UNESCO ERAIFT Masters Scholarships for African Students 2022-2023

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).

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UNESCO ERAIFT Master Scholarships

Aim and Benefits of UNESCO ERAIFT Master 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 UNESCO ERAIFT Master 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.

Documents Required for Application

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.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

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”.

For more details,visit UNESCO website