OPPORTUNITIES
Since 1951, UNESCO has been awarding prizes to projects offering sustainable solutions to the global challenges of gender equality, the fight against poverty, access to quality and inclusive education, climate change monitoring and cultural diversity for a culture of peace. UNESCO Prizes give a boost to research that meets the new needs of local communities, supports digital transformation or anticipates the evolution of society by focusing on artificial intelligence, as well as bring an expert eye and increase visibility on global innovation actors working to transform lives and make decisive progress for humanity. There are currently 25 active UNESCO prizes as follows:
The Zambia National Commission for UNESCO like other Commissions in Member States is mandated to administer the various UNESCO Fellowships in different fields of study. This Programme was set up in 1993 in order to cater for human resource training needs in Member States, and particularly in developing countries like Zambia.
Following are some of the sources of funding for carrying out training activities in connection with the UNESCO Fellowship Bank Programme:
- Fellowships financed from UNESCO’s Regular Programme (UNESCO Fellowship Bank Scheme): These fellowships are of short-term duration (for a maximum of six months) and do not lead to higher diplomas and degrees. They are meant to strengthen and enhance skills development and performance and are accessible to all Member S Only one fellowship is available to each Member State per biennium.
- Co-Sponsored Fellowships: Offered by governments, institutions and private individuals, these fellowships come within UNESCO’s fields of competence and studies, and are usually carried out in the donor country, which also makes the final selection of the beneficiaries. These fellowships are made available to us from UNESCO while the National Commission publicizes them by informing relevant institutions. Examples of such fellowships are the Great Wall Chinese Fellowships, Russian Federation, Israel Mashav, Japanese, Korean and others.
- Fellowships administered from extra-budgetary resources: Individual fellowships are foreseen for the study of certain special methods and techniques; study grants or tours consisting of short programmes of visits and contacts are planned for high level personnel.
The last two categories of fellowships are intended for nationals of developing countries, and sometimes of a region or a given group of countries depending on the wishes of the donors.
Other Fellowships Programmes at UNESCO are:
- Fellowships from the Participation Programme: These fellowships are awarded as a form of assistance for longer periods of study, such as the annual training at the International Institute for Education Planning (IIEP), to Member States in carrying out their activities connected with UNESCO’s P
- UNESCO Institute of Education (UIE) offers short term fellowship/training programmes for senior officials in the field of education, particularly literacy, non-formal education and adult learning.
- UNESCO short-term Fellowship in Biotechnology: This fellowship supports particularly research in plant and aquatic biotechnology and related biotechnologies.
- UNESCO Biotechnology Action Council (BAC) Professorship Scheme aims at providing the biotechnological community in the least developed countries like Zambia with research and training opportunities in biotechnology.
- UNESCO Microbial Resource Centres Network (MIRCENs) offers short-term fellowships in biotechnology designed to stimulate and facilitate research and training in microbial technology and environmental biotechnologies.
- UNESCO/ICSU/TWAS: A short-term fellowship programme in the Basic Sciences aiming at promoting international cooperation.
Follow the link to find out more about UNESCO Fellowships, the donors, and how to apply: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/fellowships
In the spirit of international cooperation, the Zambia National Commission for UNESCO (ZNCU) and the German Commission for UNESCO (DUK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a volunteer service scheme. In doing this, ZNCU joined the worldwide network of National Commissions (NatComs) taking part in ‘kulturweit’, a voluntary service programme initiated by DUK in 2009 and sponsored by the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
‘Kulturweit’ gives young people from Germany between the age of 18 and 26 the opportunity to engage in a period of six to twelve months in the field of cultural and/or educational politics in countries of the Global South, i.e. in Africa, Asia, Latin America, but also in Eastern and Southeastern Europe.
The aim of the programme is to create international networks in culture and education fields and to provide youths with understanding for intercultural cooperation, diversity, and sustainable development. Participants serve in the German state-funded voluntary social year service (FSJ) and are encouraged to develop their skills and competences and improve their knowledge about global contexts, different lifestyles and working methods.
‘Kulturweit’ volunteers can also be appointed by other worldwide acting German institutions such as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German Archaeological Institute (DAI), Deutsche Welle, Goethe-Institut, Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD) and the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (ZfA).
The ZNCU regularly hosts ‘Kulturweit’ volunteers since 2014. The volunteers receive the opportunity to get involved in ZNCU programmes and projects and to gain knowledge about UNESCO’s fields of work by assisting the ZNCU Officers in Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, and Communication and Information Programmes and Projects.
Following ‘kulturweit’ volunteers have been hosted by ZNCU since the beginning of the programme:
INTERNSHIP AND VOLUNTEERING
The Volunteer Attachment Programme at the Zambia National Commission for UNESCO (ZNCU) offers opportunities to undergraduate and postgraduate learners to enhance their academic knowledge with intellectual and hands-on experiences related to the work of the five programme sectors of UNESCO – Education, Natural Sciences, Social and Human Sciences, Culture, Communication and Information. Such experiences helps the volunteer to develop a better understanding of UNESCO’s mandate and programmes and how those programmes are impacting their communities locally and globally. The Volunteer Attachment duration ranges between 2 and 6 months.
Objectives
- To promote a better understanding of national and international issues and an insight into the workings of UNESCO.
- To provide ZNCU with the able assistance of the participants in the work of the five programme sectors of UNESCO.
You can apply for Volunteer Attachment if:
- You are enrolled and have completed at least 3 years of full-time studies in a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a degree at the time of application; or
- You have completed your full-time university studies (bachelor’s degree or equivalent) at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; or
- You are enrolled in a postgraduate programme (second university degree or Master’s degree or equivalent, or higher), at the time of application; or
- You have recently graduated with a university degree (first or second degree as defined above), within the last 12 months.
All applicants should be undertaking studies in areas related to UNESCO’s fields of competence or in other areas which support UNESCO’s work (such as law, human resource management, management studies, international relations, etc.).
What are the requirements?
- Age: You must be at least 20 years old to apply.
- Languages: You should have an excellent command, both written and spoken, of English. A working knowledge of Zambian National Languages is an asset, and may be required for field work and translation.
- Computer skills: You must have an excellent knowledge of computer systems and office-related software.
- Team player: You should be able to work well in a team and adapt to a multicultural, national and international working environment.
- Communication skills: You should possess strong interpersonal and communication skills.
What do you need to prepare?
- National Registration Card or Passport
- Certificate of Enrolment (if you are studying)
- Academic Certificate (if you have just recently graduated)
- Accommodation: You should have your own accommodation arrangements for the entire period of the Volunteer Attachment.
- Travel: You must arrange and finance your everyday travel to and from the location where you shall be undertaking your Volunteer Attachment.
- Meals: You must provide your own meals and refreshments during the Volunteer Attachment.
- Medical certificate: Before the beginning of your Volunteer Attachment, you must provide a medical certificate indicating you are fit to work.
- Medical insurance: ZNCU does not provide any kind of medical insurance cover against risk of illness, disability, or death during the Volunteer Attachment period. Therefore, you must arrange for your own comprehensive health insurance valid in Zambia before you can undertake your Volunteer Attachment.
Before applying
- Ensure that you have read the terms and conditions of the Volunteer Attachment.
- Have your motivation letter and résumé ready before filling out the application form.
- You can only use English in applying.
- You are allowed to submit only one application.
- The duration of an Volunteer Attachment generally ranges between 2 and 6 months.
- ZNCU does not remunerate interns. There is no compensation, financial or otherwise for Volunteer Attachment assignments.
- Even if you are eligible, there is no guarantee of placement. We receive more applications from qualified candidates than we can place.
- Your application will be accessed by ZNCU managers and will stay in our database for a period of six months.
- We do not respond to each and every candidate. If selected, you will be directly contacted by the Senior Programme Officer for Communication and Information. If you do not receive any update within six months, it means that your application has not been successful.
Conditions of the Volunteer Attachment Programme
- Only persons who have completed a Volunteer Attachment Application Form and sat for an aptitude test shall be considered for Volunteer Attachment.
- The Volunteer Attachment should not exceed six months.
- The intern shall not be paid by ZNCU and, as such, he/she shall not be entitled to the privileges and immunities accorded to staff members of ZNCU.
- All expenses connected with the Volunteer Attachment, such as travel costs, travel arrangements, and living accommodation, are the responsibility of the intern or the sponsoring institution.
- There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the Volunteer Attachment and the intern is not entitled to apply for a regular position with ZNCU during the period of the Volunteer Attachment and for six months immediately following the expiration date thereof.
- The intern undertakes to conduct himself/herself at all times in a manner compatible with his/her responsibilities as a participant in a ZNCU Volunteer Attachment programme.
- The intern must keep confidential any and all unpublished information made known during the course of the Volunteer Attachment and not publish any reports or papers on the basis of information obtained except with the authorization of ZNC UNESCO.
- The intern shall provide written notice in case of illness or other unavoidable circumstances which might prevent him/her from fulfilling the Volunteer Attachment.
- The intern is expected to make a short report on his/her assignment of the Volunteer Attachment and to submit it to the Chief Programme Officer.
- The intern is responsible for obtaining any necessary visas[1] if required.
[1] For Volunteer Attachment less than two months, a tourist visa will be sufficient.
For Volunteer Attachment of two to six months, a non-immigrant visa should be obtained.