The EU-FCCB National Component Scholarships and Grants
I. MASTER'S STUDENTSHIPS
I. MASTER'S STUDENTSHIPS
I. MASTER'S STUDENTSHIPS
Postgraduate Studentships (MPHIL, MSC by Research) in Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, Forestry, Agriculture, Climate Change, Environmental Economics, Health and Social Sciences
II. RESEARCH GRANTS
I. MASTER'S STUDENTSHIPS
I. MASTER'S STUDENTSHIPS
Research Project Proposals in Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, Forestry, Agriculture, Climate Change, Environmental Economics, Health and Social Sciences
I. MASTERS' STUDENTSHIPS: APPLICATION GUIDELINES
The EU-FCCB National Component Master’s Scholarships are available to PNG citizens who have completed a Bachelor's degree for a two-year Master's programme through research (MPhil, MSc) at a PNG University (Unitech, UPNG, UNRE, UoG or PAU) in fields such as Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, Forestry, Agriculture, Climate Change Research, Environmental Economics, Environmental Health, and Environmental Social Sciences. The scholarships are awarded to individual applicants, not to institutions. Applications will be assessed by a panel of PNG and international experts.
The Master's application must be sent electronically as an email attachment in PDF or docx format to scholarships@national-fccbpng.eu before the deadline. Applications must not exceed the length restrictions; they must be formatted as A4 pages with at least 1.5 cm margins and a font size of 11pt or larger.
The application must contain the following sections:
1. Name and contact details (email and phone) of the applicant, as well as the proposed Master's programme (MPhil, MSc by research) and the proposed university (Unitech, UPNG, UNRE, UoG, or PAU).
2. Letter of motivation (maximum two pages long). In this letter, the applicant should explain why he/she is interested in the Master's programme, his/her specific topic, and what particular strengths and experience he/she has.
3. CV of the applicant (maximum two pages) with details of education, employment, other activities, special knowledge, achievements, interests, and, in general, any information that could help the committee assess the applicant.
4. University transcripts (including courses taken and overall GPA) from the Bachelor's degree representing the qualifications required for the application.
5. A Master's research proposal (maximum two pages long, not including the list of References). This is the ideal “dream research” that the applicant would like to do for the Master's degree. The proposal should include:
- An Abstract summarising the major aims, methods, and significance of the project (max. length 200 words).
- Introduction outlining the theoretical background of the study and the current state of the research.
- Objectives of the project, including the main questions and hypotheses with their rationale.
- Methods with a description of the approaches used in the research, including field research protocols, laboratory protocols, sample analysis, and statistical methods.
- Schedule of activities for the two-year project period.
- Significance of the research.
- References cited in the text (the reference format is not specified; this section does not count towards the 2-page length limit).
Do not include any additional documents that are not required here, such as various course certificates, letters of reference, etc. Applications submitted on paper will not be considered.
Note to applicants: We expect a large number of applicants for this highly competitive scholarship. Applications will be screened, and only a minority of applicants will be shortlisted for interview. Your application must, therefore, stand out from the crowd if you want to be successful. Pay attention to the letter of motivation in which you outline your strengths and the research project that will be used to evaluate your research considerations. At the same time, do not embellish your application – all information will be verified for shortlisted candidates.
We are looking for talented and enthusiastic candidates with diverse skills and strengths. We therefore encourage any ambitious and seriously interested Bachelor-level graduate to apply. Poor GPA grades could be compensated by other strengths, such as knowledge of some plant or animal taxa, skills in research methods, data analysis, or practical work experience.
Application deadline: 31 December 2024
Questions at: scholarships@national-fccbpng.eu
II. RESEARCH PROJECT PROPOSAL: GUIDELINES
The EU-FCCB National Component aims to boost FCCB research in PNG by providing funding for research projects in PNG in fields such as Ecology, Biodiversity Conservation, Forestry, Agriculture, Climate Change Research, Environmental Economics, Environmental Health, and Environmental Social Sciences.
We are looking for proposals for high-quality basic and applied research with the potential for publication at an international level. Proposals should be for two-year projects with a budget of up to K100,000 per project. The Principal Investigator (PI) must hold an MSc/MPhil degree or higher and be employed by an institution in PNG, including universities, research institutes, government agencies, and industry and non-government organisations. Each project must involve an MSc/MPhil student (sponsored by FCCB), and the PI must be willing to act as the student’s internal or external supervisor.
The research project proposal must be submitted electronically as an email attachment to research.grants@national-fccbpng.eu before the deadline in a single file in PDF or DOCX format. It must be formatted on A4 pages with a minimum margin of 1.5 cm and written in a font size of at least 11pt. The proposal may contain text, tables, and figures. The length of the proposal must not exceed the limits specified below. The proposal must be self-contained; additional online text will not be considered. The proposal must contain the following sections:
1. Principal Investigator's (PI) name, contact details (email, phone), and home institution. Projects must be awarded through an institution, not to a private individual.
2. The research proposal must not exceed five pages (excluding the References section, which does not count towards the length limit and can be as long as necessary). The proposal must contain the following chapters:
- Abstract, which summarises the main objectives, methods, and significance of the project (max. length 300 words).
- Introduction outlining the theoretical background of the study and the current state of the research.
- Objectives of the project, including the main questions and hypotheses with their rationale,
- Methods with a detailed description of the approaches used in the research, including fieldwork protocols, laboratory protocols, sample analysis, and statistical methods.
- Personnel, description of the composition and roles of the members of the research team (there are no restrictions on the size of the team, which may include only the PI and a Master's student or additional staff), including the role of an MSc/MPhil student, which is a requirement of the proposal.
- Timetable of activities for the two-year project period.
- Significance of the research.
- References cited in the text (the reference format is not specified).
3. Budget with details of the total funds requested (maximum K100,000 per project) and the budget showing how the funds will be used, with justification of the main items of expenditure. Budget Notes:
- It is expected that the PI's salary will be paid by the home institution and not by the project – unless justified by the PI.
- The cost of one MSc/MPhil student per project is zero and will be funded by other FCCB sources.
- Overheads charged by the home institution for the use of its office and laboratory space, other facilities, and equipment must not exceed 20% of the total amount of the project.
- Budget structure: Salaries (itemised by person, rate of pay, and percentage of FTE for the project), travel, equipment, supplies, services, and overhead.
4. CV of the PI, no longer than two pages, detailing education, employment, supervision of students, and a list of selected publications (with emphasis on those relevant to the project and recent), academic activities (memberships on editorial boards, graduate committees, grant panels, etc.), awards, current and past research grants and contracts, and any other information relevant to the project.
Do not include superfluous information, such as various course transcripts, copies of published work, or other documents that exceed the page limit and are not requested here. Proposals submitted on paper will not be accepted.
Application deadline: 31 December 2024
Questions at research.grants@national-fccbpng.eu
