.1.45.68.55.03 or by e-mail: i.genevois(at)unesco.org; l.zas-friz(at)unesco.org

Invited Countries to submit Candidatures

* Least Developed Country
AFRICA

•Angola* •Benin* •Botswana •Burkina Faso* •Burundi* •Cameroon •Cape Verde •Central African Republic* •Chad* •Comoros* •Congo •Côte d’Ivoire •Democratic Republic of the Congo* •Djibouti* •Equatorial Guinea* •Eritrea* •Ethiopia* •Gabon •Gambia* •Ghana •Guinea* •Guinea-Bissau* •Kenya •Lesotho* •Liberia* •Madagascar* •Malawi* •Mali* •Mauritius •Mozambique* •Namibia •Niger* •Nigeria •Rwanda* •Sao Tome and Principe* •Senegal* •Sierra Leone* •Somalia* •South Africa •Swaziland •Togo* •Uganda* •United Republic of Tanzania* •Zambia* •Zimbabdwe

For all the details about the programme and application procedures See attached! or link

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/fellowships/programmes/unescokeizo-obuchi-japan-young-researchers-fellowships-programme-unescokeizo-obuchi-research-fellowships-programme/.