Erasmus Mundus Master – Sustainable Forest and Nature Management

Deadline: 01/12/2010
Open to: master students from non-EU and EU countries
Scholarships: 20 scholarships which value depends on the student origin

The MSc programme in Sustainable Forest and Nature Management (SUFONAMA) is a two-year world-class integrated programme aimed at qualifying graduates to deal with the enormous challenge in sustainable management of natural resources, namely the challenge of management of forests and nature areas in an integrated landscape context. Through a top-level, research-based education, graduates will gain the required competencies for working with sustainable forest and nature management issues: a significant theoretical foundation, practical and international experience, and a cross-disciplinary approach.

The SUFONAMA programme is offered by a consortium of five European universities:
* University of Copenhagen,
* Bangor University,
* University of Göttingen,
* Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and
* University of Padova.

Programme

The programme consists of a first study year at one of three institutions (Bangor, Copenhagen, Göttingen) followed by a second study year at one of the four other institutions. The aim of the first study year is to provide a thorough and broad introduction to sustainable forestry and nature management. The first year ends with a compulsory Joint Summer Module, run as a two-week excursion to a Consortium country. The first year allows students to choose freely among the five specialisation options in the second year. Each specialisation is based on the partner universities’ research strengths. The specialisation includes a masters thesis based on research and fieldwork in Europe. Specialisation options in the second year are:
– Conservation and land management (Bangor)
– Economic management of forests and nature (Copenhagen)
– Timber and non-timber forest product use and processing (Göttingen)
– Scandinavian and East European forestry (Alnarp, Sweden) and – Mountain forestry and watershed management (Padova).

Scholarship

Every year about 20 scholarships are expected to be available for Non-EU and EU students.

Category A scholarships for non-EU applicants amount to € 24,000 per year for two years and Category B scholarships for EU applicants amount to €10,000 per year for two years. Grant holders are selected on the basis of academic potential and in observance of geographical criteria determined by the European Commission.
Category A Scholarships for Third-country nationals: Total 48.000 EUR
Category A scholarships can be awarded to masters students from all countries other than the 27 EU menber states and EEA/EFTA states: Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway. Furthermore, you must comply with the 12 months rule: You must not be a resident nor have carried out main activity (studies, work etc.) for more than a total of 12 months over the last five years in one of these countries.

Category B Scholarships for European nationals: Total 20.000 EUR
Category B scholarships can be awarded to any masters students who do not fullfil the criteria A defined above, i.e nationality requirement and 12 months rule.

For both categories please note:
1. You must study in two of the consortium partner countries.
2. The two countries must be different from the country in which you have obtained your last university degree.

If you hold an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, these two countries must be different from the country in which you obtained your last university degree.

Apply

It is possible to be admitted to the Course, even though you are not awarded a scholarship. You will then have to cover EM SUFONAMA participatory costs. If you finance your study yourself, you are allowed to study in the country of your last university degree.

Admission criteria
* A good BSc degree in Forestry, Biology or related fields such as Environmental Science or Geography, alternatively in Economics, Management or Political Science
* Good English language proficiency
* C.V.
* Experience from relevant practice may be an advantage
* Personal statement of motivation
* Recommendations from two referees

You can download the apllication form here

Note that the application deadline is the same for both categories,  1st December 2010.

Official Webpage

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