UNESCO IHE Delft Young Water Diplomats Programme

Application Deadline: 12 November 2023 – 23:59 (CET).

The UNESCO IHE Delft Young Water Diplomats programme is designed to enhance an interdisciplinary understanding of transboundary water challenges and advance tools for water cooperation and diplomacy, as well as to strengthen professional networking among the next generation of leading water and environmental diplomats.

Requirements

• Early career diplomats engaged and/or interested in international water and environmental politics with a background in foreign affairs, international law or international relations.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible to participate, applicants must:

• have at least a Bachelor’s degree
• be at an early stage of their career, priority is given to applicants under 40 years of age
• have working experience in the field of international relations, foreign affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, and cooperation – preferably in environmental or water-related issues
• have a strong command of English (ability to read and understand academic literature, and articulate thoughts clearly)

Prerequisites

No specific prerequisites are required for this course. However, working experience or knowledge in the field of international relations, foreign affairs, diplomacy, conflict resolution, and cooperation – preferably in an environment or water-related issues are necessary preconditions. The programme will benefit participants with a degree in social sciences, law or humanities.

Course content

The Young Water Diplomats Programme will be conducted between January and July 2024. During this six-month period, participants will be engaged in online and in-person learning activities such as lectures, reading assignments, group work, and discussions with experts.

Thematic lectures delivered by leading academics will be coupled with interventions from practitioners. Interactive meetings with diplomats who have experience in the fields of water and environmental peace-building will provide opportunities to share experiences and gain first-hand knowledge.

The programme comprises bi-monthly webinars held throughout the course and two face-to-face sessions – the first in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and the second in Delft, the Netherlands.

Requirements

Participants are expected to spend on average about four hours per week in order to fulfil the minimum requirements of the programme. Webinars will take place twice a month on work days during working hours in the CET timezone. In addition, you are expected to travel to Kazakhstan and the Netherlands for the in-person meetings in April and June.

The average monthly workload of 16 hours includes the following mandatory activities:

• Active participation in two webinars per month (lectures, discussions, presentations, and other activities)
• Preparatory readings
• Contribution to group work
• Completion of self-paced individual assignments
• Participation in two workshops in Almaty, Kazakhstan (April 2024) and Delft, Netherlands (June 2024)

Costs

The programme fee is €1400 excluding value-added tax (VAT). Additional costs to be borne by participants include travel, visa, insurance, living expenses and accommodation costs for the face-to-face meetings in Almaty and Delft.

Candidates from low- and middle-income countries who meet all eligibility criteria can apply for a scholarship that covers programme-related expenses, including the programme fee and travel-related costs 

Application process

Please be prepared to submit your motivation statement in the required format (available under Downloads), Bachelor diploma and transcript, CV, and a copy of an identity document (for example passport).

To apply press the “Apply now” button in the IHE Delft application portal. Then register your details and select this course from the short courses section of the portal.

The deadline for application is 12 November 2023 – 23:59 (CET).

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNESCO IHE Delft Young Water Diplomats Programme 2024