Deadline: 10 April 2020

OVERVIEW:

UNU-IAS is a global university located in Tokyo, with all classes conducted in English. Sharing a building with many UN agencies, it offers a unique learning environment for its diverse and international student body. The PhD programme includes courses featuring more than 15 international guest lecturers from leading agencies and institutions, offering students opportunities to learn from their unique expertise and experience. The class sizes are sufficiently small and students benefit from interactive and personalized teaching.

The PhD programme in Sustainability Science is a three-year programme that aims to produce scholars who will become key researchers in the field of sustainability science. The programme takes an innovative approach to sustainability, seeking to promote a better understanding of the issues by incorporating global change perspectives, specifically those related to climate change and biodiversity.

SCHOLARSHIPS provided through the Japan Foundation for UNU (JFUNU):

The JFUNU scholarship provides a monthly allowance of 120,000 JPY for living expenses for a maximum of 36 months. However, travel costs to and from Japan, visa handling fees, and health/accident insurance costs must be covered by the student. The tuition fees are fully waived for the scholarship recipients.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

+ Applicants must be from developing countries who can demonstrate a need for financial assistance.

+ Applicants who are currently living in Japan under a working visa are NOT eligible for the scholarship.

+ Applicants who want to pursue a second PhD degree at UNU-IAS are not eligible for the scholarship.

COURSES:

Each student is required to (i) obtain at least 14 credits, in keeping with the instructions that will be provided during orientation, and (ii) complete all degree requirements by July of his/her third year. Students must complete a dissertation on one of several UNU-IAS research themes focusing on global change and sustainability.

+ Overview Courses (Compulsory)

   – The United Nations System and Sustainable Development*

   – Global Change and Planetary Boundaries*

   – Natural Capital and Biodiversity*

   – Resilience and Adaptation Science

   – Frontier of Sustainability Science

+ Elective Courses

   – Water Resources Systems

   – Sustainable Bioproduction and Ecosystems Management

   – Environmental Politics and Climate Change

   – Law and Practice of the United Nations

   – International Development: Ideas, Experience & Prospects

   – Sustainable Cities

+ Competency Courses

   – Trans-disciplinary Graduate Research Seminar*

   – Sustainability Science Research Seminar*

   – Science Communications

   – Remote Sensing, Geographical Information Systems and Analysis: Theory and Application

   – Environmental Statistics and Research Methods

HOW to APPLY:

You must log in or register to view this form.

This online application for Ph.D. in Sustainability Science consists of 9 sections:

– Overview, page 1

1. APPLICANT DETAILS, page 2

2A. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND, page 3

2B. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND DETAILS, page 4

– Principal publications, Conference presentations & Professional achievements, page 4

2C. STATEMENT PURPOSE & RESEARCH PROPOSAL, page 5

Statement of Purpose, page 5

Research Proposal, page 5

3. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND, page 6

4. ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEVEL, page 7

5. REFERENCES, page 8

6. SCHOLARSHIP, pages 9 – 10

7. FINANCIAL DECLARATION, page 11

8. HEALTH DECLARATION, page 12

9. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, page 13

– Submit my Application, page 14

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Please click here to access:

+ Application Guide 2020

+ Ph.D. Online Application Sample 2020

+ FAQ

+ Brochure

If your question is not covered in the FAQ, please contact us using the online inquiry form

. Please ensure that “PhD Degree” is selected as the topic of your inquiry. If you have already submitted an application to us, please use the same email address on the inquiry form.