Masters Degree | Scholarship for Nigerians and Africans - Part 262

Erasmus Mundus UNESCO-IHE Masters on Flood Risk Management Scholarships

Erasmus Mundus Grant Committe has selected UNESCO-IHE’s proposal on a new Masters Course on Flood Risk Management for funding under the 2010 Erasmus Mundus Action 1 Call for proposal. The new Masters Course will be offered in collaboration with the Technical University of Dresden (Germany), Technical University of Catalonia (Spain) and University of Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Integrated flood risk management aims to reduce the human and socio-economic losses caused by flooding while at the same time taking into account the social, economic, and ecological benefits from floods and the use of flood plains or coastal zones. The need for the adoption of a holistic integrated approach to managing flood risks has been reflected in the Flood Directive of the European Parliament. Existing Masters programmes on floods offered at EU cover many technical aspects but lack integration. The programme follows the holistic approach and is explicitly designed to cover a wide range of topics – from drivers and natural processes to models, decisions and socio-economic consequences and institutional environment, and is therefore an important advance in water education for Europe.

The Erasmus Mundus Masters Course on Flood risk management is offered by the consortium consisting of UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education (the Netherlands), the Technical University of Dresden (Germany), the Technical University of Catalonia (Spain) and the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). The associated members include European hydraulics laboratories, namely, DHI (Denmark), Deltares and HR Wallingford (UK), and from key national organisations responsible for flood management, including Rijkswaterstaat (the Netherlands). ICHARM (Japan), and three organisations from Bangladesh are associated members as well. All these partners bring their specific complementary expertise in flood risk management to the EMMC, which graduates educated flood risk professionals with a broad vision of the processes occurring in river basins and in coastal zones at different spatial and temporal scales, and who can master the links between systems, processes and natural and socio-economic constraints for all the aspects of the water cycle.

During the 2-year programme students start at the Technical University of Dresden, where they complete their first semester with 30 ECTS with courses on hydro-meteorological processes, global change and its impact, flood risk management and GIS. Then the students move to UNESCO-IHE for their 2nd semester with 30 ECTS where they receive courses on modelling for planning, forecasting, control and decision support, hazard mapping, ICT, and fluvial flooding and urban flood disasters. Subsequently, the students move to the Technical University of Catalonia to follow part of their 3rd semester with 20 ECTS with courses on hazards due to flash floods, debris flow, coastal flooding, and climate change. The last part of the 3rd semester is hosted by the University of Ljubljana where students follow courses on spatial planning, and socio-economic and institutional framework of flood risk management to earn 10 ECTS. Each semester provides a number of electives, and there are international fieldtrips. Finally, the students carry out their thesis work (30 ECTS) at one of HIEs or with an industrial partner. Successful candidates receive MSc degrees from the Technical University of Dresden, UNESCO-IHE and the Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona.

Partners:

  • UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Delft, the Netherlands (Co-ordinating Institution)
  • Technical University of Dresden, Germany
  • Technical University of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
  • University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Duration: 2 years, starting September 2011

Contact:

Dr Biswa Bhattacharya
Hydroinformatics & Knowledge Management
Westvest 7
2601 DA Delft, Nederland
E-mail:  b.bhattacharya@unesco-ihe.org

PhD Researcher in Innovation Studies, Netherlands

Energy transition processes take a very long time. One of the reasons is the huge inertia of existing systems and the unwillingness of very powerful regime actors to quickly move into new directions. Entrepreneurs with novel ideas often do not posses the power to break through these inert techno-institutional complexes. Therefore, they need to develop specific strategies in order to become successful.
This project focuses on the fundamental mechanism that strongly influences all energy transition processes: the interplay between strategies of entrepreneurs who strive to introduce novelty and strategies of incumbents who have strong vested interests and therefore often resist these processes of change. The two types of actors differ strongly in their respective power positions and therefore very different strategies are likely to be pursued. The government is often confronted with the strategies of both types of actors and needs to find a balance in dealing with both interests. Surprisingly hardly any information on this issue can be found in the literature while this is crucial information to accelerate transition processes. In the project, two empirical domains will be studied that strongly differ in the structure of the incumbent regime: the automotive sector and the built environment in The Netherlands. The PhD-student will study one of these empirical domains.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate holds a M.Sc. (or equivalent) degree in a relevant field (e.g. innovation studies, sustainable development, evolutionary economics, organisation science, policy science) with experience in empirical research.

Contact Person: Prof. dr Marko Hekkert (M.Hekkert@geo.uu.nl; phone: +31 30 253 6112).

You may also visit the faculty’s website at: www.geo.uu.nl.

How to apply:

Please send your written application, before 15-08-2010, consisting of a letter of motivation, curriculum vitae and addresses of two referees, to:

Utrecht University, Faculty of Geosciences
Personnel Department
Postbus 80115,
3508 TC Utrecht
The Netherlands or (preferably) by email to PenO@geo.uu.nl

Please mention vacancy number 72178 in all communications and mention where you first saw this advertisement.

ICAR Senior Research Fellowship 2010, National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), India

Applications are invited from eligible candidates for the grant of ICAR Senior Research Fellowship (PGS) – 2010 for pursuing Ph.D. degree in the field of Agriculture and allied Sciences.

(i) ICAR-SRF (PGS) will be awarded on the basis of merit in the All India Competitive Entrance Examination for ICAR-SRF (PGS) and admission to Ph. D. degree programme at State Agricultural Universities (SAUs), Deemed Universities, viz. IARI (New Delhi) / IVRI (Izatnagar) / NDRI (Karnal) / CIFE (Mumbai) / SHIATS (Allahabad), Central Agricultural University (Imphal, Manipur), and Central Univerisities having faculty of agriculture, viz. Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Viswa Bharti, and Nagaland University, herein-after referred to as the Agricultural Universities (AUs). The fellowship will NOT be available for admission in any university other than the AUs as mentioned above.

ICAR-SRF (PGS) is effective from the date of registering in the Ph.D. programme in any Agricultural University (SAUs, ICAR DUs, CAU or CUs having faculty of agriculture) or effective from the date ICARSRF (PGS) is awarded, whichever is later.

(ii) The fellowship will be admissible to persons of Indian Nationality as defined in the Constitution of India or persons domiciled in India.
(iii) The award of ICAR-SRF (PGS) can be availed within a period of one year from the date of issue of this award letter for seeking admission in Ph.D. programme in the qualifying subject at any Agricultural University (AU). It will not be extended in any case.
(iv) If already registered as full time Ph.D. Scholar, he/she should not have completed two years on the date of examination.
(v) Duration of ICAR-SRF (PGS) will be three years and in no case it will be extended beyond the period of three years.
(vi) SRF will be awarded subject to verification of credentials by award administration authority, viz. the University/ Institute where the candidate gets admission.
(vii) No TA and DA will be paid to the candidates for appearing in the Examination at the Centres or for joining the University.
(viii) For admissions, eligibility conditions of the admitting University/ Institute will be applicable.
(ix) Fellowship would be granted only when the candidate gets eventually admitted and pursues Ph. D. degree from an Agricultural University (AU) other than the Agricultural University (AU) of completing M. Sc./ M.V.Sc./ M.E./ M.Tech. degree, except for ICAR – Deemed to be Universities.
(x) In case of in-service candidates, the awardee joins/has joined the University/Institute other than where he/she is working. In case of an in-service candidate, who is in receipt of full/partial leave salary from his/her parent organization, the amount of ICAR-SRF shall be limited to Rs.3000/- pm in addition to the research contingency as available to fresh candidates.
(xi) The awardee joins/has joined the University/Institute where Ph.D. programme consists of both course work and research.

ELIGIBILTY REQUIREMENTS

Candidates having completed their Master’s Degree programme with a minimum of 55 per cent marks or equivalent OGPA from any recognized university in India and abroad would be eligible. For SC/ST and Physically Handicapped candidates, the minimum per cent of marks will be relaxed by 5 per cent or equivalent OGPA. The equivalence of OGPA to per cent marks, where needed, will be certified by the Registrar of the concerned University and must have to be produced by the candidates. Candidates appearing in the final semester would also be eligible provided they complete the Postgraduate degree in all respects by the date of examination and
produce the degree-completion certificate from the Registrar to this effect. The candidates who have already joined Ph.D. and have completed more than two years as on the date of examination are not eligible to apply for Senior Research Fellowship. The above condition will also apply to in-service candidates. It is the sole responsibility of the candidate to check his/her eligibility for admission before applying. NAARM will not be held responsible for refusing ICAR-SRF(PGS) to any non-eligible candidates.

Application Deadline August 30, 2010