Professional Development Scholarships Program

XLIII Course on International Law[1]^/

                                                                                                                OAS/DHDEE/CIR.001/2016

1. Venue: JW Marriott Rio de Janeiro Hotel, Ave. Atlântica 2600, Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro

2. Coordination: Department of International Law of the Secretariat for Legal Affairs of the Organization of American States.

3. Type of course: Face-to-face

4. Date: October 3 to 21, 2016

5. Duration of the course: Three (3) weeks

6. Languages: Spanish and English. There is no simultaneous interpreting for this course

7. Objective: Study, discussion, and information regarding recent developments in public and private international law.

8. Program: The Course program is prepared by the Inter-American Juridical Committee and the Department of International Law of the OAS Secretariat for Legal Affairs. There will be two classes in the morning, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and one in the afternoon, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, although this schedule may vary depending on the final schedule.

9. Certificates: A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to those students who attend at least 90 percent of the classes and pass two exams held over the three weeks of the Course.

Students interested in obtaining a Pass Certificate may submit one paper on one of the topics discussed during the Course, within three months of the end thereof, after first submitting a hypothesis and work plan for approval as provided in the guidelines that will be distributed in a timely manner.

10. Requirements:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of an OAS member state.[2]^/ (Residents must send in a copy of their visa);
• Hold a professional title/degree in law or international relations; candidates must present a copy of their professional degree and certification of the subjects studied, with the grades obtained for each;
• Professional experience in the field of international law and international relations;
• Not be older than 40 as of the start of the Course;
• Be proposed by a government agency, an institute of higher education, or a public or private institution directly concerned with international law and international relations, which must state its intent to retain the services of the scholarship recipient upon her or his completion of the Course;
• Command of Spanish and English, duly accredited by submitting a certificate evidencing the applicant’s proficiency in a language other than mother tongue. This mandatory requirement is strictly enforced, and we discourage applicants who do not meet it, as no interpretation will be offered during the Course. It must also be noted that Course-related documents and correspondence will not be translated into both languages.
• Be physically able to meet the obligations of the Course.
• Not have been selected for a scholarship in any previous year for the Course on International Law.
• Submit a properly completed application before the deadline set by the corresponding National Liaison Office (ONE)[3]. Applicants shall be responsible for verifying that deadline with their respective ONE.

11. Criteria: Scholarships shall be awarded as provided for in the Manual of Procedures for Scholarships and Training Programs[4].

12. Benefits:

• The OAS defrays coach-class return air fare between the awardee’s place of residence and Río de Janeiro. Funds are not provided to cover terminal and transit expenses.[5
• While the OAS provides health and accident insurance for the duration of the Course, it is important to note that in the event of any incident occurring in Rio de Janeiro that may require assistance, the awardee will have to pay out of pocket for all expenses incurred and then apply for reimbursement thereof under the terms of the insurance policy.
• A subsistence payment of US$650.00 will be made to successful candidates, except for those who reside in the Río de Janeiro metropolitan area.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: THESE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS IN THE REGULAR BUDGET FOR 2016

13. Responsibility of Awardees

• Upon their selection, candidates must notify the OAS Department of Human Development, Education and Employment (DHDEE) of their willingness to make use of the scholarship during the stated period.
• Scholarship Acceptance Form: Shortly after their selection, applicants will receive a “Scholarship Acceptance Form” from the DHDEE. This form must be completed, signed and returned promptly to the DHDEE, which will only then proceed to arrange for the purchase of the coach-class return air ticket between the country of origin and/or residence and the Course venue.
• Cost of subsistence: The total subsistence cost in Río de Janeiro for each awardee is estimated at approximately US$3,000.00 (as of December 2015), although this may vary according to each individual’s needs. Each participant will be required to defray the balance of approximately US$2,350.00. (These figures may have to be adjusted by October 2016
• It will be incumbent upon each awardee to do what is necessary to obtain in a timely manner the visa(s) she or he will require to enter Brazil and any transit country (if applicable). The OAS will not defray any immigration or visa-related expenses.
• Date of arrival in Río de Janeiro: Students shall be responsible for arriving at the Course venue in time to attend the inauguration on the date set forth above.
• Accommodations: Awardees shall be responsible for arranging their own lodging. The Coordination Office will provide a list of hotels offering discounts for students of the Course, as well as the names and contact data of other students, should they wish to share accommodation.
• Unforeseen Circumstances: If a selected applicant accepts the scholarship but is later prevented from fulfilling its terms for compelling reasons, she or he must immediately notify the Department of International Law and the DHDEE, so that they may decide what steps to take and make the necessary arrangements
• If a selected applicant declines the scholarship without due authorization from the DHDEE, after the air ticket has been bought, fails to travel on the dates and routes established, or to attend the classes, he or she shall be responsible for defraying the cost of the air fare and for any further cost incurred as follows:
• An awardee that does not travel on the dates established, or changes the itinerary after the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) has bought the ticket, shall be responsible for paying any difference in the air fare needed to arrive in time for the start of the Course.
• An awardee shall reimburse the total cost of the return ticket from his or her country of residence to Brazil if, after the ticket has been purchased, he or she declines the scholarship without due authorization in writing from the DHDEE. This shall include any additional expenditure incurred by the GS/OAS, including but not limited to extra lodging expenses during travel by the awardee from his or her country of origin to Brazil.
• An awardee must reimburse the total cost of all benefits received, including but not limited to the return air fare from/to his or her country of residence and Brazil, subsistence and other allowances, if she or he does not satisfy the minimum attendance requirement for obtaining the Certificate of Attendance (see item 9), except for events of force majeure duly and promptly notified to the Course coordinators.

14. Submission of applications:

1. The Course announcement is at the following link: http://www.oas.org/en/scholarships/professionaldev.asp

2. After reading the Course information fully, click "Continuar/Continue" at the end of the page.

3. Complete the Application Form and click "Enviar/Send” at the end of page 5. This will automatically send a copy of said form to your e-mail address.

4. Print and sign the copy of the Application Form sent to your email.

5. Download, complete and print the official OAS documents, that you will find in the following link: http://www.oas.org/es/becas/PDSP/Formularios_becas_PDSP.pdf

6. Submit the signed Application Form, the official OAS documents, and any other documents stipulated in the announcement to the National Liaison Office in your country:

http://www.oas.org/es/becas/programaregular/one.asp

Any questions about submitting applications for this Course should be directed to: [email protected]