News and Opportunities

Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Programme (Scholarship Programme)

The Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Programme (Scholarship Programme) provides a grant covering travel, subsistence, admission, tuition and other approved expenses to enable promising young Customs managers from a developing country member of the WCO to undertake Master’s level studies at the Aoyama Gakuin University (AGU) in Tokyo, Japan.

• A candidate must be a customs officer of a developing member of the WCO with quality work experience of at least two years in the field of customs policy and administration in his/her home country.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have experience in IPR border enforcement, and who are expected to work in the IPR-related section of their Customs administration after this Scholarship Programme.
• A candidate must be in good health and preferably under 40 years of age as of April 1, 2021.
• Individuals who have already been awarded a scholarship under the Japan-WCO Human Resource Development Programme in the past will not be entitled to apply for this Scholarship Programme.
• After the completion of the Programme, the candidates should continue to work in their home Customs administration for 3 years at least.
• A monthly stipend covers accommodations, meals, transportations, and other expenses. It cannot be increased to cover family members if any. The amount of stipend is subject to change according to the decision of the Japanese Government.*
• Admission and tuition fees.**
• Round-trip economy-class air tickets between your home country and Japan.
• *The current amount of monthly stipend is 147,000 yen (as of 2020).
• **The current amount of admission fee is 290,000 yen and the annual tuition fee is 917,000 yen (as of 2020).
• If the performance of scholars falls below a certain critical standard (e.g., failing a required course, or one that is important in the curricula), or scholars are unable to continue with schoolwork for any reason whatsoever, we may terminate the provision of the scholarship, even during the school year. In the event of such an occurrence, scholars may also not be provided with a return air ticket.

All selected scholars shall abide by the laws of Japan, as well as by AGU regulations, and refrain from engaging in unlawful activities. If the scholar fails to do so, his/her scholarship may be terminated at our discretion and the scholars may not be provided with a return air ticket.

After the completion of the Programme

• After half a year and 3 years respectively from completion of the Programme, Scholars should report to the WCO and the AGU indicating the post they occupy in their home administration and how they have been utilizing the experience they acquired in Japan.

For more information: http://www.aoyamasmiprp.jp/scholarship/

Harvard University Academy Scholars Program for International PhD Students

This program is open to all recent PhD recipients and doctoral candidates in the social sciences or law.

The Academy Scholars Program identifies and supports outstanding scholars at the start of their careers whose work combines disciplinary excellence in the social sciences or law with a command of the language and history or culture of countries or regions outside of the United States or Canada. Their scholarship may elucidate domestic, comparative, or transnational issues, past or present.

Eligibility

The competition for these awards is open only to recent PhD (or comparable professional school degree) recipients and doctoral candidates in the social sciences or law.

Those still pursuing a PhD should have completed their routine training and be well along in the writing of their theses before applying to become Academy Scholars. If you have completed a PhD program, the PhD completion date must be within three years of the October 1 application deadline. For applicants applying for the October 1, 2020 deadline, you must have completed your PhD or equivalent after September 30, 2017.

The Selection Committee considers all applicants in one applicant pool.

Terms

Each year, four to six Academy Scholars are named for two-year appointments. Academy Scholars are expected to reside in the Cambridge/Boston area for the duration of their appointments unless travelling for pre-approved research purposes or unless Harvard University’s coronavirus pandemic response necessitates a switch to a virtual campus.

Postdoctoral Academy Scholars will receive an annual stipend of $70,000. If selected before earning the PhD, the Scholars will receive an annual stipend of $31,000 until awarded the PhD. This stipend is supplemented by funding for conference and research travel, research assistants, and health insurance coverage. Some teaching is permitted but not required.

Applications are welcome from qualified persons without regard to nationality, gender, or race.

How to Apply

All application materials need to be submitted by the deadline of October 1. We do not accept late applications.

The completed application will include:

1. A cover letter which succinctly states the applicant's academic field, country or region of specialization, and proposed research topic
2. Curriculum vitae (CV) or resumé; including a list of publications
3. Research proposal (2500 word maximum); including intellectual objectives and planned methodological and disciplinary work
4. A copy of your PhD program transcript
5. Three letters of recommendation (uploaded through the online application)

Letters should be addressed to the "Selection Committee."

Letters of recommendation need to be uploaded by the deadline of October 1.

All parts of the application, including the three letters of recommendation, are submitted online as pdf documents. The online application is accessed through the homepage of The Harvard Academy’s website.

To register visit: https://academy.wcfia.harvard.edu/programs/academy_scholar