SUMERNET Call for Fellowship Applications 2022

Deadline: 31-Oct-21

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) is seeking applications for “SUMERNET 4 All” (S4A) that focuses on water insecurity in the Mekong Region.

The ongoing phase, SUMERNET 4 All (S4A), will have a strategic focus on “reducing water insecurities for all in the Mekong Region”. The network takes a participatory approach in identifying and finding ways to meet the strategic focus of S4A and utilize the rich research and policy engagement experiences of the partners. Through this approach the network aspires to transform the lives of communities affected by water insecurity in the Mekong Region.

During this fellowship period, SUMERNET would like to focus on project management area. Besides providing grants for individual research projects, S4A is also supporting “fellowships” for young and early-career Mekong citizens of researcher and practitioner backgrounds or graduate students for hands-on learning under the four work components of SUMERNET 4 All.

Objectives

To strengthen knowledge, capacity and skill of young Mekong citizen researchers, development practitioners, those interested in communications and media work, and graduate students.
To help deliver credible, gender inclusive, human rights-based, conflict-sensitive, and poverty-reducing research, practice and communications related to water insecurity in the Mekong Region.
To strengthen the partnership and networking opportunities between their institutions of origin with the SUMERNET Steering Committee, SUMERNET Secretariat and other SUMERNET member institutes. Young professionals or graduate students from the member institutes of SUMERNET will be given higher priority for this grant.
To enhance a sense of ownership of the early career researchers, development practitioners, communication or media people, or graduate students towards SUMERNET as a regional research network.

Components

To be noted that for this current call, SUMERNET would like to focus on Component 4:

Multi-stakeholder engagement (Component 1):Your role under this component is potentially to support SUMERNET Secretariat in advising grantee partners planning and
implementing their policy engagement activities, analyzing policy impacts at research project and at SUMERNET 4 All programme levels, and in planning policy forum for SUMERNET which is organized annually.
Research (Component 2): learn from and support this Component 2 in supervision, monitoring and capacity building activities of research projects and integrated regional assessments and other research activities. Your role will be to carve out a project that adds value to your career and to S4A while helping grantee researchers deliver their work.
Communications (Component 3): learn from and support this Component 3 in supervision, monitoring and capacity building activities of research partners in website or multimedia outputs, publications, media outreach (especially local language media) and other communications activities relevant to the S4A communications strategy.
Project management (Component 4): learn from and support coordination and monitoring, evaluation and learning activities of S4A. Your role will be to support the daily operations of the management of S4A which includes grant administration, project financial management, planning and budgeting, and support MEL activities such as MEL data collection, analysis and reporting, in the purpose of measuring the achievement of S4A programme outcomes.

Funding Information

The SUMERNET 4 All Fellow will receive a monthly allowance of SEK 7,500 (approximately US$ 750) to cover basic living costs and accommodation while residing in Bangkok, Thailand plus standard/economic level Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) costs, basic health/travel insurance, and relevant direct costs (return flight and transit accommodations) plus internet/communication costs. For the duration of their fellowship, SEI will arrange a Thailand visa and work permit fees to enable the fellow to legally live and work in Thailand.
The duration of this grant is 12 months. There is a possibility to extend the fellowship for another term of 6-12 months dependent on the evaluation of the candidate’s work and with the agreement of all parties concerned (SUMERNET fellow, SUMERNET Steering Committee, SUMERNET Secretariat, and also if relevant, the candidate’s home institution).

Eligibility Criteria

Required:
- Candidate is a citizen of one of the Mekong Region countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam) and is not older than 35 years at the start of the fellowship.
- Holds at least a bachelor’s degree and/or is in the process of obtaining Master’s or PhD degree in the subjects relevant to the S4A programme of work.
- At least 2 years work experience in a field related to the S4A programme of work.
- Available to commit to a 12-month full-time period of stay in Thailand based with the SUMERNET Secretariat in Bangkok, Thailand.
- Proficiency in English language along with their native language in the Mekong Region.
Preferable:
- Candidates who submit the letter or proof of previous work showing that they are known to, or recommended by, an institution that is a member of SUMERNET will be given priority in the selection process.
- Candidates with relevant experience and who express interest on developing capacity under Component 4 (Project Management including M&E) will be given priority in the selection process.