August 9, 2007
U.S. Application Process (2008)
The deadline to apply for a UNESCO Chair or to participate in the UNITWIN program is March 26, 2008. Because of the great interest in these programs, applications received after 5 PM EST on this date will not be considered.
UNESCO will not consider applications that are sent directly to them for either the UNESCO Chairs or UNITWIN Network program. To be considered, completed applications and documentation must be submitted to the U.S. National Commission, which will review all proposals based on criteria included below, and will forward outstanding proposals to UNESCO.
U.S. applicants should send three (3) copies and one electronic PDF of their proposals by Fed Ex, DHL, or UPS (note: due to regular mail issues, please use one of these services) to the following address: :
U.S. National Commission for UNESCO
2121 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 6200
Washington, DC 20037
U.S. scholars and institutions seeking to apply for a UNESCO Chair or to participate in the UNITWIN program should prepare application materials based on UNESCO's "Guidelines for the Submission of Project Proposals." More information can also be obtained in the UNESCO document "Procedures for the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Programme: A Practical Guide."
Applications for both programs will be reviewed by a subcommittee panel of experts on the U.S. National Commission in the fields of education, science, culture and communications.
The Commission includes representatives from technical organizations as well as individuals with specific expertise in UNESCO's areas of competence. A list of Commission members can be found on the U.S. Commission for UNESCO website.
Timeline
March 26: 5 pm Deadline for the receipt of applications by the National Commission.
March 27-April 18: Initial review of applications.
April 18-25 (Time and day will be coordinated with committee members): Meeting of subcommittee to select tentative finalists.
Prior to April 28 (Time and day to be determined): National Commission for UNESCO action on subcommittee recommendations.
April 28: Proposals forwarded to UNESCO.
Because of the large volume of applications UNESCO receives, the UNESCO Secretariat review process can take from several months to a year, depending on the quality of the original application and the workloads of the seven to nine professionals who will be reviewing each proposal.
2008 Criteria for Project Consideration:
The criteria are based on the guidelines for the submission of proposals for both the UNITWIN and UNESCO Chairs programs, prepared by UNESCO.
Applicants are urged to fully review UNESCO's major priorities in education, science, culture and communications prior to submitting their proposals; preference will be given to those projects that correspond to UNESCO's priority areas and that make a unique and innovative contribution to the field.
1. Clearly stated objectives that respond to one of UNESCO's priority areas of competence. Preference will be given to those programs that will help to build capacity in developing or transitioning countries.
2. The activities and approach of the Chair or Network must be judged to adequately meet the objectives of the program. Activities may include:
- Lecturing on topics relevant to the field covered by the chair;
- Short-term workshops;
- Research-linked activities; and
- Service-type activities.
3. Sufficient numbers of highly qualified personnel to carry out the activities of the program.
[The credentials of staff and faculty who will contribute to the Chair or Network should be submitted with the original application. In the case of the Chairs program, the Chairholder will be selected after the application is accepted and with the approval of UNESCO.]
In the UNESCO Chair program, every Chair program should include:
- A Chairholder as its academic head;
- A number of researchers from the host institution and from other domestic and international institutions who are involved with the activities of the program; and
- A number of students or researchers pursuing postgraduate studies and/or high-level training under the direction of the Chair.
There are no set guidelines for staffing a UNITWIN network. Therefore, the proposal must demonstrate that the proposed staff will be able to effectively implement the activities of the network.
4. Adequate financial resources. Proposals should not rely on UNESCO for funding. Because of the time and resources involved in reviewing and selecting successful candidates, it is critical that funding sources be identified before you apply. Each proposal must demonstrate that funding can be secured to carry out the activities of the proposed program.
5. Adequate institutional capacity and experience. The host institutions must demonstrate a capacity for successfully implementing the proposed program and activities.
6. Designation of partner institution(s) in another country and an appropriate system for sharing knowledge, resources and information. Preference will be given to those programs that partner with institutions from developing or transitioning countries. Confirmed partners should submit a letter of support to be signed by the head of the institution concerned.
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