Are you eager for a change of perspective? For a unique experience where sustainability matters and where you critically engage with global connections?
Then apply by January 20th for your ASA scholarship!
Since 2021, researchers and students from Rhine-Waal University and the Universidade de Brasília have been collaborating on sustainable development approaches for the Cerrado region in Brazil in the realm of the EcoSiPas project. The project aims to contribute to the sustainable management of the Cerrado by gaining a deeper understanding on the various ecosystem services different land-use types provide. One of these ecosystem services under investigation are products derived from native fruit trees highly prevalent in the region (e.g. pequi fruits or baru nuts). These products can serve as an additional sustainable income source or increase food security for the region’s residents. In this project, you will work together with the partner institutions to investigate more closely the role of these indigenous trees and the products derived from them for the sustainable development of the Cerrado.
This project is suitable if you:
Have an interest in sustainable practices in agriculture and/or forestry
Are familiar with the basics of scientific data collection and analysis.
Possess skills in planning and designing surveys.
For further information and applications, please follow this link: https://shorturl.at/aijQ6
About the ASA Programme
Learn to better understand how the world is connected. Are you interested in opportunities for international exchange and collaboration? The ASA Programme supports young people who recognise global interdependencies and want to transform it. The programme offers seminars, connections to an international network, and projects with partner institutions in Germany and in a country in Africa, Asia, Latin America and South-East Europe.
Criteria for participation and the application process
From 1st December onwards, an invitation to apply to the projects will be listed on the homepage of the ASA Programme. From this date onwards, interested persons from Germany can apply to the projects if they fulfill the formal requirements. We ask that the partner institutions actively advertise their project locally and motivate interested parties to apply.
The deadline for applications is 19 January 2024. Applications are accepted online.
Participants from Germany can apply directly to the ASA Programme through the following link: Bewerbung ASA Programm (asa-programm.de) [German only].
Requirements
Please consider the following criteria for potential participants:
Formal criteria:
• Age: 21 to 30 (for participants from Germany) or 21 to 35 (for participants from partner institutions in a country in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or Southeast Europe)
• Participants from Germany: should be enrolled on a course of study at a university or technical college (not yet completed) OR have completed a bachelor’s degree within the last 18 months OR completed vocational training.
• Language skills relevant to the chosen project (project language).
• Very good proficiency of English, minimum level: B2 (according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, (CEFR). A certificate needs to be submitted by all non-native speakers (details see below).
• Possibility and willingness to participate full-time in both project phases without restrictions (i.e. place of residence at the project location or willingness to relocate for 1 35-40 hours per week the respective project phase)
• Participants from partner institutions in a country in Africa, Asia, Latin America, or Southeast Europe can be members/staff (not at the management level!) of the partner institution.
Professional skills
• Professional knowledge about the project’s activities and requirements.
Social skills and motivation
• Openness and willingness to learn, keen to acquire new skills, team player
• Interest in global relations as well as political and/or social engagement
• Enthusiastic about participating in the ASA Programme
For insurance purposes, we must also inform you that participants must be able, both physically and psychologically, to participate in both project phases (the insurance agreement concluded by the ASA Programme for the project does not provide coverage for pre-existing conditions unless there is an acute and unforeseeable deterioration of the medical conditions).
Requirements for obligatory participation in the seminars and extra tutorials
• Participants will take part in two to three online or on-site seminars in Germany during weekdays within the first project phase (between 15 April – July). For both, project implementation in presence and digital, participants must be able to attend the seminars either with private laptop/pc and internet access and/or with laptop/pc and internet access provided by the partner institution in the respective partner country (digital project implementation) or the partner institution in Germany (presence mode implementation).
English language
The seminars mentioned above will be held in English only. Interpreting services will not be provided and cannot be provided by other participants. All official documents for ASA participants from partner countries will be provided solely in English. For this reason, it is necessary that all participants in the global format – whether from Germany or from the partner countries – are highly proficient in English. While non-native speakers must evidence a minimum level of B2 (according to the CEFR, (see below), a level of C1 is highly recommended to ensure that all participants are able to follow seminar content and discussions easily.