Application Deadline: 14 September 2025.
Applications are now open for the 2026 United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea. The United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship provides Government officials and other mid-level professionals from developing States with advanced training on ocean affairs and the law of the sea, as well as related disciplines, including marine science in support of management frameworks. Fellows will learn about international legal frameworks, key issues and best practices in ocean affairs, become familiar with the work of the United Nations, and develop professional skills. Fellows will also conduct individual research, under academic supervision, and develop a written thesis on a topic selected by them.
Upon completion of the Fellowship, Fellows are expected to return to their home countries and use their in-depth knowledge and extended experience to assist in formulating comprehensive ocean policy and in implementing the legal regime set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related instruments, including through designing, implementing and/or evaluating specific improvement projects.
Fellowship structure, curriculum and deliverables
The 9-month Fellowship Programme is composed of two consecutive phases which provide Fellows with advanced and customized research and training opportunities in their chose fields:
- Phase One: 3-month Research and Training, which is normally undertaken between March/April and June at DOALOS at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
- Phase Two: 6-month Advanced Academic Research and Study, which is normally undertaken between July and December at one of the prestigious participating Host Institutions and under the guidance of subject matter expert(s) who have recognized in-depth expertise in the Fellows’ chosen field of study.
Deliverables
The deliverables of the Fellowship Programme are:
- A 100-page written thesis
- A presentation of the research
- An ocean governance matrix
In addition, a number of assignments will be completed in the context of the training curriculum delivered during phase one of the programme.
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates wishing to be considered for a Fellowship award must ensure that they meet all the following criteria:
- You must be between the ages of 25 and 45;
- You must have successfully completed a first university degree, and demonstrate a capacity to undertake independent advanced academic research and study;
- You must be a mid-level professional from a national government organ of a developing State, or another governmental or non-governmental agency in such a State, which deals directly with ocean affairs issues, and your professional position must allow you to directly assist your nation in the formulation and/or implementation of policy in this area. This includes marine sciences and the science-policy linkage. Your “Nomination and Recommendation Form” should be completed by a Government official or other official who can attest to the nature of your work with respect to the Government’s ocean affairs and law of the sea related activities, and indicate how an Award would directly contribute to these activities;
- Your proposed research and study programme must contribute directly to your nation’s formulation and/or implementation of ocean affairs and law of the sea policies and programmes; and
- You must be free of all non-Fellowship obligations during the entire Fellowship period unless otherwise authorized by the Division.
Benefits
Stipend and book allowance
General
Fellows will receive a stipend each month during their Fellowship, both during their time in New York and, for United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellows participating in the 9-month programme, during their time at the second phase host institution. The stipend is paid from the date a Fellow departs from their home country, and ends on the date of completion of the Fellowship, including a maximum travel time of up to two days by the most direct air route, in accordance with United Nations travel rules.
Travel
Fellows will be provided with a return economy class air-ticket to travel from their home country to complete the Fellowship.
Strategic Needs Fellows will be provided with return economy class air-tickets between their home country and DOALOS in New York. Fellows undertaking the 9-month United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellowship will be provided with economy class air-tickets to travel from their home country to DOALOS in New York, from New York to their second host institution, and from the second host institution back to their home country.
Housing
Fellows are responsible for securing their accommodations; in the case of United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellows completing the 9-month Fellowship this is valid for both placement locations. In certain cases, it may be possible for Fellows to make the appropriate arrangements through their host institutions. Nonetheless, all such arrangements are the sole responsibility of the Fellows.
Book allowance
In addition to the stipend, the United Nations – Nippon Foundation Fellows (the 9-month Programme) will be provided with a Book Allowance of US$100 per month for the phase two of the Fellowship ($600 altogether). This allowance will be transferred to the Fellow either as a lump-sum payment, or on a monthly basis with each stipend payment.
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