ITLOS – Nippon Foundation Capacity Building and Training Programme

The full-time programme, which runs for nine months and begins in July each year, takes place at the seat of the Tribunal in Hamburg, Germany. Contingent upon the availability of funds, call for application is announced each year during the month of February or March.

The programme is aimed at junior to mid-level government officials and researchers mainly from developing countries who are currently working on issues related to the law of the sea, maritime law or dispute settlement. It provides participants with a unique opportunity to develop their legal skills and deepen their practical knowledge of dispute settlement in the law of the sea under UNCLOS.

Programme

• Lectures
  • A series of lectures takes place throughout the nine months of the programme. Lectures are generally held over the course of two days, offering the fellows the possibility of close debate with the lecturers. The faculty of lecturers is drawn from Judges of the Tribunal, Registry officials, United Nations and international organizations, universities, law firms and other relevant institutions.
  • At the beginning of the programme, the fellows take part in the four-week Summer Academy of the International Foundation for the Law of the Sea. This course focuses on law of the sea and maritime law and is attended by around 40 young professionals from around the world working in the fields of law of the sea and maritime law.
  • Some examples of lectures given during recent programmes are:
    • Dispute settlement under UNCLOS
    • International organizations and the law of the sea
    • Current issues related to the law of the sea
    • International environmental law
    • Maritime law lecture series
    • International law lecture series
• Training
  • Training sessions, workshops, and mock cases are arranged in order to enhance the practical and professional skills of the fellows.
  • The programme offers training in negotiation and mediation. Workshops are organized to prepare the fellows for their potential role as agents, counsel, or legal advisers in cases before international courts and tribunals. The tools used for this purpose include exercises in drafting documents relating to cases, attendance at oral proceedings at the Tribunal, the International Court of Justice or the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and presentation skills using audio-visual tools. Mock cases are also held, as well as training in maritime delimitation. Training on different topics of international law is also provided through an online course of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
• Study visits
  • Group visits of between two and five days complement the knowledge gained and training given in dispute settlement and issues/topics related to the law of the sea. Accompanied by a legal officer, the fellows are given exclusive access to experts from the institutions and have the chance to attend hearings or meetings.

Practicalities

• Participants’ costs, including travel, accommodation, medical insurance and a monthly subsistence allowance, are covered by the Nippon Foundation.
• Participants are responsible for obtaining a visa for Germany for the period of the programme at their own cost, although assistance may be provided in order to facilitate the visa application process. Visas for the study visits are arranged by the programme coordinator and the costs covered by the programme.
• During the programme, the fellows become part of the ITLOS community and are fully integrated in the life of the Registry for nine months. They interact with staff, Judges and participants of the other training programmes run at the Tribunal. As ITLOS alumni, the fellows join a growing network of young professionals from around the world working in the field.
• Fellows are provided with a fully equipped office with computer, printer and internet connection for the duration of the programme. Fellows have access to the Tribunal’s specialized Library, which houses a comprehensive collection on the law of the sea and related subjects, such as maritime law, environmental law, ocean affairs, coastal management, international courts and tribunals, international organizations, dispute settlement, arbitration, and general issues of public international law.
• Accommodation in the vicinity of the Tribunal is provided in studio apartments, with a bedroom/sitting area, kitchen and bathroom.
• During their first weeks in Hamburg, the fellows are introduced to life in Germany and given German language classes. Language training in either English or French may also be provided.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be between the ages of 25 and 40.
• Applicants must have a first university degree in law and demonstrate a capacity to undertake independent scientific research, study and training.
• Applicants must be:
  • junior to mid-level government officials from an administration or government agency, dealing with ocean affairs or maritime matters as well as legal issues relating thereto; or
  • researchers from an institute (academic or government) dealing with ocean-related or maritime matters as well as legal issues relating thereto.
• Applicants must indicate the research topic which they intend to pursue during the programme. The research topic should address legal issues of relevance to the State concerned regarding the implementation of UNCLOS, in particular Part XV thereof.
• The administration or institute nominating the applicant must indicate on the nomination form the tasks performed by the applicant and explain the extent to which the training programme will benefit the institution/State concerned.
• Applicants must have an excellent knowledge of one of the official languages of the Tribunal (English and French) and a working knowledge of the other language. The lectures and activities of the Programme are mainly held in English.

For more information, visit International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).