An essential part of the application for both the PhD and Postdoctoral fellowships is a research proposal outlining the intended work. The research during the fellowship should be of professional interest to the applicant and of direct relevance to the research agenda of their selected UNU-IAS or UNU-ISP programme. Applicants are therefore highly encouraged to familiarize themselves with UNU-IAS and UNU-ISP research areas. Research proposals should clearly relate to one of the current Research Programmes at UNU-IAS and UNU-ISP.

The following Research Programmes and Projects at UNU-IAS in Yokohama and its operating unit in Kanazawa (UNU-IAS OUIK) are accepting applications for UNU-IAS PhD Fellows, UNU-IAS Postdoctoral Fellows and JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellows:

Science and Technology for Sustainable Societies  
Sustainable Urban Futures  
Biodiplomacy Initiative
Sustainable Development Governance
Traditional Knowledge Initiative
Marine/Coastal Governance and Urban Biodiversity (UNU-IAS OUIK)  
   
The following Research Programmes at UNU-ISP in Tokyo are accepting applications for JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellows: 

International Cooperation and Development  
Global Change and Sustainability 
Peace and Security

Science and Technology for Sustainable Societies (UNU-IAS)

General Objective of the Research
We face challenges such as global warming, loss of biological diversity, acute poverty and rising inequality and entrenched ecological injustice, among many others. The need to overcome these challenges and foster equitable and sustainable societies is an urgent imperative. In this endeavour we have at our disposal vast capabilities of modern scientific and technological knowledge, research skills and capacities for innovation, as well as the accumulated experience of diverse human societies and cultures, often referred to as “traditional knowledge”, which can help build equitable and sustainable outcomes. What is widely lacking is a scientifically rigorous and nuanced study and understanding of the social (i.e. normative, political, economic, cultural and ecological) associations and implications of these knowledge capabilities. But such an understanding is crucial to the development of appropriate policy tools and institutional mechanisms to guide humanity’s extensive capabilities for building more equitable and sustainable societies.

At the STSS programme at UNU-IAS, we have applied this reasoning to study the scientific and technological capabilities at our disposal. Whether it is innovation systems and the globalization of knowledge, the “green economy” or “green growth”, the expansion of biofuels, the application of agricultural biotechnologies or nuclear power, we have studied these capabilities as social beings and advanced creative analyses and proposals for policymakers. If you are a researcher who shares our focus and commitment to the social understanding of science and technology applied to policy-making for sustainability, we invite you to join us as a postdoctoral or PhD fellow. For 2013 fellowships, research proposals are invited under the following broadly defined themes:

• Science, technology and innovation for sustainable and equitable societies; and in relation to “green economy” and “green growth”
• Political economy of science, technology, innovation and sustainability
• Design and governance of innovations systems for sustainable societies
• Transition to sustainable and equitable energy systems
• Science and technology policy
• Global circulation of knowledge
• Intellectual property issues in science, technology and innovation
• Fairness in the globalization of science and research
• The role of science advice in the United Nations System

Required qualifications:

• Postdoctoral Fellowships: Applicants must hold a PhD degree (no ABDs) by the start date of the fellowship. A field related to applied social or environmental sciences is preferred.                  
• PhD Fellowships: PhD candidate in a field related to applied social or environmental sciences is preferred. Need to be in the research stage of the PhD course (no class requirements left)
• Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
• Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other languages is desirable.

Sustainable Urban Futures (UNU-IAS)

General Objective of the Research
The Programme on Sustainable Urban Futures focuses on understanding how global environmental concerns are translated into local policies and vice-versa (how local concerns are incorporated into international environmental policies). It conducts research seeking solutions to global environmental problems at the local level and analyses how cities in developing countries create the institutional capacity to implement effective environmental policies with social inclusion. In this context, local authorities and organizations have played important roles in policy implementation to tackle climate change and biodiversity, even though the focus of media and literature is mostly on debates at the global or country level. The fellow will research patterns of environmental governance and policy implementation designated to tackle global environmental problems in the case of one or more cities in developing countries. He/she is expected to understand the role that governmental and non-governmental organizations have played in climate change-related policies and how those policies are linked to environmental and development policies at the local and national levels.

Required qualifications:

• Postdoctoral Fellowships: PhD degree (no ABDs), preferably in a field related to applied social or environmental sciences, such as urban planning, development studies, public policy, management or economics
• PhD Fellowships: PhD candidate preferably in a field related to applied social or environmental sciences, such as urban planning, development studies, public policy, management or economics. Need to be in the research stage of the PhD course (no class requirements left).
• Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
• Ability to design and implement research involving field work
• Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other languages is desirable 

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Biodiplomacy Initiative (UNU-IAS)

General Objective of the Research
The Biodiplomacy Initiative’s work centres around policy related issues arising from the conservation and use of biological resources and associated knowledge and technologies, and its relation to human well-being. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is the key multilateral environmental agreement around which much of the Biodiplomacy Initiative’s activities are focused. Other important international instruments that the Biodiplomacy Initiative works on in this context include the UNFCCC, ITPGRFA, UNFF, UNCLOS and UNPFII.

The selected fellow will undertake policy relevant research within their key areas of specialization including biological sciences, international law, economics, development studies, and related areas. He/she will work together with an interdisciplinary team, and is expected to have an understanding of interlinked concepts on biodiversity and human well-being and have the capacity to carry out research relevant to global, national and local scales. Researchers for post doctoral positions are invited to work on any of the areas mentioned below:

• Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing (ABS) and the International ABS Regime
• Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), including various sectoral themes 
• Payments for Environmental Services provided by Biodiversity
• Assessment of Socio-ecological resilience, human well-being
• Climate Change and Biodiversity, Indigenous issues
• Protection and Use of Traditional knowledge in the context of biodiversity and ecosystem services

Required qualifications:

• Postdoctoral Fellowships: PhD degree (no ABDs), preferably in a field related to applied social or environmental sciences, such as environmental management or economics                        
• PhD Fellowships:  PhD Candidate preferably in a field related to applied social or environmental sciences, such as environmental management or economics. Need to be in the research stage of the PhD course (no class requirements left)
• Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
• Ability to design and implement research on environmental policy issues
• Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other languages is desirable

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Sustainable Development Governance (UNU-IAS)

General Objective of the Research
UNU-IAS is a think tank to the UN system. The selected Fellow will research at the forefront of applied research relevant to environmental policy. Using his/her skills and experience, in close collaboration with the Sustainable Development Governance Programme, the fellow will elaborate his/her own and co-authored, high quality publications. The Programme aims to identify and elaborate concrete and realistic steps that might be taken to supporting sustainable development. One focus is the architecture of environmental governance and agency within and beyond the nation states. This includes governance for post-2015 development goals in the form of sustainable development goals (SDGs), promoting environmental protection, and policy and institutions designed to promote other objectives such as the enhancement of sustainable development and green growth, especially in developing countries. A further focus is the inter- and transdisciplinary link between society, economy and the environment and to the ruling and management of such links by effective and coherent approaches, especially based on the Rule of Law, Ecological Economics and/or the aim of Degrowth. Another focus is institutional architecture for a low-carbon society. The fellow will address the latest challenges in sustainability governnance, including governance architecture (institutional framework for sustainable development), multilevel governance, MDGs, post-MDGs and SDGs, conflicts of interest, decision making, adaptation to climate change, ecosystem services, protected areas, or public participation. In UNU-IAS’s dynamic academic environment, the fellow will have opportunities to collaborate with researchers from the other UNU-IAS Programmes. The fellows will also have good networking opportunities within academia and with international organizations, including the UN.

Required qualifications:

• Postdoctoral Fellowships: PhD degree (no ABDs) from a range of disciplines including but not limited to economics, legal and political science
• PhD Fellowships: PhD candidate from a range of disciplines including but not limited to economics, legal and political science.  Need to be in the research stage of the PhD course (no class requirements left)
• Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
• Ability to design and implement research involving field work
• Fluency in English is essential and a working knowledge of other languages is desirable 

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Traditional Knowledge Initative  (UNU-IAS)

General Objective of the Research
The Traditional Knowledge Initiative seeks to promote and strengthen research on traditional knowledge (TK) of Indigenous and local communities in order to inform action by Indigenous peoples, local communities and domestic and international policy makers. The TKI conducts research in a broad range of topics and currently two Postdoctoral Fellows are sought for the following research areas: Climate Change and Natural Resource Management. Specifically, the proposed research should be related to one of the following:

• Bridging the gap between western science and traditional knowledge (TK)
• Assessing the impact of climate change on Indigenous/marginalized peoples from a global perspective
• Exploring Indigenous/marginalized peoples climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies
• Investigating a long-term monitoring technique for impact assessment of climate change on Indigenous/marginalized communities
• Examining Indigenous governance systems and their role in natural resource management and biodiversity conservation

The selected applicant should have worked on issues related to TK and/or experience with Indigenous/marginalized peoples.

Required qualifications:

• Postdoctoral Fellowships: PhD degree (no ABDs), preferably in a field related to applied social or environmental sciences, such as anthropology, geography, environmental science, indigenous governance, political science 
• PhD Fellowships: PhD Candidate preferably in a field related to applied social or environmental sciences, such as anthropology, geography, environmental science, indigenous governance, political science. Need to be in the research stage of the PhD course (no class requirements left)
• Demonstrated research skills in similar areas
• Demonstrated experience in working with Indigenous/local peoples
• Ability to design and implement research involving field work
• Fluency in English is essential and working knowledge of other languages is desirable

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Marine/Coastal Governance and Urban Biodiversity (UNU-IAS OUIK)

The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (OUIK) was established in April 2008 as the first UNU operating unit in Asia and the sixth globally. It is a strategic think tank whose mission is to link local knowledge to global issues. Calls for PhD and Postdoctoral Fellowships are currently open in two areas:

Marine/Coastal Governance
General Objective of the Research
The Fellow is expected to develop policy-oriented research in one or more of the following areas related to coastal/marine systems:

• Climate change, especially impacts on communities and traditional knowledge
• Sustainable natural resources management, in particular community-based solutions and policy interventions
• Good environmental governance from land to sea, including connections of coastal/marine systems with terrestrial ecosystems

Urban Biodiversity
General Objective of the Research
The Fellow is expected to develop policy-oriented research in one or more of the following areas related to urban biodiversity:

• Ecological, economic and cultural aspects of conservation and sustainable use of urban biodiversity and ecosystem services
• Governance of urban ecosystems and their biodiversity for sustainability and well-being (e.g. urban agriculture)
• Linkages between urban areas and broader socio-ecological systems (e.g. sustainable consumption-production networks) 

Required qualifications:

• Postdoctoral Fellowships: PhD degree (no ABDs) in social or environmental sciences closely related to at least one of the areas of the call; or doctoral graduates from natural or health sciences who have worked with policy-oriented issues
• PhD Fellowships: PhD candidates in social or environmental sciences closely related to at least one of the areas of the call; or PhD candidates from natural or health sciences who have worked with policy-oriented issues.  Need to be in the research stage of the PhD course (no class requirements left)
• Demonstrated research experience linking local/regional issues with global debates 
• Ability to design and implement research involving field work and stakeholder participation
• Fluency in English and Japanese is essential

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International Cooperation and Development (UNU-ISP)

General Objective of the Research
The International Cooperation and Development (ICD) Section conducts research and promotes international networking of researchers working on sustainable human development, especially in developing and least developed countries. The ICD Section serves as the conceptual and functional interface between the two other sections of ISP (Peace and Security, and Global Change and Sustainability). ICD’s current research work is characterized by its concern with sustainable management/governance of natural resources, international trade and investment, aid effectiveness, gender and development, technology and institutions for sustainable development at the local, national and international levels. It focuses, on the one hand, on the development challenges faced by the least developed and other low income countries, such as poverty, income disparity, natural disasters and environmental sustainability, and Millennium Development Goals. On the other hand, ICD research deals with structural issues affecting developing countries that call for fair and equitable trade and international development negotiations, including the impact of globalization and climate change. The research outcome is disseminated not only through publication of policy-oriented books and journal articles but also through issuing of policy briefs and action-oriented workshops.

The ICD Section would welcome candidates who are carrying out research relating to the above-mentioned issues, especially those whose proposals and research methodology address critical developmental problems in developing and least-developed countries.

Required qualifications:

• A PhD generally in social sciences, or any other discipline closely related to international cooperation and development
• Fluency in English is essential.
• Applications from women and/or those originating from developing countries are encouraged. 

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Global Change and Sustainability (UNU-ISP)

General Objective of the Research
Drastic environmental changes such as climate change, urbanization and land degradation are the major root causes that challenge sustainability profoundly affecting development, especially in the poorest countries. The Global Change and Sustainability programme provides unique opportunities to assess these changes, analyze impacts, propose response strategies and evaluate their sustainability from a natural science perspective supported by transdisciplinary synergies provided by the two other parallel programmes of the Institute that address (a) international cooperation and development and (b) peace building and security . Candidates with field experience seeking to link scientific results to applied research and policy formulation are especially encouraged to apply. Familiarity with either mathematical modeling, spatial analysis or statistical analyses will be an asset. The program invites research proposals on following broad thematic areas:

• Climate change impacts and adaptation (preferably focusing on water and/or food security)
• Local actions for eco-systems sustainability under global change
• Disaster (floods and landslides) and environmental risk assessment & management
• Enhancing food security through integration of resilience of traditional bio production systmes with the efficiency of modern agricultural systems

Required qualifications:

• PhD degree in engineering or natural sciences
• Fluency in English is essential
• Applications from women and/or candidates originating from developing countries are encouraged.

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Peace and Security (UNU-ISP)

General Objective of the Research
The Peace and Security section develops research on international order and justice, human rights; on threats to the peace, such as armed conflicts, proliferation of weapons, terrorism, and on responses to such threats - diplomacy, sanctions, use of force, criminal tribunals. The section has expanded its portfolio to cover other aspects of human insecurity and vulnerability, such as natural disasters, climate change, poverty and under-development, linking its research with the other two sections.  We welcome research both on normative and on institutional developments, therefore applicants with interest in rules, laws an policies, aimed to prevent or eliminate conflicts, atrocities, human rights violations, are equally welcome to apply, as those who would like to look at the institutional architecture, UN System, multilateral governance, global and regional organizations and their evolution.

The JSPS Fellow is welcome to present a focused own research topic within the themes above, dealing with under-explored aspect of peace and security and suggesting a clear methodology and research outcomes.  The Fellow will conduct the research in a supportive ad stimulating environment.

Required qualifications:

• PhD degree in social sciences or humanities generally, or international law, international relations, conflict and peace studies in particular 
• Fluency in English is essential
• Candidates from developing countries are encouraged

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