OSI Fellowship

2000. Jún. 13., K, 10:15:52 CEST

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 

CENTER FOR POLICY STUDIES
INTERNATIONAL OSI POLICY FELLOWSHIPS, 2001

All applications must be submitted online at Error! Bookmark not defined. by August 1, 2000
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The Central European University Center for Policy Studies (CPS) is calling for proposals for its year 2001 International OSI Policy Fellowships (IPF) program, which is affiliated with the CPS and the Open Society Institute-Budapest. Broadly speaking, an open society is characterized by a reliance on the rule of law, the existence of a democratically elected government, a diverse and vigorous civil society, and respect for minorities and minority opinions. Launched in late 1999, the CPS works with a broadening circle of policy analysts and institutions to promote the development of policy center networks throughout Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Mongolia, as well as countries in South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The Center undertakes policy research and advocacy that furthers the open society mission and disseminates quality analyses in accessible formats. 

The CPS International OSI Policy Fellowships are intended to support the analytical policy research of open society leaders and to provide these Fellows with professional policy training. The program aims to improve the quality of analysis in countries where the Soros foundations work by ensuring that these leaders are able to conduct research in their home region while maintaining local affiliations and a high degree of mobility and intellectual freedom. Fellows participate in four training seminars in Budapest over the course of the fellowship year conducted by professors of public policy from around the world and gain vital skills including how to write professional policy documents, identify appropriate policy instruments, and effectively advocate policies*skills that are underdeveloped in countries where the Soros foundations work. Good policy analysis is characterized by elements including a reliance on well-researched data; comprehensive, non-ideological assessment of relevant factors and options; explicitly stated criteria for assessing options; consideration of the interests and groups affected; and the clear presentation of feasible recommendations for action as well as how these recommendations should be communicated and implemented.     

Outstanding Fellows from Eastern Europe may be nominated to participate in additional training and research opportunities including a three-month International Junior Public Policy Scholar Fellowship in Washington, D.C. in affiliation with the Woodrow Wilson Center's East European Studies program.  The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the United States' official memorial to President Wilson, was established by congressional legislation in 1968. Meant to reflect and continue Woodrow Wilson's commitment to a deeper understanding of issues crucial to global peace and stability, the Center serves as an international, interdisciplinary, non-partisan scholarly institute which fosters scholarship in the humanities and social sciences and encourages dialogue between the academic and policy communities. East European Studies, housed at the Woodrow Wilson Center, provides a non-partisan forum for bringing historical and contemporary understanding of the former communist states of Eastern Europe and the Baltics to the nation's capital and throughout the country. For more details on the Wilson Center and its East European Studies program, please see further details at the end of this announcement and visit the Center's website at Error! Bookmark not defined..  

Applicants are encouraged to submit individual, practical and policy-oriented research proposals in the following subject areas. The product of each fellowship will be a detailed analysis of a major issue to be published in English and translated into other languages: 

Fellowship Issue Areas                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

1) The Impact of European Union Expansion on Non-Accession Countries (5 fellowships)

The expansion of the European Union is fundamentally changing the face of the region. While ten accession countries of Central and Eastern Europe move into the European mainstream, there is a looming danger that a new Berlin Wall will be erected as the EU (and NATO's) borders move east. What is the impact of EU expansion on countries that are not (yet) part of the EU accession process? There are many aspects to this process, for example restrictions on freedom of movement of persons and a new trade regime. These fellowships are designed to spur serious analysis of the consequences of EU expansion on non-accession countries, and offer liberal solutions.

Candidates from Non-Accession Countries should apply (in particular Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine), as well as those from EU accession countries who can provide analyses of their negotiating positions vis-a-vis non-accession countries. 

2) Modernization, Globalization and Islam (5 fellowships)

After the end of the Cold War some suggested that a "clash of civilizations" would replace it as the defining opposition of global politics. Some saw Islamic civilization as the most coherent challenge to the "West." But Islam, like other civilizations is complex and includes many contradictory discourses. Muslims debate with each other and have different views on human rights, gender, political pluralism, social and political inclusion, economic development, and the rule of
law.  What approaches have been developed and are being taken to promote open society from within Muslim societies? How might Western societies and laws (including those of European Union accession countries) better accommodate the
needs of their Muslim citizens? The objective of the fellowship is to allow scholars and analysts to write thoughtful analyses of Islamic voices on major debates of modernization and globalization.

Candidates from the following regions and countries should apply:  Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia, Middle East, North Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Turkey.  

3) The Future of the Caucasus (5 fellowships)

Increasing numbers of humanitarian organizations are assisting the huge numbers of displaced persons in the Caucasus. What are the missions and affiliations of these organizations, how successful are they in accomplishing their missions, where are they succeeding and where failing? Fellowships will be awarded for innovative analyses of one of the major problems confronting the region that address the origins of a crisis, fault lines, the players involved from Russia, Iran, Turkey, the United States, etc, a critical analysis of humanitarian and aid organizations addressing the crisis, and the prospects for conflict management and regional integration.

Candidates from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, and Turkey should apply. 

4) The Future of Southeast Europe (5 fellowships) 

After more than a decade of conflict in Southeast Europe, the international community has changed its piecemeal approach of reacting to crises as they arose * applying the bandage but failing to work for a long-term cure * to a comprehensive, regional solution. The Stability Pact breaks with the pattern of engagement on a country-by-country basis and aims to stimulate regional stability and prosperity.

Fellowships will be awarded for analyses that investigate issues related to regional and intra-regional cooperation, as well as international assistance provided to promote regional development. Examples of fellowship topics include an analysis of the role of trans-European transportation corridors in influencing the development of South Eastern European economic cooperation; an assessment of technical assistance and aid programs in South Eastern Europe (impact and distortion effects on local economies, public sector activities, cultures, etc.); and an evaluation of the European Commission's Stabilisation and Association Process.

Candidates from the following countries and regions should apply: Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, and Serbia. 

5) Media and Information Policy to Build Open Information Societies (4 fellowships) 

The ability to access and to use knowledge and information is now the main driver of social change and economic growth. This predates the Internet, but new digital technologies are making information policy issues more critical than ever before. The fellowships should produce action-oriented policy research on one of the following issues:

Ø     alleviation of unequal access to information, both between different sectors of society and within particular countries, and between information-rich and information-poor countries
Ø     policy recommendations on the role of media and information in conflict prevention, tolerance building, minority integration
Ø     public access to information from state institutions
Ø     protection of personal data privacy
Ø     intellectual property/copyright issues, with an emphasis on open source/open content solutions
Ø     protection of freedom of expression
Ø     innovative applications of new and traditional media (internet, electronic mass media, and publishing) for education and civil society
Ø     development of new public/civic information spaces and the enhancement of existing ones (such as libraries)
Ø     policy analysis and recommendations promoting the development of internet access infrastructure

Successful Media and Information Policy Fellows will work with special support and mentoring provided by the Network Media Program, the Information Programs, and the Constitutional and Legal Policy Institute of the Open Society Institute, as well as the Central European University. Candidates from all countries of the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe, and Mongolia should apply.  

6) Education Finance Policy (2 fellowships) 

During the last decade of transition the amount of financial resources deployed for education has declined dramatically in most countries of Central-Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. As a result, constraints are often sharply felt and have served to generate policy discussion in these countries on priorities and cost-effectiveness in education. At the same time, the pressure for systemic change in national education provision to match the needs of a modern economy has generated its own imperatives for education finance. The aim of the fellowships is to support research and analysis investigating the impact of economic transition on education financing, and to promote policies and best practices for the diversification and reform of such financing from an institutional perspective. Issues of cost-efficiency and accountability in education financing, equity and equality, as well as the management and governance of education are of particular interest. 

Analysis focusing on higher education may attempt to answer questions including the following: What additional sources of funding are available for universities and other higher education institutions in the region? How does the diversification of funding sources influence the financial management and decision-making structures of institutions? How do national higher education policies support or restrict diversification? Studies that build on particular institutional cases, analyze these cases within national policy environments, and possibly draw comparisons with similar developments in world regions other than North America and the European Union are especially encouraged.

Successful Education Policy Fellows will work with special support and mentoring provided by the Institute for Educational Policy and the Higher Education Support Program, Open Society Institute-Budapest, as well as the Central European University. Candidates from all countries of the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe, and Mongolia should apply. 

7) Gender Policy (2 fellowships) 

Most post-transition countries have seen a significant decrease in the numbers of women participating in electoral politics.  The paucity of women in decision-making and policy-making roles is alarming, given the fact that this is an historic moment in which the frameworks of Europe are being rapidly reconceptualized and re-organized. Thus, if women and gender equity issues are not integral to the processes of European Union Accession, the Stability Pact, and the politics of the former Soviet states, then we cannot expect to see the development of open societies that are gender equitable.

Gender Policy Fellows should produce action-oriented policy research addressing questions such as the following:

Ø Comparative analysis of national gender machinery of various countries; what are the needs and how should they be addressed?
Ø What strategies are necessary to include more women in policy-making roles in all sectors?
Ø To what extent do gender equity issues actually affect a country's eligibility for EU Accession?
Ø How well is the Stability Pact is addressing gender issues in all three working tables?

Successful Gender Policy Fellows will work with special support and mentoring provided by the Network Women's Program of the Open Society Institute as well as the Gender Studies department of the Central European University. Candidates from all countries of the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe, and Mongolia should apply. 

8) The Public Policy Environment (4 fellowships)

Fellowships will be awarded to Fellows interested in working in-residence at the Center for Policy Studies  in Budapest, Hungary. Fellows will investigate the specific conditions, players, and characteristics of the policy-making process in Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS. For example, relevant country-specific analyses might include an investigation of how politics affects policy analysis, how informal networks and social capital affects the policy process, the impact of the transformation of professional languages, and the formation of public service ethos. Research that compares the public policy environments of various regions, provides analysis of why certain Western models of policy making may fail, and offers alternatives are especially encouraged.  

Candidates from all countries of the former Soviet Union, Central and Eastern Europe, and Mongolia should apply.  

Fellowships in the above subject areas may be awarded to applicants of any age to support significant full-time policy research focused on one country as well as research of a regional character. Applicants younger than 35 years of age are especially encouraged to apply. Fellows will be paired with mentors who will guide them in their work. The fellowship has no formal budgetary limitations, but budget proposals must realistically reflect the financial requirements of individual, one-year research projects. Budgets will vary depending on the Fellow's country of residence and budgetary needs. This is a full-time research fellowship. In addition to completing their full-time research projects, Fellows will be expected to attend at least three seminars in Budapest over the course of the fellowship year, advise the Soros foundations network in developing strategies and policies, and write a brief policy paper in their area of expertise to supplement their longer research. 

The program does NOT fund student scholarships. A relevant proposal associated with the final stages of a PhD dissertation may be considered if the applicant can demonstrate that the project will be undertaken on a full-time basis and would not be possible without fellowship funding.  

Terms of the International OSI Policy Fellowship Award

Fellows will be provided with a one-year stipend, expenses including travel, and needed communications equipment to work full-time on research of their design in one of the above areas. The amount of the award will vary depending on standards in the Fellow's country of residence and the budgetary needs of the proposal.

Fellows can choose to be based in their home countries, in another appropriate country in the target region, or to spend all or part of the year in Budapest in order to work more closely with the Soros foundations network. Fellows will be expected to travel to Budapest and other parts of the region as needed to participate in fellowship-related activities.

To Apply: Application Requirements and Procedures

1. Affiliation and Residency

To qualify for a fellowship, applicants must be affiliated with a relevant policy-making or research institution in their country of permanent residence (university, non-governmental organization, government agency, policy institute, etc). Applicants must be permanent residents of one of the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran and other countries of the Middle East, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Mongolia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Yugoslavia.  

2. Language of Application

All applications must be in English and applicants must have excellent English-language skills. The English skills of finalists will be evaluated during interviews to ensure that they can participate actively in discussions in English with the expert committees and others in the Soros foundations network about their area of expertise. However, it is not necessary that the project proposed by the applicant be one in which English is the language used. Thus, an applicant may propose a research and writing project in Polish, as long as the applicant is readily able to discuss the project and related topics in English.  

3. Application Process 

Applying for the IPF fellowship involves a process of four easy steps designed to simplify and speed up the selection process:

·     1) After carefully reading the application description and requirements, applicants should complete the online application form located on the IPF web site at Error! Bookmark not defined.. This form requests personal data and a brief summary of the project (maximum 100 words).
·     2) After completing the online application form, applicants will receive an unique application identification (ID) number and a special e-mail address with which to send the second section of the application consisting of a Short Answer Questionnaire and a Fellowship Research Proposal (maximum 1500 words). These materials may be sent in the body of the e-mail message text or as an attachment in RTF, Word (2.0, 5.0Mac, 6.0, 97, 98 versions), WordPerfect, or ASCII text formats.
·     3) Following an initial application review and selection process, candidates short-listed as Finalists will be asked to submit further information to complete their applications (including full CV, budget, time-line, etc).
·     4) Finalists will be invited to Budapest for interviews at the expense of IPF. Successful applicants will be notified in November or December 2000 and no later than January 15, 2001.    

All initial submissions must be entered online directly into the IPF application database found at Error! Bookmark not defined.. Those who have no possibility to access the Internet (including from public libraries, Internet centers, or national Soros foundations) should send an e-mail to Error! Bookmark not defined. or call the IPF offices at (36 1) 327-3863 to discuss the best alternate application solution (we can call you back immediately to reduce your long-distance telephone charge). Applications sent by mail, fax or e-mail will not be considered unless you received prior approval from IPF staff to use an alternative method of application. 

4. Application Contents

Again, all applications are to be entered online into the application form on the IPF web site at Error! Bookmark not defined.. First, personal contact information and a brief project summary are submitted through this online application form. Applicants must provide contact information applicable through 2000 and early 2001, including e-mail address and fax number where possible. Second, the application Short Answers Questionnaire and Fellowship Research Proposals of no more than 1500 words outlining the proposed policy research in one of the EIGHT topic areas advertised must be sent to the special e-mail address provided in the application form, with the applicant's unique application ID number as the subject line. The Fellowship Research Proposal should describe the research project objectives and procedures for fulfilling the project, as well as explain how the results of the research might be utilized in the relevant country and, if appropriate, more broadly to the region as a whole.

The following is a summary of information you will be asked to enter into the online section of the IPF application form so that you can prepare in advance before logging onto the Internet:

First name, Family or last name, Date of birth (month/day/year), Sex, Place of permanent residence, Preferred mailing address, Telephone(s), Fax, E-mail, Highest education level completed, Institutional research affiliation, Present employer, Current position and duties, Project title, Brief project description (max. 100 words), Project issue area, Country of focus, Region of focus, Soros foundations network programs of interest, Previous Soros funding and dates received, Where fellowship will be based and why, How you heard about the IPF fellowship opportunity.

Those short-listed as Finalists in August and September 2000 will be asked to send complete applications including: 

·     CV, 
·     Time schedule,
·     To be considered for the International Junior Public Policy Scholar Fellowship at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., applicants must include a one-page synopsis detailing how a residency grant in the United States will help further their IPF research project,
·     Resources available (in particular, if other funding sources have been approached or provided),
·     Resources needed including a detailed budget, 	
·     Transcript from the highest level of school completed, 
·     Two letters of recommendation, and 
·     One original, officially certified copy of English translations of the transcript and letters of recommendation. 

5. Application Deadline

The first step of the application process must be submitted online and received by August 1, 2000 to be considered. We will not accept late applications.  

International Junior Public Policy Scholar Fellowship, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Each fellowship year, the East European Studies program of the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. sponsors and hosts one to two outstanding young IPF Fellows from Eastern Europe to carry out a proposed three-month research project as an International Junior Public Policy Research Scholar in residence at the Center. The fellowship, carrying a $9,000 stipend and requiring on-site residency for the duration of the grant, is limited to scholars from countries covered by the Wilson Center's East European Studies Program*namely the former communist bloc including the Baltic states and former Yugoslavia but not the NIS states, Ukraine or Germany. This grant will count as the final three months of the International OSI Policy Fellowship award and is only valid during the specific award year. Final selection of the nominated scholars is made by the Woodrow Wilson Center's East European Studies program.

The Wilson Center provides access to research facilities and libraries (the Library of Congress, university libraries, the National Archives, etc.) and relevant faculty as needed. The Center also helps arrange introductory visits to relevant actors and organizations in Washington, D.C. influencing policy, including the U.S. Congress and Senate. Incoming scholars are also provided with administrative assistance and information regarding affordable housing, health care, and processing of required documentation. However, housing and visa arrangements are the ultimate responsibility of the selected scholars.

To be considered for a Woodrow Wilson Center scholarship, finalists of the International OSI Policy Fellowships program who are short-listed and requested to submit a full application must describe how this grant will further their IPF research project. The Woodrow Wilson Center is especially interested in sponsoring scholars focusing on the following issues: international governance (regionalization, decentralization); the rule of law; public administration; civil society and institution-building and the role of non-governmental organizations; media; minority rights; economic reform and management; Southeast Europe Stability Pact projects; organized crime; and north-south tier development issues including strategies for closing the gap.     

Dr Andrea Peto
Central European University
Budapest,  Nador u. 9
H-1051
phone: 36-1-3273192
GSM: 36-209-292519
fax: 36-1-3273191