The opportunity

Students from developing Asian nations are offered the chance to pursue their master’s or doctoral studies in fields relating to sustainable development at one of Asia’s leading postgraduate institutions.

The scholarships

The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Asian Institute of Technology have partnered to offer a program called “Education for Sustainable Development” from 2006 to 2009. Master’s and doctoral scholarships will be provided to students from countries in South and Southeast Asia – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, East Timor, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam – the Mekong region low-income countries of Lao PDR and Cambodia, as well as other less developed countries in Asia.

The scholarships cover degree programs in fields relevant to sustainable environment, human rights and gender, and poverty alleviation. The core idea of the scholarships is to support Norwegian program countries in Asia with emphasis on sustainable development for enhancing institutional capacity building.
Details

• Scholarship recipients will be selected according to AIT’s admission criteria, rules and regulations to ensure that the most suitable candidates are admitted based on an assessment of the needs of the nominating agencies in the Norwegian program countries.
• At least half of the scholarships will be offered to women candidates.
• Priority will be given to candidates nominated by project partners in the Norwegian MFA-AIT program countries.
• After successful completion of graduate studies and professional training in AIT, the scholarship recipients are obliged to return to their home countries for strengthening institutional capacities and contributing in building sustainable societies.
• Recipients are required to conduct thesis research on topics relevant to their respective home country’s development needs incorporating gender, environment and sustainable development concerns.
• Scholarships provide grants for conducting thesis research.
• Both traditional and flexible master’s programs are available. The flexible master’s program enables students to pursue their studies while carrying out professional duties in their home countries. Preference will be given to staff of public sector agencies, government departments, training institutions and universities.
• Doctoral scholarships are available only to candidates from teaching and research institutions including national universities on the broad theme of sustainable development as a part of the institutional capacity-building process in the program countries. Applicants must provide a relevant research proposal and nomination from their employer as well as demonstrate a strong academic background and experience.

Focus areas

Applicants may apply to any field of study at AIT, but the program of study must be designed to focus on issues related to poverty alleviation, energy and sustainable environment, natural resources management, human rights and gender.

A number of scholarships are reserved for students pursuing degrees in Rural and Regional Development Studies, Natural Resources Management, Gender and Development Studies, Energy, and Agricultural and Systems Engineering.

Entry requirements

Applicants must adhere to AIT’s admissions requirements, procedures and policies.
To learn more, click here: http://www.ait.ac.th/apply/requirements

Deadlines

January semester: 15 October
August semester: 15 March

Note: Applicants who require early offer of admission or who have visa or passport restrictions, are encouraged to submit applications at least three months before the deadlines.

You may apply online or download application forms at: http://www.ait.ac.th/apply

You may also receive the application package by mail for a nominal application processing fee of US$25. Please contact:

Admissions and Scholarships Unit
Asian Institute of Technology
P.O. Box 4 , Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120 , Thailand
Phone: (662) 5245031-5033
Fax: (662) 524-6326
E-mail: admissions@ait.ac.th
Web site: www.ait.ac.th

• [Norway] The International Summer School (ISS), University of Oslo
• e8 Scholarship Programme for Masters and Post-Doctoral Students
• [Australia] Monash Graduate Scholarship at Monash University
• [Norway] Two PhDs in Wireless Biomedical Sensor Networks at NTNU
• [Italy] PhD Studentships in Analysis and Governance of Sustainable Development, Venice 2007