Welcome UNU-FTP fellows 2016-17
This week, the UNU-FTP welcomed the 19th cohort of fellows for annual six month training in Iceland. A total of 22 fellows and one special guest joined the programme this year, hailing from 16 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Their studies will focus on Fisheries Policy and Management, Quality Management, Sustainable Aquaculture, and Fishing Technology.
This introductory part of the six month programme aims to give fellows a holistic view of fisheries and provide insights into various disciplines within fisheries and their connectedness. Over the introductory part of the course, fellows deepen their understanding of fisheries in an international context and explore what is needed for a fisheries sector to develop. Through a comprehensive series of lectures, site visits and assignments, fellows cultivate a better understanding of fisheries in their home countries.
After the introductory course, the fellows split into groups according their area of specialization. During the specialist training, fellows focus on one specific area of fisheries and hone their expertise through lectures, assignments, and site visits. Fellows also use this time to develop ideas for a final project in collaboration with their supervisors. This year, fellows will be hosted in Reykjavik at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute (MFRI) and Matis Food Research and Biotechnology Laboratories, the University of Akureyri, MFRI in Isafjordur, and Holar University College.
In the final part of the six month training, fellows work closely with a supervisor to conduct research on a pressing issue related to their work at home. Combining the experience and practical skills developed in the introductory and specialist training and their personal goals, fellows design and present a research proposal. Research is then conducted individually through close collaboration with a supervisor.
The group has spent the first week in orientation, getting to know Reykjavik and one another, and what to expect in the coming weeks and months. We look forward to watching them develop over the next several months and into the future.