International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) 2023 Fully-funded Fellowship to Promote Human Resource Development

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.

Current Status

As of December 2021, the Programme, which began in 1989, has enabled more than 1400 young and mid-career people from over 49 countries working for government, universities, research institution, civil society and the private sector to pursue their professional development and improve their career prospects.  32%  of the fellowships have been awarded to people from Africa, 30.6% to people from Asia-Pacific, 24.9% to people from Latin America/Caribbean, 9.6% to people from developing consumer countries and 3.1% to people from developed consumer countries, who carried out their activities in producer member countries. 71.7% of the fellowships awarded were in the field of Reforestation and Forest Management, 19.8% in Forest Industry and 8.5% in Economics, Statistics and Markets.
 
The total value of fellowships awarded to date amounts to approximately US$9.8 million. Funding has been provided through the generous voluntary contributions from Japan (68%), U.S.A (19%), the Netherlands (7%), Australia (2.5%) and others (3.5%), including  Sweden, U.K., Bali Partnership Fund-B and private companies.  The programme supports mainly short-term activities, such as participation in international conferences, training courses and study tours.  In addition, it also helps people to prepare manuals and monographs and provides small grants for post-graduate study.
 
ITTO Fellowship Programme encourages capacity development of women foresters, and has supported 424 women to undertake fellowship activities, accounting for more than 30% of the total number of fellowships.

• Table of Content
• About International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)
• ITTO Fellowship
• Aim and Benefits of ITTO Fellowship
• Requirements for ITTO Fellowship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for ITTO Fellowship
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)

The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) is an intergovernmental organization promoting the sustainable management and conservation of tropical forests and the expansion and diversification of international trade in tropical timber from sustainably managed and legally harvested forests. ITTO: Develops internationally agreed policy guidelines and norms to encourage sustainable forest management (SFM) and sustainable tropical timber industries and trade. Assists tropical member countries to adapt such guidelines and norms to local circumstances and to implement them in the f... continue reading

ITTO Fellowship

Aim and Benefits of ITTO Fellowship

To develop human resources and enhance professional expertise in member countries in tropical forestry, tropical timber industries and related disciplines, with a view to promoting sustainable management of tropical forests, efficient utilization and processing of tropical timber, and better economic information on the international trade in tropical timber.

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.

Requirements for ITTO Fellowship Qualification

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, monographs and short videos/documentaries;
3. Small grants for post-graduate studies.
   
   ITTO gives preference to short-term activities.

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.  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 expected outcomes and cross-cutting actions identified in the ITTO Strategic Action Plan 2022-2026 eligible activities will aim at developing human resources and professional expertise in one or more of the following areas (in no priority order):

1. Promote good governance and enabling policy frameworks for strengthening SFM and related trade, and enhancing SFM financing and investment;
2. Increase the contribution of tropical forests to national and local economies, including through international trade;
3. Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in tropical timber producing forests;
4. Reduce tropical deforestation and forest degradation and enhance the provision of environmental services;
5. Improve the quality and availability of information on tropical forests, forest product markets and trade; and
6. Build and develop human resource capacity to implement SFM and increase trade in forest goods and services from sustainably managed forests.

Interview date, Process and Venue for ITTO Fellowship

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 Deadline

How to Apply

On-line Application is available in English, French, and Spanish (the official languages of ITTO) at www.itto.int/fellowship/.  Please read carefully the information and general instructions contained in this note before submitting your application.

For more details visit: ITTO website.