UNEP Master’s Scholarships in AIT

The United Nations Environment Programme Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific(UNEP RRCAP) implements integrated environmental assessments and emerging issues studies. It emphasizes o­n building partnerships with relevant regional, sub-regional and national agencies and organizations. Over the past years, consultations with the national environment agencies stressed the need for UNEP to help build capacities of institutions o­n environmental assessment and o­n addressing emerging environmental issues With the aim of building capacities of national environment agencies and inter-governmental organisations o­n environmental assessment and in addressing emerging environmental issues, UNEP Master’s Scholarships are made available at the Asian Institute of Technology

The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), founded in 1959, is an autonomous, international, postgraduate institution, to help meet the growing need for advanced education in Asia. Three schools, and the AIT Center in Vietnam, provide advanced education, training and research in the areas of engineering; environment and development; and management, to meet the needs of private and public sectors. For more than five decades, AIT has been an active partner in the promotion of technological change and development in the Asia-Pacific region. AIT today has graduated more than 15,000 graduates from close to 60 countries, and currently has an enrollment of over 1,800 full time students tutored by an international team of faculty and staff drawn from all over the world. Details of AIT academic programs can be obtained from http://www.ait.ac.th.

The scholarship program is principally aimed at the following target audiences: Mid-level

professionals from national government agencies and inter-governmental organisations who are

associated with national and regional programme implementation, technical evaluation and policy formulation activities related to environment and sustainable development

UNEP Master’s scholarships will be offered across the five regions of Asia – North East, South Pacific, South East Asia, South Asia, and Central Asia. Students can be admitted to any of the academic field of studies at AIT but their research activities should be directly linked to UNEP’s thematic areas. A o­ne page detailed research proposal based o­n UNEP’s thematic areas should be submitted with the application. For reference, UNEP’s priority countries and respective thematic areas are listed below vCentral Asia Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan climate change, land degradation,water security Southeast Asia Vietnam, Lao PDR ecosystem services, climate change/urbanisation Northeast Asia Korea, Mongolia land degradation, energy security South Pacific climate change adaptation, waste management South Asia Bhutan, Nepal climate change, and ecosystem management (mountain, wetland, watershed, coastal)

The scholarships are specifically targeted to those coming from the above-mentioned five regions and associated with national government agencies and inter-governmental organisations. The minimum requirements are:

(a) The applicant should hold a bachelor degree (normally from a four-year program) or its equivalent in an appropriate field of study from an institution of recognized standing; and have undergraduate grades significantly above average

(b) Priority will be given to candidates who are associated with UNEP (or Environment/Sustainable development) related projects. His/her Masters Research work could be conducted, preferably, at the home country

(c) The selected applicant will work o­n the research areas recommended by UNEP. After graduation, few selected would be expected to work with the RRC.AP office, as interns, prior to returning to their home country

(d) All AIT programs are conducted in the English language, the Institute's official medium of all

communication. Applicants have to produce evidence of proficiency in English. UNEP Scholarship applicants must submit a standard English proficiency score. The minimal scores acceptable are: TOEFL [Internet-based 83, Computer-based 220, Paper-based 500] or IELTS [6.0].

(e) All candidates for entry to AIT must provide certificated evidence of good health

(f) A o­ne page detailed research proposal based o­n UNEP’s thematic areas (noted above) should be submitted with the application

The scholarship will cover the following:

(a) Tuition and registration fees for 4 semesters

(b) Research grant

(c) Travel grant (economy class: incoming and outgoing costs)

(d) Monthly bursary during the period of study

(e) Visa processing and medical insurance

Application forms for attending the Masters Degree program can be obtained by contacting the

Coordinator, Admissions and Scholarships Unit, Asian Institute of Technology, PO Box 4, KlongLuang, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand or from the AIT website (http://www.ait.ac.th). Additional

details regarding fees and other expenses are available at the same website

The last date for submission of application will be 15 October. Selected applicants will be informed by20 November. The semester commences o­n 7 January 2009. For other information/details regarding

the UNEP scholarships, please contact: