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The UNESCO-VOCATIONS PATRIMOINE Fellowships for World Heritage Site Managers Program
  PublishDate:2008-03-25  Hits:4863
The UNESCO-VOCATIONS PATRIMOINE Fellowships for World Heritage Site Managers Program are offered in connection with the Master of Arts in World Heritage Studies at Brandenburg Technical University, Cottbus, Germany, and with the Master of Science in World Heritage Management at University College Dublin, Ireland. Launched in January 2006, the fellowships are made possible as a result of an innovative public-private partnership between UNESCO and its World Heritage Centre and a French non-governmental organization, Association Vocations Patrimoine, with the support of the multinational groups AXA and MAZARS.

Each Fellowship is for up to 2 years to cover taught coursework and an extended period of research at a World Heritage property.

Candidates should submit their application to World Heritage Training & Research Institute for the Asia and the Pacific Region. For the 2008 program, they should simultaneously be in receipt of an offer from or be applying for a place at the Master of Arts in World Heritage Studies at BTU Cottbus, Germany, or the Master of Science at University College Dublin, Ireland. Priority will be given to applicants who are currently working at a World Heritage property.

What do Fellowships cover?
The Fellowships cover: tuition fees, one round trip air ticket between the Fellow's home and the university plus one round trip air ticket to the World Heritage property where the field work will take place, and a monthly stipend of Euro 1300 to cover living expenses (accommodation, food, books, local transport and other out of pocket expenses); and mandatory health insurance. Applicants should note that no provision to finance or lodge family members or other dependents can be made, nor can UNESCO cover any maintenance, insurance or travel expenses for persons accompanying awardees. UNESCO will also provide support to the Fellows by facilitating access to research material held at the World Heritage Centre and to the properties.

Eligibility
Specific rules of eligibility have been established.
- The Program is open to citizens of States Parties to the 1972 World Heritage Convention, aged 45 or under.

- Priority will be given to applicants from developing countries and to those who are currently working at a World Heritage property.

- Candidates must have a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science Degree (or equivalent) in fields related to the management, conservation and development of World Heritage properties. Applicants can come from fields such as anthropology, architecture, archaeology, geography, ethnology, museum sciences, visual arts, landscape, sociology, history, history of art, environment, urban planning and management, ecology, forestry, marine and coastal sciences, natural resource management, and civil engineering.

- Applicants should not be in receipt of actual or apply for financial assistance from any other grant making body or government during the period of the award.

- Applicants must have the written support of the official national liaison body for UNESCO of the country of which they are a citizen. Applications without this endorsement will not be considered.

- As both the UCD and BTU Cottbus courses are taught in English, it is vital that all candidates have an excellent command of the English language. Details of acceptable proof are set out below.

a) Candidates applying to BTU should provide via a TOEFL certificate with a minimum of 79 points (internet-based), 231 points (computer-based) or 550 points (paper-based) or, alternatively the Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (min. grade B); the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (min. grade B) or the IELTS (min. 6.5).

b) Candidates applying to UCD should have a minimum score of 550 TOEFL (213 computer based, with test of written English at 475+) or 6.0 IELTS. Other evidence of proficiency in English - such as the Cambridge certificate - may also be accepted. Candidates should check with the university.

c) Exempted from this regulation are candidates whose mother tongue is English, candidates from countries in which English is the official language or candidates who completed a degree at an recognized higher education institution where English is the medium of instruction.

The application package should include:
1. Application form. This is available as a pdf file at http://whc.unesco.org. It must be completed in full.
2. A language certificate issued by an official authority.
3. Certified copies of university degrees or diplomas.
4. A personal statement of no more than 200 words explaining why the Fellowship is being sought and how the applicant and his/her country would benefit from it.
5. A succinct description of the field research proposed by the applicant which should be limited to 500 words and include:
1) The name of the World Heritage property to be studied;
2) The duration of the project - which should be no more than one year;
3) A description of the management challenge to be addressed and how the project would reinforce management capacities at the property;
4) How the project would involve or positively impact on the communities living in or around the property;
5) The contribution to raising awareness about the World Heritage Convention.

For further information, please refer to:
http://whc.unesco.org
http://www.tu-cottbus.de/whs (BTU)
http://www.ucd.ie/cpe (UCD)
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