ITTO Fellowship Programme

Program objective

To develop human resources and enhance professional expertise in member countries in tropical forestry, tropical timber industries and related disciplines, with a view to promoting sustainable management of tropical forests, efficient utilization and processing of tropical timber, and better economic information on the international trade in tropical timber.

Eligible activities

1. Participation in international/ regional conferences, short-term training courses, training internships at industries, research and educational institutions, study tours, and lecture/ demonstration tours;
2. Technical document preparation, publication and dissemination, such as manuals and monographs;
3. Small grants for post-graduate studies.
   
   ITTO gives preference to short-term activities.

Current Status

As of December 2021, the Programme, which began in 1989, has enabled more than 1400 young and mid-career people from over 49 countries working for government, universities, research institution, civil society and the private sector to pursue their professional development and improve their career prospects.  32%  of the fellowships have been awarded to people from Africa, 30.6% to people from Asia-Pacific, 24.9% to people from Latin America/Caribbean, 9.6% to people from developing consumer countries and 3.1% to people from developed consumer countries, who carried out their activities in producer member countries. 71.7% of the fellowships awarded were in the field of Reforestation and Forest Management, 19.8% in Forest Industry and 8.5% in Economics, Statistics and Markets.
 
The total value of fellowships awarded to date amounts to approximately US$9.8 million. Funding has been provided through the generous voluntary contributions from Japan (68%), U.S.A (19%), the Netherlands (7%), Australia (2.5%) and others (3.5%), including  Sweden, U.K., Bali Partnership Fund-B and private companies.  The programme supports mainly short-term activities, such as participation in international conferences, training courses and study tours.  In addition, it also helps people to prepare manuals and monographs and provides small grants for post-graduate study.
 
ITTO Fellowship Programme encourages capacity development of women foresters, and has supported 424 women to undertake fellowship activities, accounting for more than 30% of the total number of fellowships.