Story | 13 Abr, 2008

Deadline extended for applications to UNESCO-Vocations Patrimoine Fellowships for World Heritage site managers

Training World Heritage site managers is one of the most valuable investments in heritage conservation, particularly as these sites confront the challenges of increasing flows of tourism and diminishing flows of international assistance for conservation and management. This is why UNESCO's World Heritage Centre has joined forces - for the third year running - in an innovative public-private partnership to offer Fellowships through the UNESCO-Association Vocations Patrimoine World Heritage Site Managers Programme.

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Photo: UNESCO World Heritage

The fellowships are destined for World Heritage site managers as well as people intending to pursue a career in World Heritage site management. This programme is the result of a partnership between the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the French non-governmental organization, Association Vocations Patrimoine and its partners, the multinational groups AXA and MAZARS, actively supported by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. It supports the World Heritage Committee's Capacity Building objectives by facilitating access to advanced level interdisciplinary training in World Heritage studies.

At present, the Fellowships are only offered in connection with the Master of Arts in World Heritage Studies at Brandenburg Technical University, Cottbus, Germany, and with the Master of Science in World Heritage Management at  University College Dublin, Ireland.  Applicants should therefore either be in receipt of an offer of a place or in the process of applying to one of these courses. Applicants should be under 45 years of age.

In addition to proven academic excellence, candidates will be required to submit a proposal for research on a management issue at a World Heritage property to be carried out as part of the Fellowship.  These proposals should explicitly support the objectives and priorities of the World Heritage Committee in the field of World Heritage management. Special attention will be given to candidates who wish to focus their research on the management of a property on the List of World Heritage in Danger or on the management of the impacts of climate change, or tourism, at World Heritage properties.

Each of the five Fellowships on offer covers tuition fees, one round trip air ticket between the Fellow's home and the university plus one round trip air ticket to the World Heritage property where the field work will take place; a monthly stipend of Euro 1300 to cover living expenses, and mandatory health insurance.

Priority will be given to applicants from low income countries and to professionals already working at a World Heritage property.

Applicants may submit their application to the official national liaison body for UNESCO (usually the National Commission  - see Communities section here - which will select a maximum of 2 candidates from each country to forward to UNESCO.