Tuesday, June 26, 2007

CSDG/ECOWAS Peace and Security Mentoring Programme

The CSDG/ ECOWAS Peace and Security Mentoring Programme
As part of its Knowledge Building and Mentoring Programme, the Conflict, Security and Development Group (CSDG) at King’s College London in collaboration with the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is pleased to announce a call for applications for the MA Studentships and Mentoring Programme 2007-8.

Funded by the UK Department for International Development, the Programme will bring together 5 West Africans at the early stages of their career to undertake a carefully designed MA and training programme in Conflict, Security and Development at the King’s College London. This training will conclude with an attachment to the ECOWAS Commission for practical experience in the field of peace and security.

The Purpose of the MA Studentships and Mentoring Programme
The Programme is designed to expose young African professionals to the complexities of conflict, security and development and to equip them for careers in this field. The Programme has 3 main aims: The first is to increase the pool of West Africans versed in the field of Peace and Security. The second is to ensure that African regional organisations such as ECOWAS have better access to knowledge and expertise relevant to their peace and security mechanisms. The third aim is to inject skills within regional and national centres of excellence so that they can strengthen their policy research capacity on peace, security and development topics. It will also develop the existing network of African scholars working in the field whilst linking them with the peace and security mechanisms of relevant regional institutions.

Programme Content
This is an 18 month Programme, with 3 components. The first comprises the MA Programme and mentoring sessions based at King’s college London. The first part of this phase entails full-time study at KCL, where successful candidates will pursue an MA in Conflict, Security and Development and attend specifically designed training sessions on African peace and security. During this period, they will conduct visits to several UK institutions working in the field of peace and security and undertake research visits to partner institutions in Europe. The period of study in the UK will end with a simulation seminar during which a mock conflict management situation will be practiced.

Action Research and Mentoring at select institutions
The second component entails action research aimed at exposing successful applicants to the real world of policy actors, while undertaking research directly relevant to the work of key African regional organizations, particularly ECOWAS. This will be based on collaboration with CSDG partner institutions, including, for example, the New York University Centre on International Co-operation (NYU-CIC), the International Peace Academy (IPA) also in New York and the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).

During the period of their attachment to these institutions, Fellows will be expected to produce written work, based on analysis of issues of immediate policy relevance to the work of ECOWAS and/or the African Union. The subject of their research will have been agreed with the facilitating institutions and the sponsoring African organizations at an earlier period.

Attachment to ECOWAS
The third component of the CSDG/ ECOWAS MA Studentships and Mentoring Programme will be based at the ECOWAS Commission, where participants on the programme will be based for a minimum period of 6 months. Here, participants will follow a structured program applying knowledge gained through training while also gaining direct experience of the workings of the organization. Under the supervision of senior staff working in the field of peace and security, they will participate in and contribute to the day-to-day work of the organization. They will also be exposed to the complexities of the sub-region and to the stack realities confronting the practitioners operating on peace and security in West Africa.

Terms of the MA Studentship and Mentoring Programme
Successful applicants will have the status of full time MA students on Conflict Security and Development Masters course. It is necessary for applicants to the Mentoring Programme to make individual successful applications to the MA Conflict, Security and Development in the Department of War Studies. Details of the MA Conflict Security and Development can be found at this link: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/sspp/ws/ps/tpg/macsd/

You can make an on-line application at this link:
http://student.kcl.apply.studylink.com/index.cfm?event=security.showLogin

All foreign students at King’s College London and will be subject to the immigration rules of the UK, which can be found on the King’s College London web page for obtaining student visas: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/international/preparing/visas/

Additional information on studying as an international student at King’s College London is available on the College’s webpage for International Students:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/about/structure/admin/acareg/studentservices/intstudents

The position is funded* and will include a stipend of £825 per month for the first 12 months based in London. In addition, a one-off sum of £750 will be made available to each student upon their arrival in the UK, to assist with winter clothing and book expenses. Successful candidates will be able to apply for University of London accommodation, although they can make their own alternative accommodation arrangements. Candidates are strongly advised to make all necessary accommodation arrangements prior to taking up their positions at King’s College London. Information on KCL student accommodation can be found at this link:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/about/structure/admin/facser/accomm/appguide.html

For the period of attachment in ECOWAS, participants will receive a stipend of $1,000 per month, exclusive of medical insurance expenses; in addition to a $500 one-off allowance to enable them settle in to their location. Fellows are expected to find their own accommodation during this phase also.

It is important to note that this financial support is for individual participants on the programme. It does not cover dependants and it is not intended to support family members. Successful candidates will need to make alternative arrangements to cover the costs of dependants before arrival in the UK. Under the UK Immigration laws, prospective applicants must satisfy the Home Office that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and their dependents before arrival in the UK (taking into account the stipend to be provided by the Mentoring Programme).

The programme is a full time appointment and all applicants are expected to make a full time commitment. Given the intensive nature of the programme, including its short phases in different locations, as well as necessary extensive travel, successful applicants that are expectant or nursing mothers will be advised to defer their admission to the programme.

The offer of a place on the programme will be subject to successful candidates obtaining a student visa to study on the MA. Failure to obtain a visa to enter the UK automatically invalidates the offer of a place on the programme with no consequences to King’s College London. Successful applicants will be required to undergo medical examinations at recommended venues prior to taking up their positions. It is a condition of the programme that successful candidates shall return to their base or home countries at the end of the programme. Please note that any deviation from the terms of the programme, except as may be lawfully authorized by King’s College London, shall affect a successful applicant’s immigration status. Please consult the British Embassy/High Commission in your home country for more information. The Conflict Security and Development Group reserve the right to terminate the appointment in the event of any breach of the conditions of the MA Studentships and Peace and Security Mentoring Programme.


Eligibility
Applicants should:
ß Submit a separate application for the MA Conflict Security and Development (CSD) at King’s College London. The offer of a place on the programme will be conditional upon admission onto the MA.
ß Be citizens of a West African country (member states of ECOWAS), with valid travel documents.
ß Have knowledge of, or experience of human rights, security and development issues.
ß Must be able to demonstrate a commitment to contribute to work on peace and security in Africa
ß Have a demonstrable plan for how to utilise knowledge gained in the Fellowship upon return to their countries and organisations.
ß Must be fluent in spoken and written English.
Application
To be considered for the MA Studentships and Mentoring Programme please e-mail or post the following documents to Eka Ikpe at [email protected] or Eka Ikpe, Conflict, Security and Development Group, King’s College, London WC2R 2LS UK by 17:00 hrs, 10July 2007:
ß A letter of application detailing your relevant experience and qualifications.
ß A supporting statement detailing why you think that this Mentoring Programme is important and future plans for engagement with peace and security issues no longer than 1,000 words.
ß 2 letters of recommendation(To be received directly from the Referees by the deadline of 17:00 hrs, 10 July 2007)
ß Recent curriculum vitae.
ß Two writing samples.
ß Indicate on your MA Conflict Security and Development application that you are also applying for a place on the CSDG/ECOWAS Peace and Security Mentoring Programme.
Please ensure all documents are sent in as MS Word attachments in a single email message or as a single post package and that your name is indicated at the top right hand corner of every page of all documents submitted.

* This project is funded with the generous support of the Department for International Development.

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