8) REQUIREMENTS: 

1.       All applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of an OAS Member state, except Ecuador that is the seminar host country (residents must send copy of visa). 

2.       Have good command of Spanish and/or English, with documentary evidence if neither is not the native language. 

3.       University training: must be broadcast journalism graduates in a discipline relevant to the seminar or have relevant experience of at least five years. 

4.       Profile: The course is designed for journalists or communicators, mass media representatives, various levels of public sector officials involved in the field of radio or those who manage projects dealing with the issue, professionals from NGO’s and civil society organizations, teachers, researchers or graduate students.

5.       Must have health and accident insurance coverage abroad.

6.       Submit a duly completed request before the deadline established by the National Liaison Organization (ONE)[1]. The candidate is responsible for finding out the deadline set by the ONE in his/her country of residence.

9)  BENEFITS:

·         The OAS Department of Human Development will cover:

1.       Economy roundtrip ticket between the country of origin and the seminar host country. Funds for terminal and transit expenses will not be provided.

2.       An allowance for the participants to cover accommodation and food during the course.

[1] The ·         CIESPAL will provide:

1.       Instructors and technical and operational support staff for the course.

2.       Facilities, materials and promotional and organizational aspects of the course. 

10)   OAS SCHOLARSHIP SELECTION CRITERIA:  In accordance with article 4.2 of the Manual of Procedures of the Scholarship and Training Programs of the   OAS, OAS scholarships shall be granted based on the following criteria:

a.       the objectives and priorities established in the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development;

b.      the training priorities of the member states;

c.       the merits and overall credentials of the candidate, including his/her academic and professional background;

d.      the financial need of the candidate; and

e.      An extensive and equitable geographic distribution for the benefit of all member states and that takes into account the greater needs of the smaller and relatively less developed economies.

11)   RESPONSIBILITY OF SCHOLARSHIPS RECIPIENTS:

·         The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance to the OAS through the Department of Human Development, Education and Culture in order to the OAS to proceed with making the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between their country of origin or residence and the study location or, if the scholarship is refused, to appoint another candidate.

·         The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance of the scholarship by signing and returning to DHDEC their completed “form of acceptance of the scholarship award” along with other forms required by DECO for course participation, including the participant questionnaire and preliminary project proposal; only after this has been done will the OAS proceed with the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between the scholarship recipient’s country of origin and the study location.

·         Upon selection, candidates must accept the scholarship by confirming their availability to follow the course during the period indicated and their acceptance of the duly provided conditions of study. 

·         Selected scholarship recipients are responsible for obtaining the necessary visa(s) to enter the country of study. The OAS will not be responsible for any costs related to obtaining visas.

·         Each scholarship recipient is responsible for arriving in time for the commencement of activities on the date established by the institution offering the course or program.  

·         If the scholarship recipient fails to travel on the scheduled dates, or change routes, after the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) has purchased his/her travel ticket, he/she will be responsible for paying the difference in ticket costs in order to arrive at the course site in time. The scholarship recipient will furthermore have to reimburse the GS/OAS the total cost of the airfare for his/her travel from his/her country of residence to the site where the Professional Development Course will take place and back if, after the ticket has been purchased, he/she declines the scholarship without written authorization from the Department of Human Development.

·         The latter includes any additional costs, if any, incurred by the GS/OAS, such as extra costs for accommodation during the scholarship recipient’s travel to and from the country where the course will be held.

·         If the scholarship recipient declines, cancels or terminates the Scholarship after the course or program has started without giving enough proof to the OAS/GS, he or she must reimburse OAS/GS the total amount of incurred costs/expenses.

·         All scholarship applicants must submit copy of the application, including all documentation required, to CIESPAL to the following address: Department of Professional Training, International Seminar “Tuning to the New Technological Changes in the Radio”:  Avenida Diego de Almagro No. 32-133 y Andrade Marín, Quito, Ecuador. Fax: (593-2) 250-2487.  E Mail:   [email protected] y [email protected]

12)  PRESENTATION OF CANDIDACIES:

Please Notice:  If you were awarded an OAS Professional Development Scholarship in the past twelve (12) months or if you currently hold an OAS Scholarship for Academic Studies, you are not eligible to apply for another Professional Development Scholarship.

The online application form must be completed on-line and can be accessed at:  http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/onsite.aspx?culture=en&navid=282  here you’ll find the announcements of all the onsite courses, click in the one you are interested in, go though the end of the page, and then you’ll find the Continue button which will direct you to the online application form.

Once the applicant has completed the online application form and submitted it, a copy will be sent automatically to his/her e-mail account. This completed form must be printed, signed and submitted to the National Liaison Office (ONE); with all other forms in the following link:  (http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/formspd.aspx?culture=en&navid=282).  This is a mandatory requirement. 

All the additional forms must be completed electronically or in typewritten format.

The following is the list of National Liaison Organizations (ONEs) in the OAS Member states:  http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/ones.aspx?culture=en&navid=282

Please note that the official announcement is published in the language of instruction of the course and is available via the Educational Portal of the Americas Web page at: http://www.educoea.org. 

Any questions regarding submission of applications for this course should be sent to: [email protected]

Any questions regarding submission of applications for this course should be sent to: [email protected]

GENERAL INFORMATION: Broadcast journalists or communicators, radio announcers/reporters, various levels of public sector officials involved in the field of radio in Latin-American and Caribbean countries, selected by the OAS Department of Human Development, Education and Culture in Washington will participate in this seminar.

Fellowship awardees must plan to arrive in Quito, Ecuador, on November 21^st, 2010.  The seminar ends on November 26^th, 2010.  Participants are expected to leave Quito on November 27^th, 2010.

The OAS and CIESPAL will not cover expenses incurred by participants who arrive before or leave after these dates; neither will they cover excess baggage expenses.

USEFUL INFORMATION

Quito is situated on the Andean plateau, at 2,810 meters above sea level.  Temperatures fluctuate between 9 degrees Centigrade and 22 degrees Centigrade.  During the week of the course, it will be winter, when it normally rains in the afternoon; hence appropriate winter wear is recommended.  Ecuador has a free foreign exchange market.  The currency is the U.S. dollar.