Central Asia Research and Training Initiative : Invites applications for Junior and Senior Fellowships for 2009-­2011

Central Asia Research and Training Initiative
Invites applications for Junior and Senior Fellowships for 2009-­2011

The International Higher Education Support Program(HESP) is committed to the advancement of higher education in the humanities and social sciences throughout the region of South East Europe, Newly Independent States of the former Soviet Union and Mongolia. Central Asia Research and Training Initiative(CARTI) is a regional HESP program that promotes the development of indigenous capacities for original scholarly and academic work and internationalization of scholarship in the region of Central Asia, including, but not limited to, the post Soviet states of Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. In working to enhance independent research of university based academics, CARTI is committed to innovation in, and enrichment of, university teaching in the humanities and social sciences and emphasizes the role of research in the development of academics as scholars in the classroom.

CARTI provides support to innovative scholarly work and advanced training and networking opportunities to motivated young academics in crucial early stages of their careers in the home academic environment. The program aids these individuals in becoming conversant with the state of the art scholarship and within international scholarly discourse in their subject areas, active scholars applying contemporary research methods and resources, innovators in teaching making active use of their own scholarly experience and motivated and prepared to pursue advanced learning opportunities. With CARTI's support, the Fellows engage state of the art resources, theories, methodologies and approaches to their research and teaching in the subjects and areas of importance to the scholarly and social development in the region and develop positions of academic leadership.

CARTI is implemented through two Fellowship programs Junior and Senior Fellowships and a training and networking component.

Junior Fellowships support the individuals in early Senior Fellow ships are offered to young scholars stages of their formal Doctoral studies (such as who have recently received their Doctoral (e.g. aspirantura) and focus on development of ideas and Candidate of Science) degrees. The Fellowships skills for high quality research work. Junior support the advancement or revision of their Fellowships serve as medium for testing and research agenda and development of international challenging the theories, methods and assumptions in research and teaching partnerships with special the core of the individual research projects, while at emphasis on presentation of scholarly work and the same time guiding and assisting the Fellows in integrating the new scholarly thinking and outcomes the first independent large scale research efforts. and experience of research into teaching.

The program provides the Fellows with the opportunities for:

1. enhancing familiarity with the state of the art in their disciplines and understanding of the current thinking in their fields, improving access to seminal scholarship, relevant international expertise and contemporary debates within the international scholarly community;
2. advanced training in and practice of contemporary methodologies and tools for scholarly research and approaches to teaching and curriculum development;
3. conducting individual and collaborative original, innovative and high quality research with critical discussion and peer feedback on the research process and outcomes;
4. applying research experience and outcomes to development of teaching and curriculum at the region's universities and promoting research work as integral part of students' learning;
5. peer collaboration and mobility on regional and international level;
6. development of skills and venues for publicizing scholarly work.

Each CARTI Fellow from the region works in collaborative partnership with a CARTI International Scholar. International Scholars can be proposed by the Fellows or appointed by CARTI and are advanced academics, prominent in the fields of scholarship of concern to the Fellows' projects, representing universities outside the program's target region. The International scholars provide guidance and collaborate in conceiving of the Fellows' research agenda and program and collaborate with the Fellows in the implementation of the projects, primarily by offering feedback and critique, but also through joint research activities, discussion of sources, methods, progress and findings of the research, and securing access to the relevant resources and facilities at their home institutions.

CARTI is open to support projects in a wide range of subjects and topics in the humanities and social sciences. The proposed projects need not be region specific and will typically be concerned with the study, revision and application of the foundation scholarly thinking rather than have an explicit policy orientation. Although the projects that have the bearing on the issues of the day and relevance to the region are encouraged, the program has equal interest in exploring original approaches, interpretations and critique of the traditional and foundation scholarship in the disciplines and academic subjects. The Senior Fellows are especially encouraged to engage in interdisciplinary exploration of a given topic/subject. While CARTI supports research and teaching in the regional/local languages, operational knowledge of English and ability to work with academic resources in the English language is desirable and considered an advantage in the selection process.

CARTI Fellowships are typically awarded for up to 24 months, with ongoing review and evaluation procedures in place. A Fellowship typically offers:

1. Funding for research activities, communication, access to necessary equipment and resources;
2. Funds for exchange visits between the Fellows and the International scholars (all CARTI fellows are encouraged and are eligible to receive funding to spend up to one academic semester at the home institution of the International Scholar during the term of the Fellowship);
3. A stipend;
4. Funding for teaching and curriculum development activities available to Senior Fellows;

CARTI organizes a series of project review and trainings for the selected Candidates prior to the formal start of the Fellowship and offers an academic program consisting of a summer school and other seminar, discussion and training activities during the period of the Fellowship.

ELIGIBILITY

All Applicants for CARTI Fellowships must be citizens and residents of the following countries: Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Candidates for the Junior Fellowships must hold a diploma of higher education (of at least a Specialist or Masters level or the equivalent) and be formally registered* at a Doctoral studies program (a Ph.D. or equivalent program, such as aspirantura, leading towards a first Doctoral, such as a Candidate of Science, degree) in social sciences and humanities in the region, or anticipate to obtain such formal registration within the first six months of the fellowship.

Please note:ThePhDenrollmentrequirementmaybewaivedforapplicantsfromAfghanistanandTurkmenistan.
Interestedindividualsshouldinquirewiththeprogramadministrationpriortosubmittingtheapplication.

Candidates for the Senior Fellowships must possess a first Doctoral or equivalent (such as a Candidate of Science) degree in social sciences and humanities, conferred within not more than five years before the time of the application to CARTI and hold fulltime teaching positions at departments of social sciences or humanities at university level institutions in the target region.

Fellowships are awarded through an open competition based on an academic review of the Applications, consisting of an Application Form, Project Proposal, Curriculum Vitae, academic references and supporting documents. Application information and materials are distributed free of charge, all necessary documents comprising an application may be submitted electronically. CARTI is available for pre application consultations at the contact information below.

THE DEADLINE FOR THE RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS BY OSI­BUDAPESTIS 20 OCTOBER 2008

The preliminary decisions on the awards of Fellowships starting in June 2009 will be made in late December 2008. Please consult the CARTI Guide for Applicants for details of the application and selection process. The Guide and further information about the program is available at www.soros.org/initiatives/hesp

Open Society Institute / International Higher Education Support Program
Central Asia Research and Training Initiative
Október 6. u. 12., Budapest 1051 Hungary
Telephone: +36 1 327 3854 . Fax: +36 1 411 4401 . Email: [email protected]

Mr. Oleksandr Shtokvych, Senior Program Manager Ms. Edit Köblös, Program Coordinator Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]