UNESCO/Keizo
Obuchi (Japan) Co-Sponsored Research Fellowships Programme
2010
Cycle - With a view to keeping alive and honouring
the spirit of former Prime Minister Obuchi and his
belief in “people building the next era”,
20 fellowships per year, for the ninth year, will
be awarded to deserving candidates from UNESCO 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 the areas of development
to which former Prime Minister Obuchi was committed
and which coincide with areas of particular interest
to UNESCO.
(Deadline
for the submission of applications: 8 January 2010.
Please see the announcement letter of the programme
which is available in:English, French, Spanish and
Arabic)
A.
INTRODUCTION
Mr Keizo Obuchi, former Prime Minister of Japan, passed
away on 14 May 2000 at the age of 62. Soft-spoken
and charismatic, he was known as a man of integrity,
honesty and modesty. He built a reputation as an exemplary
official and was a particularly adept negotiator.
A member of Japan’s Diet (Parliament) for over
thirty years, he served as Japan’s Foreign Minister
in 1997 until he was elected Prime Minister in July
1998. Mr Obuchi was known in the international arena
for his commitment to development issues and his resolve
to put Japan at the forefront of countries involved
in consolidating the efforts of the international
community to further progress in the social and economic
development of humankind.
B.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The
UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research Fellowships Programme
funded under a Japan Funds-in-Trust project will aim,
in particular, to impact on capacity-building and
research activities in the following areas which were
of particular importance to Mr Keizo Obuchi: 1. Environment
(with particular attention to Water Sciences); 2.
Intercultural Dialogue; 3. Information and Communication
Technologies; and 4. Peaceful conflict resolution.
No other research topics will be considered.
C.
ELIGIBILITY
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 1970 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
* Candidates from least developed countries (LDCs)
* Palestinian researchers
6.
Candidates must be proficient in reading and writing
the language of instruction in the proposed country
of study/research.
7.
Applicants must be in good health, both physically
and mentally.
D.
CONDITIONS FOR APPLICATION
1.
Domains of research(a list of Suggested Sub-themes
for research is provided in the announcement letter):
•
Environment (with particular emphasis on to Water
Sciences);
• Intercultural Dialogue;
• Information and Communication Technologies;
• Peaceful Conflicts Resolution.
2.
Duration of proposed research:
minimum:
3 months
maximum: 9 months
3.
Closing date for receipt of applications: 8 January
2010
4.
Possible date of commencing research: Anytime from
September 2010
5.
Deadline for termination of research: December 2011
6.
Place of study: 1 or 2 countries abroad
It
should be understood that upon termination of the
Fellowship, the beneficiary must agree to return to
his/her home country so that knowledge acquired may
be put to good use in local research and training
programmes.
7.
Study arrangements:
Research must be carried out under the auspices of
an academic supervisor in a host institution
8.
Application Procedures
NOTE:
Please refer to the list of invited Member States
who are eligible for this fellowship offer.
All applications must be submitted with the required
documentation on the UNESCO Fellowship Application
Form. Each Member State may nominate candidates a
maximum of two (2). 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 Fellowships Programme Section, UNESCO,
7, Place de Fontenoy 75352 Paris 07 SP before 8 January
2010 midnight and an advance copy may be sent by fax
to: 33.1.45.68.55.03.
The
application must include the following attachments:
(i)
The UNESCO Fellowship application form duly completed
in duplicate. Two recent photographs (obligatory)
should be included with the form.
(ii)
Certified copies of degrees or diplomas (including
transcript of grades) in duplicate. Proof of having
obtained a Master’s Degree must be included.
(iii)
A letter of recommendation from someone familiar with
the candidate’s work.
(iv)
A host institute’s letter of acceptance (i.e.
the institute that has accepted the candidate for
work should she/he be selected for a Fellowship).
This letter of acceptance must indicate that the host
institute confirms its willingness to provide the
relevant research facilities required by the candidate
in the chosen field of specialization.
(v)
The certificate of language proficiency (on the UNESCO
form) duly completed in duplicate for the language
of the country of study (should this be different
from the candidate’s mother tongue) issued by
an official authority.
(vi)
A detailed description, one to two page(s) (maximum),
in either English or French, of the research work
for which the candidature is being put forward. The
research proposal should cover the following points:
•
Why? The concrete nature of the proposed project’s
contribution to the fields listed in paragraph D.1
above; its innovative, original aspects; and the scope
and purpose of the research project. The candidate
should demonstrate the reasons the theoretical and
practical knowledge or training acquired at the host
institution would be beneficial to her/his on-going
research project.
•
What? The expected results or impact of the research
project being undertaken.
•
How? Describe the proposed arrangements for conducting
the research.
•
Where? The proposed country where research will be
undertaken (one to two countries maximum) and the
name and address of the host institute.
•
When? The timeframe explicitly stating the proposed
starting date and the suggested duration of research
which should be of three months minimum and nine months
maximum.
•
How much? A detailed budget estimate indicating the
resources required for the candidate to undertake
the proposed research. The amount should be determined
according to the proposed duration and place of research
(between US$6,000 to US$10,000). The amount should
not exceed US$10,000. All figures must be shown in
US dollars and must be included on a separate page.
The amount indicated should cover, exclusively, the
international or domestic travel costs for the approved
itinerary and personal subsistence abroad, etc. (The
object of this Programme is to provide research fellowships
so it is considered that in most cases tuition fees
will not apply). Applicants should be realistic in
compiling their proposed budgets, and consider that
an average of US$1,000/US$1,800 per month for accommodation
and meals (including local transportation and incidentals)
should not be exceeded. Applications where funds requested
are judged to be excessive in relation to the objectives
and importance of the project are likely to be considered
for a smaller grant.
(Note:
The following costs are not eligible: computer or
equipment purchases; publication costs; attendance
at conferences, unless a case can be made that such
attendance is an integral part of the research and
would make a direct and significant contribution to
the outcome of the development of the research project.)
UNESCO
and Japan attach the greatest importance to originality
and quality. Consideration will be given only to well-planned
research proposals which demonstrate innovation, imagination
and relevance, and which promise to contribute to
knowledge in the four specific areas mentioned in
paragraph D.1 above.
Files which are incomplete or which are received after
the deadline for application, as well as candidatures
that do not meet the requirements mentioned above,
will not be taken into consideration.
E.
FACILITIES OFFERED BY UNESCO/JAPAN
The
Fellowships financed by Japan and administered by
UNESCO will consist of the following:
•
A maximum amount between US$6,000 to US$10,000 will
be awarded to selected candidates. The amount, to
be paid in two or three instalments, is intended to
cover research costs only, and will not be negotiable.
•
No other costs will be considered and grants will
be neither extended nor renewed.
F.
SELECTION OF BENEFICIARIES
A
Selection Committee made of experts in the four areas
listed above will make recommendations for the final
decision of the Director-General of UNESCO. Applications
will be judged on the basis of the merit of each application
and its pertinence to the UNESCO/Keizo Obuchi Research
Fellowship Programme.
Selected
candidates will receive a Letter of Award.
Candidates
who have not been informed of their selection by 1
September 2010 should consider that their applications
have not been approved in the selection process.
G.
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/Keizo
Obuchi Research Fellowship Programme. However, the
Fellow will be asked to acknowledge UNESCO, the Keizo
Obuchi Research Fellowships 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
reproduced later in a leaflet and disseminated widely
by UNESCO.
Deadline for applications 08 Jan 2010
