Fellowship Background and Overview

    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.

    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.

PROGRAMME NEWS

2009-2010 Fellowship application forms are now available for download Deadline for applications is 15 August 2008

2 May 2008: The Fellowship Programme is proud to welcome the: Centro de Estudos do Mar of the Universidade Federal do Parana, in cooperation with the International Ocean Institute - South Western Atlantic Ocean

18 April 2008: Mr. Landry Etoga (Cameroon) starts the first phase placement with the Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Droit des Activités Maritimes et l'Environnement (CERDAME),  Institut du Droit et de la Paix et du Développement, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis (Nice, France)

14 April 2008: Mr. Izildo Ferreira (Mozambique) starts the first phase placement with the Marine Law and Ocean Policy Centre, National University of Ireland (Galway, Ireland)

1 April 2008: Ms. Asha Singh (Guyana) starts the first phase placement with the Marine Affairs Programme, Dalhousie University (Halifax, Canada)

1 April 2008: Ms. Nasuchon Nopparat (Thailand) starts the first phase placement with Prof. Tony Charles of St. Mary's University (Halifax, Canada)

26 March 2008: Ms. Tricia Lovell COMPLETES the Fellowship Programme All 2007-2008 Fellows complete the Programme

12 March 2008: The Fellowship Programme is proud to welcome Melbourne University Law School (Victoria, Australia)

12 March 2008: The Fellowship Programme is proud to welcome the Netherlands Institute for the Law of the Sea of Utrecht University School of Law

10 March 2008: Mr. Robert Kibiwot COMPLETES the Fellowship Programme

28 February 2008: Mr. Mikulka (Director, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea) and Mr. Bailet (Programme Advisor, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea) meet with Mr. Sasakawa (Chairman, The Nippon Foundation of Japan) and Mr. Nagamitsu (Executive Director, The Nippon Foundation of Japan)

18 February 2008: Mr. Mazen Adi (Syria) is the first 2008-2009 Fellow to start the first phase placement with Prof. Lee of Columbia University in New York

January 2008: The Fellowship Programme is proud to welcome the: Centre d'Etudes et de Recherches sur le Droit des Activités Maritimes et l'Environnement (CERDAME), Institut du Droit et de la Paix et du Développement, Université de Nice Sophia Antipolis (Nice, France) (link to photo of ceremony)

 

For more information, please contact:

The United Nations - The Nippon Foundation of Japan Fellowship Programme Advisor
Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea
Office of Legal Affairs
United Nations
Room DC2-0414
New York, N.Y. 10017
U.S.A.

Telephone: +1 (212) 963-3962
Facsimile:  +1 (212) 963-5847
E-mail: questions