UNESCO 2022 ERAIFT Masters Scholarships for African Students

The Regional Post-Graduate Training School on Integrated Management of Tropical Forests and Lands (ERAIFT) has issued its 4th international call for applications for enrolment in its regional Masters degree programme, in the framework of its activities on Capacity building of biodiversity practitioners, scientists and policy makers for the sustainable management of protected areas and forest ecosystems in Africa.

The following degree courses are covered by this regional programme:

• Professional Master’s degree in Forest Management Technology (FMT);
• Professional Master in Protected Area Management (PAM);
• MAB Professional Master in Biosphere Reserve Management (BRM);
• Research Master in Integrated Management of Tropical Forests and Lands (AGIFT).

It covers a period of 24 months divided into 4 semesters (Semi-annualization of courses). The mobility of students and trainers is also foreseen during the third semester devoted to specialisation courses. It is worth noting that BRM is the only master degree dedicated to UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere programme (MAB) and biosphere reserves in Africa. It was established through partnership between the MAB programme and ERAIFT through the BIOPALT project.

ERAIFT has concluded a memorandum of understanding with the following regional institutions for the implementation of a regional Masters programme based on the LMD system of the Bologna decree: Universities of Dschang and Yaoundé I as well as the Ecole de Faune de Garoua (EFG/Cameroon), Ecole Nationale des Eaux et Forêts (ENEF/Libreville) and the Université des Sciences et Technique de Masuku (USTM/Gabon) and the University of Kisangani (UNIKIS/DRC).

The implementation of this regional programme is also done in close cooperation with the 35 member institutions of AGRINATURA.

• Details of the call (full all and application form are available in English on this page)

ERAIFT is an education and research institute located in the University Campus of Kinshasa. It began in 1999 as a regional project under UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere programme (MAB) and has since grown steadily to become a Centre of excellence under the auspices of UNESCO with a regional focus (UNESCO Category 2 Centre). Through research, capacity building and knowledge sharing, ERAIFT provides valuable and unique contribution to implement operational planning strategies for tropical forest management and UNESCO’s strategic programme objectives for the benefit of Member States. ERAIFT aims to train a new generation of specialists to develop and manage tropical forests and lands by applying a systemic approach. 

• Table of Content
• About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
• ERAIFT Masters Scholarships
• Aim and Benefits of ERAIFT Masters Scholarships
• Requirements for ERAIFT Masters Scholarships Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. Political and economic arrangements of governments are not enough to secure the lasting and sincere support of the peoples. Peace must be founded upon dialogue and mutual understanding. Peace must be built upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity. I... continue reading

ERAIFT Masters Scholarships

Aim and Benefits of ERAIFT Masters Scholarships

Scholarships are available but in limited numbers and are therefore awarded on a competitive basis. This study grant essentially covers the costs related to the candidate’s stay in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and/or abroad as well as the organisation of his or her diploma course. The cost of training for the complete Master’s cycle at ERAIFT is fixed at $16,500 per year of study (US dollars sixteen thousand five hundred). A total of 40 scholarships are available for the 40 best students who will be selected after this call for applications.

This cost includes the costs related to the organisation of teaching, tutorials and practical fieldwork, the stay of the learners in the framework of their sub-regional mobility, dissertation internship, etc. But in the case of regional student mobility in semester 3, this cost can be relatively high.

Requirements for ERAIFT Masters Scholarships Qualification

The following profile is required for the recruitment of learners for this 4th cohort:

• Hold at least a degree equivalent to BAC + 3 in natural sciences (Biology, Ecology, Botany, Zoology, Environment, Geography, etc.); in engineering sciences (agronomy engineer, forestry engineer, bio-engineer, rural engineering engineer, etc.), geomatics, demography, veterinary and/or human medicine, social sciences and humanities (Sociology, Administrative and Political Sciences, Economics, Anthropology, Law, Psychology, Communication, etc.)
• Be under 40 years of age at the time of application selection;
• Have sufficient knowledge of basic computer skills (Internet, Mail, GIS and its applications …) and have a good laptop with at least the following technical specifications (Processor I5, Hard disk 500 GB, Ram 8 GB and an external hard disk is recommended for data backup);
• Have sufficient skills in qualitative and quantitative data analysis;
• Be proactive and autonomous, and able to work in a multicultural and sometimes difficult environment;
• Be able to live in a community and adapt to the varying conditions of the study environment;
• Successfully pass the French, English, mathematics and computer tests which will be organised and compulsory for all candidates who meet the administrative and academic selection criteria;
• To be of good ethical and moral values;
• Be in good health and present a certificate of vaccination against the COVID 19 virus within the last 6 months (for successful applicants only);
• At least 3 years of professional experience in the forestry and environmental sector would be an asset.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Each candidate will send to ERAIFT a complete file including the following elements:

1. A duly completed and signed application form (to be requested from ERAIFT or downloaded from its website: www.eraift-rdc.org ;
2. A letter of motivation addressed to the Director of ERAIFT and President of the Academic and Research Council, requesting enrolment in the 4th class of this regional programme.
   This letter must be handwritten, written in French and English, maximum one page each;
3. Various certificates are usually requested and legalised: a birth certificate, a current
   physical fitness certificate (issued in less than 6 months of the analysis of the application
   files), a recent medical certificate from a clinic of international renown, a vaccination card
   against the current emerging pandemics (Covid-19, etc.); a certificate of nationality, a
   certificate of good conduct or equivalent,
4. Certified copies of previously obtained university diplomas and photocopies of
   transcripts for each academic year (original diplomas must be presented for confirmation
   of enrolment at ERAIFT). The certification of copies of diplomas, reports, transcripts, etc. is done at the level of the educational institution (Dean/Head of Department/Head of Section, etc.), but the legalization of administrative documents will be done at the municipality or the Town Hall, depending on the case;

1. For the civil servant candidate, a certificate of availability from the employer for the duration of the training at ERAIFT is required (24 months of training);
2. Three letters of recommendation from persons authorised to give an informed opinion on the applicant (Heads of School, Employers, etc.);
3. A summary of the updated curriculum vitae of maximum 3 pages, showing especially the applicant’s competences, references of scientific productions (list of publications and scans of the first page of the publication; etc.);
4. Three recent passport photos (one of which should be attached to the application form);
5. Scan of the first two pages of the passport valid for at least two years corresponding to the period of the Masters course;
6. A handwritten and signed declaration on honour, attesting that once enrolled in this Master programme, the candidate undertakes to scrupulously respect the study and examination regulations of ERAIFT, to pursue his/her studies throughout the duration of his/her training, to display ethical and moral behaviour, and to produce all deliverables
   requested by the School at the end of his/her training (internship reports, Master 2 thesis, etc.), failing which he/she will have to reimburse any scholarship made available to him/her.

VII. TRANSMISSION OF THE FILE AND DEADLINE

All applications should be sent to ERAIFT digitally in a single pdf file, via email: [email protected], with a copy to [email protected] with the subject line: “My application to the Regional Masters Programme, 4th class”.

? Addressee: Baudouin MICHEL, Director of ERAIFT and President of the Academic and Research Council.
? Maximum file size to be sent: 10 MB
? Deadline for submission: Monday 28/02/2022 at 16:00 (Kinshasa time, GMT + 1)
? For further information please write to,

Only complete and timely applications will be examined by a joint team, consisting of members of the Academic and Research Council (ARC) of ERAIFT and AGRINATURA, under the chairmanship of the Director of ERAIFT and President of the ARC.

In a first step, an analysis of the administrative conformity of the files will be made for a preselection. Shortlisted candidates will be notified for an entrance test in mathematics, French, English and computer science.Ethical and behavioural aspects as well as leadership will also be assessed online during an interview with shortlisted candidates.

Only successful applicants will be informed of their enrolment in the 4th class of this regional programme.

If the application is equally competent, priority will be given to female applicants; and the regional aspect of the School will be strongly supported.

For more details, visit UNESCO website.