ITTO Fellowships

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) was established under the auspices of the United Nations in 1986 amidst increasing worldwide concern for the fate of tropical forests. While almost everyone was alarmed at the rate of deforestation occurring in many tropical countries, there was also considerable agreement that the tropical timber trade was one of the keys to economic development in those same countries.

ITTO offers fellowships through the Freezailah Fellowship Fund to promote human resource development and to strengthen professional expertise in member countries in tropical forestry and related disciplines. The goal is to promote the sustainable management of tropical forests, the efficient use and processing of tropical timber, and better economic information about the international trade in tropical timber.

As of November 2009, the Programme, which began in 1989, has enabled more than 1000 young and mid-career people from over 40 countries working for government, research institutions, civil society and the private sector to pursue their professional development and improve their career prospects. The total value of fellowships awarded to date amounts to about US$6.1 million; the Programme supports mainly short-term activities, such as participation in international conferences, training courses and study tours, but also helps people to prepare manuals and monographs and provides small grants for post-graduate study. Click on Resources to read articles written by ITTO fellows on their fellowship activities.

The maximum amount for a fellowship grant is US$10,000. Only nationals of ITTO member countries are eligible to apply, and fellowships are awarded mainly to nationals of developing member countries.

Eligible activities

1. Participation in international/regional conferences, short-term training courses, training internships at industries, research and educational institutions, study tours, and lecture/demonstration tours;
2. Technical document preparation, publication and dissemination, such as manuals and monographs;
3. Small grants for post-graduate studies.

ITTO gives preference to short-term activities.

Award

The maximum amount for a fellowship is US$10,000. ITTO Fellowships provides tuition/training/conference fees, transportation fees, daily subsistence allowance, book allowance and other allowances. For post-gradate studies, only a partial tuition fee or a small research grant can be provided. Approved Fellowships are non-transferable to other programmes or institutions.

Eligibility

1. Only nationals of ITTO Member countries are eligible to apply.
2. Awards are to be made to individuals not to institutions.
3. Previous ITTO Fellowship awardees are not eligible to apply for another ITTO Fellowship within two years of receiving the first award and submitting to the Secretariat a final report on the activity for which the award was made.

Appraisal

Applications are appraised by a Fellowship Selection Panel twice a year. The Panel comprises six individuals, three from producer member countries and three from consumer member countries, and is chaired by the Vice Chairman of the ITTC.

Priority areas

Based on the goals and cross-cutting strategies identified in the ITTO Action Plan 2008-2011, eligible activities will aim at developing human resources and professional expertise in one or more of the following areas (in no priority order):

1. Increasing production and further processing of tropical timber and other forest products from sustainably managed and legally harvested sources;
2. Increasing efficiency in harvesting, processing and utilization of tropical timber from sustainably managed and legally harvested sources;
3. Improving data and knowledge, projections and competitiveness on trade in timber and timber products in international markets;
4. Increasing supplies of tropical timber from sustainably managed and legally harvested sources;
5. Better securing tropical forest resources;
6. Sustainably managing tropical forest resource;
7. In any of the above areas (a-f), the following are relevant:

(i) Enhancing public relations, awareness and education;

(ii) Sharing information, knowledge and technology; and

(iii) Research and development.

Selection criteria

Fellowship applications will be assessed against the following selection criteria (in no priority order):

1. Consistency of the proposed activity with the Programme's objective and priority areas;
2. Qualifications of the applicant to undertake the proposed Fellowship activity;
3. The potential of the skills and knowledge acquired or advanced under the Fellowship activity to lead to wider applications and benefits nationally and internationally;
4. Reasonableness of costs in relation to the proposed Fellowship activity.

Additional consideration will be given to:

1. Geographic and gender balance;
2. Balance among the ITTO priority areas;
3. Competency in the language in which the training will be given, where applicable (eg courses, conferences, study tours).

The ITTO Fellowships are awarded mainly to nationals of developing countries. However, ITTO may award Fellowships to nationals of consumer developed countries when: (a) the activities for which the awards are made are carried out in Producer Member countries and the activities tend to benefit Producer Member countries; and/or (b) there is evidence of technology transfer for activities to be carried out in developed countries.

Application

Application form【WORD】

Notes and instructions【PDF】

Application forms and information notes are available in English, French, and Spanish. Please download the documents from the ITTO Website: http://www.itto.int or request them by e-mail at fellowship@itto.int or by post. Please submit a completed application attaching all required documents by e-mail to fellow-application@itto.int or by post to the following address.

Contact detail: fellowship@itto.int (for enquiries),

fellow-application@itto.int (for submitting applications)

More info: http://www.itto.int/en/feature20