CFAs: Fellowship Opportunities under Mekong Thought Leadership and Think Tanks Program

The Mekong Thought Leadership and Think Tanks Network Program (MTT), supported by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), aims to work with national and regional knowledge-based policy influence organizations (KBPIOs) in the Mekong Region to enhance their capacities to effectively engage stakeholders involved in policy processes.

Knowledge-based policy influence organizations (KBPIOs) are “organizations that produce and disseminate policy-relevant knowledge, such as think tanks, research institutes, advocacy groups, and academic centers.” They differ from other types of policy actors in their degree of independence, specialization, and legitimacy.

The program views that investing in diverse entry- or mid-level professionals of all genders working in research and policy engagement is essential to enhance their capacity to produce and promote practical and sustainable solutions. The program will spearhead capacity building for entry- or mid-level professionals through fellowships and trainings.

This call seeks to award 12 entry- or mid-level professionals.

Objectives

• There are three main objectives for the fellowship program.
  • Strengthen knowledge, capacity, and skills of diverse Mekong entry- or mid-level professionals of all genders in policy research, engagement, and communication, as well as effectively integrate gender equity, disability, and social inclusion within each of these.
  • Support the program’s implementation in enhancing effectiveness and inclusiveness of policy engagement at the intersections of water security, energy security, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as in the crosscutting dimension of gender equality, disability, and social inclusion across these domains.
  • Provide opportunities for diverse entry- or mid-level professionals of all genders to increase their networking with other professionals across sectors, especially water, energy, climate change, as well as gender equity, disability, and social inclusion, across the Mekong Region.

Allowance

• One fellowship grant is for a maximum of AUD 25,000 (~USD 16,000), with the grant amount adjusted proportionally based on the work status (full-time vs part-time) and duration of the fellowship (up to 1 year and completed before June 2025). The grant covers the following expenditures.
  • One return flight, work permit and visa for the fellow to be physically placed in the host institution.
  • Travel support for the fellow to join regional fora and other activities.
  • Health and travel insurance.
  • Monthly allowance for the fellow.
  • Accommodation support.
  • Overhead to host institute.
  • Honorarium for the mentor of the fellow.

Benefits

• Unique opportunity to be mentored by senior experts in various fields of research, policy and practice relating to issues of water, energy and climate with a gender equality, disability, and social inclusion lens.
• Be part of an interdisciplinary and international program that includes partners in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia and beyond.
• Have access to capacity development activities within the program and those organized by partner organizations.
• The opportunity to participate in program regional forums or other regional activities.
• Receive an official certificate for successful completion of the fellowship

Tasks

• General Tasks
  • Attend meetings and relevant events organized by the program.
  • Engage with partners and other fellows in the program.
  • Report on the progress of the fellowship.
  • Actively engage with SUMERNET Young Professionals (SYP), a sub-network under the Sustainable Mekong Research Network (SUMERNET), working to inform and engage young professionals who are passionate about a just and sustainable Mekong future.
  • Engage in outreach activities of the program.
  • Engage in activities depending on available time and common interest of the fellow, mentor, and host institution.
• Specific Tasks
  • The specific tasks of the fellowship will be agreed upon between the fellow, their respective mentor, and the host institution. It will include, but not be limited to, research, communications, and policy engagement.

Hosting Options

• Hosts Linked with the Program Flagship Study Project
  • Host No.1 Thailand Environment Institute, Nonthaburi, Thailand
  • Host No.2 Stockholm Environment Institute, Asia Center, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Host No.3 Faculty of Environmental Sciences, National University of Laos, Vientiane, Lao PDR
  • Host No.4 Department of Women’s in Development, Lao Women’s Union, Vientiane, Lao PDR
• Hosts Linked with a Program Rapid Response Project
  • Host No.5 Institute of Technology of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
  • Host No.6 Faculty of Fisheries Technology and Aquatic Resources, Maejo University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
  • Host No.7 Nghe An Centre for Forestry Development and Consultation, Vinh City, Vietnam
  • Hosts Linked with Projects of Other Program Partners in the Mekong Region
  • Host No.9 Vietnam National University Central Institute for National Resources and Environmental Studies (VNU-CRES), Hanoi, Vietnam
  • Host No.10 Mekong Sub-region Social Research Center (MSSRC), Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratcharhani, Thailand
  • Host No.11 The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
  • Host No.12 College of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Vietnam

Fellow Criteria

This call seeks to award 12 entry- or mid-level professionals.

• At least 5 grants are specifically allocated for entry- or mid-career woman researchers in the Mekong Region
• Citizens of Lao PDR are strongly encouraged to apply
• Other individuals from diverse genders, Indigenous groups, people with diverse ethnicities, and persons with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.

Fellow Qualifications

• Required:
  • Entry- or mid-level professionals of all ages and genders.
  • Citizen of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, or Vietnam.
  • Education qualification as appropriate for the role, but preference for:
    • Master’s degree with at least 2 years experience; or
    • Bachelor’s degree with at least five years’ experience.
  • Available to commit to a 1-year full-time or 1-year part-time fellowship.
• Preferable:
  • Experience in working in at least one of the thematic areas:
    • Water security
    • Energy security
    • Climate change mitigation or adaptation
    • Gender equality, disability, and social inclusion (GEDSI)
    • Water, energy, and climate nexus
  • Consider being physically based with a host institution for at least half of the fellowship period, whereby stays/visits should add up to half of the fellowship period. For prospective fellows who are not able to physically relocate to the host institution, other arrangements can be negotiated upon request and subject to approval by the Program Secretariat (Stockholm Environment Institute, Asia Center).
  • The fellow must be hosted by someone other than their existing employer.

For more information, visit SUMERNET.