The Scholarship

In line with UNIDROIT’s legal co-operation activities, a Scholarships Programme has been developed for top-level lawyers, with a special attention given to applicants from developing countries or countries in economic transition. Since 1993, when the Programme was first launched, it has hosted roughly 200 researchers from some 50 countries.

The Programme is funded partly from the general budget of UNIDROIT and by donors.

A scholarship (average duration: two months, minimum duration: six weeks – depending also on the special terms and conditions attached to each single scholarship) may cover all or part of the cost of living in Rome for the designated period, but beneficiaries are in principle expected to meet their own travel expenses.

Scholarships are awarded by the UNIDROIT Governing Council or by the Secretary-General acting on its behalf, upon the recommendation of the Scholarships Committee and applying the following criteria (subject to any specific requirements on the part of donors):

• the subject of the candidate’s research project, which must be related to uniform law / international private law (see details of the holdings of the UNIDROIT Library), preference being given to subjects that fit in with the Organisation’s Work Programme;
• the project’s potential for practical application in the beneficiary’s country of origin, preference being given to projects relating to the drafting of national laws or which aim at promoting the study, the implementation or the adoption of uniform law instruments;
• the candidate’s qualifications (“graduate” or “post-graduate”) and position (academic, civil servant, judge, practitioner);
• a good working knowledge of English and/or French is indispensable (please attach a certificate of proficiency (TOEFL / DELF level).

Candidates who are not granted a scholarship may nevertheless be accepted for an independent research period at their own expenses (see below).

UNIDROIT Research Scholarships Programme : Regulations

At the end of their stay, scholars are required to submit a report on the research they have carried out at UNIDROIT. Contributions of a sufficiently high scientific level may be submitted for possible publication in the Uniform Law Review / Revue de droit uniforme, subject to acceptance by its Editorial Board.

Applications are to be sent using the form in pdf or in WORD together with the requested documents.

UNIDROIT Scholarships,
To the attention of Ms Laura Tikanvaara,
Via Panisperna 28,
00184 Rome, Italy
e-mail : l.tikanvaara@unidroit.org

General Call for applications for the term 2010-2011 : deadline 15 April 2010

Web Link

http://www.unidroit.org/english/legalcooperation/scholarships.htm