Japan: PhD Fellowships, The United Nations University, Institute of Advanced Studies
1. Introduction
Oneof the objectives of UNU-IAS is to provide young scientists with anopportunity to expand their intellectual vision beyond the singlescientific field that they may be engaged in. UNU-IAS offers anexcellent environment for young scholars to work on their research inan international environment and among a complementary group of fellowscholars. In addition to the UNU-IAS in-house research facilities suchas globally-linked computer and information systems, the faculty ofUNU-IAS, and visiting professors provide substantial opportunities forindividual and group discussion and debate on multidisciplinaryapproaches to research problems and findings.
The Ph.D.Fellowship programme targets two Ph.D. candidates from educationalinstitutions around the world who can benefit from a period of stay ofup to ten months at UNU-IAS. With a view to strengthening capacitybuilding in developing countries, students from developing countries â€â€particularly from developing country institutions  are especiallyencouraged to apply. In this respect, UNU-IAS Fellowship Awards offerfinancial and material support necessary for the successful completionof doctoral research that is closely related to UNU-IAS' own ResearchProgrammes. The students participate in regular in-house discussionsand seminars and contribute to the UNU-IAS Working Paper Series.
2. Eligibility
Applicants must be at the dissertation writing stage of their Ph.D.with a research proposal accepted by the candidate's university andable to make use of the UNU-IAS facilities in Yokohama to carry outtheir research. Research topics should relate clearly to one of thefollowing current research areas of the UNU-IAS:
- Biodiplomacy
TheBiodiplomacy Initiative (BI) is a multifaceted approach to supportinginternational, regional and national processes concerning developmentand implementation of law and policy relating to conservation and useof biodiversity, access to genetic resources and benefit sharing,protection of traditional knowledge, intellectual property rights,bioethics, biosafety and biosecurity. The BI includes policy research,outreach and capacity building activities. - Sustainable Development Governance
Studieson the governance and effectiveness of institutions for sustainabledevelopment, interlinkages/interplay between MEAs, both at global andregional levels; ethics and the role of environmental principles ininternational governance, WTO and sustainable development in developingcountries, development of markets and policies for environmental goodsand services, WTO and investment in developing countries, and impactsof WTO accession on sustainable development particularly sectoralanalysis on health, welfare, poverty reduction, culture and environment. - Science Policy for Sustainable Development
Studies on policy issues related to the implementation of technologytransfer provisions of Convention on Biological Diversity(CBD),International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food andAgriculture (ITPGRFA), and the United Nations Convention to CombatDesertification (UNCCD); country case studies and best practices inbiotechnology development and transfer in developing countries context;policy studies on the application of science and technology forachieving the millennium Development Goals, particularly in regard topoverty alleviation in Africa; institutional innovations in linkingscience and technology with the development process in developingcountries. - Ecosystems & People
Studies on the linkages between human well-being and ecosystems;poverty and environment; poverty reductions strategies/MillenniumDevelopment Goals related to environment; pro-poor markets forecosystem services, roles of MEAs in improving human well-being; andecosystem assessment leading towards integrated policy making;particularly focused on the development of training and teachingmaterials for policymakers in these areas. Also, this programme has anexisting concentration on Urban Ecosystems - including the applicationof the ecosystem approach to the study and management of cities.Current priorities include exploring the drivers of urban environmentaland ecosystem change, urban metabolism and other ecosystem approachesto understanding cities. The programme is also exploring the relevanceand effectiveness of ecosystem approach influenced policies as they areapplied to urban regions. - Education for Sustainable Development
Further development and implementation of the UNU strategy to promoteeducation for sustainable development (EfSD) and the Decade ofEducation for Sustainable Development (DESD), which started in January2005. Possible topic for research may include, for instance, casestudies of Regional Centers of Expertise (RCE) on EfSD regarding theirdevelopment processes and success factors, development of curricula forpriority topics on EfSD etc. An RCE is a group of organizations thatdeliver education for sustainable development at regional and locallevels. Research may document how an RCE is developed to translate andarticulate a global vision of education for sustainable developmentinto the context of the local community in which it operates, therebycritically examining whether an RCE can serve as a platform to promotedialogues among EfSD stakeholders towards locally relevant andculturally appropriate EfSD.
Where appropriate, applicants should be competent in scientificresearch methodologies and computer-based analysis. Languageproficiency in English is essential. Applicants from developingcountries are particularly encouraged to apply.
3. Conditions of the Fellowship
Theperiod of fellowship is approximately ten months. Fellows are providedwith their own desk within a dedicated Ph.D. Fellow Study Room in theInstitute. Each Fellow will be provided with a networked PC with fullInternet access, including an individual e-mail account. A limitedrange of other, more specialized computer hardware and software mayalso be available.
Fellows have access to the UNU CentreLibrary in Tokyo, which includes an excellent collection of UNdocuments. Ph.D. Fellows will have access via the UNU Centre Library tovarious Japanese university libraries and computer database.
The Fellowship provides a monthly stipend of 260,000 Japanese yen, fromwhich a monthly usage charge for accommodation is deducted (see below).A one-time only installment of 80,000 yen will be granted to eachfellow at the commencement of the programme for adjustment expenses andincidental costs.
Fellows carry out their research in Yokohamaunder the supervision of a UNU-IAS faculty member and/or affiliatedUNU-IAS network scholars. Selected fellows will spend about half oftheir working hours on their dissertation and remaining half will bespent assisting the Institute's projects and activities.
Ph.D.Fellows will be provided accommodations by UNU-IAS, located in YokohamaCity, 30 minutes from the Institute. The accommodations are furnishedand include kitchen and bathroom facilities. Usage charges other thanutilities (electricity, water, gas, telephone, etc.) are as follows:
Single room apartment (for one person) 80,000 yen or more per month
Twin room apartment (for couples) 130,000 yen or more per month
UNU-IAS provides fellows with return air tickets between his/her country of residence and Narita Airport.
6. Starting Date and Deadline for Applications
Ph.D. fellows are selected once a year to begin on 1 October. Selected fellows are required to be in Yokohama by this date.
The deadline for applications for the 2006 Fellowships is 12 May 2006.
Completed application form must be received by post on or before 12 May 2006 to the address below:
Ph.D. Fellowship Programme
United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies
6F, International Organizations Center, Pacifico-Yokohama
1-1-1 Minato Mirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-8502 Japan
Fax: +81-45-221-2303
Application forms are available for download as Microsoft Word (.doc) and Portable Document Format (.pdf ) files. The application form can also be obtained through email fellowships@ias.unu.edu.
In addition to the application form, the following documents in English or with English translation must be submitted:
- Certified copies of academic transcripts
- Detailed Ph.D. research proposal and chapter outline (an early chapter, if available, may also be submitted)
- Two publication samples (if unavailable, please send two chapters from your dissertation)
- Two original supporting letters of reference
- Evidenceof English language proficiency (only required if Ph.D. dissertation isnot to be submitted in English) eg. TOEFL score, certificate ofproficiency.
