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Supporting Programs : Scholarships : Doctoral Degree Sandwich Program

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Doctoral Degree Sandwich Program

Background

The AUN/SEED-Net Project with support from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been established to help development of “high quality” human resources in engineering fields in each ASEAN country which will lead to the self-reliance and sustainable industrial development for the Region. In order to reach this goal, AUN/SEED-Net provides scholarships for highly qualified applicants from Member Institutions to pursue doctoral degrees with international standard in the following nine fields at respective Host Institutions as follows:

In order for AUN/SEED-Net students to produce doctoral dissertations with international standard, a part of their thesis research is expected to be published in an international refereed journal, with the completion of the doctoral degree study within three years. The AUN/SEED-Net Project thus employs a joint thesis research supervision scheme under the “Sandwich Program” as follows.

First, well-qualified advisors of the Host Institutions, who have good research publication record in international refereed journal(s) (for example, at least one publication in an international refereed journal in the last 5 years), are assigned to students along with co-advisors of high calibre from Japanese Supporting Universities headed by Field Coordinating University.

Second, students are assigned a research topic chosen from a collection of interrelated and progressively conducted thesis research topics, termed as research themes (or research umbrellas) of Collaborative Research Program. Students would receive thesis research supervision support at a Japanese Supporting University under the supervision of a Japanese co-advisor under Short-Term Study in Japan Program.

During the three years of scholarships, students are eligible to make Short-Term Study in Japan once or twice for a total duration of eight (8) months maximum on condition that one of the two times must be less than one month. The number of study and duration of each time will be specified upon commencement of their doctoral study based on the consultation between their advisors and Japanese co-advisors.

Besides, according to AUN/SEED-Net Students’ Mobility scheme which is promoted to enable students to benefit educationally and culturally from the experience of learning at other Member Institution(s), Ph.D. Sandwich students may be supported to take a course or conduct research at other Member Institution(s) for a short period. Students are advised to consult with their advisors and Host Institution on the necessity, possibility and procedures of their mobility.

Objectives

1.	To increase the number of high quality doctoral degree holders in engineering at Member Institutions which would be necessary to contribute to a sustainable industrial development of ASEAN countries.
2.	To strengthen doctoral degree programs at the Host Institutions so that the production of high quality doctoral degree holders in engineering needed for the region is materialized within the region in collaboration with the Member Institutions and Japanese Supporting Universities.
3.	To strengthen human networking among teaching staff of Member Institutions and Japanese Supporting Universities.
4.	To have a part of the doctoral dissertation of AUN/SEED-Net’s sandwich students published in international refereed journals.

Target Number of Scholarships

Twenty-seven (27) scholarships for the Japanese Fiscal Year 2008 will be supported (approximately three (3) scholarships anticipated for each host field at Host Institutions in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand).

Coverage of Scholarships

The scholarships cover tuition fees, living expenses, health insurance, visa fee and airport tax, and a round-trip air ticket, in accordance with the AUN/SEED-Net Project regulations, both at the Host country and during the study in Japan.

Commencement and Duration of Scholarships

The commencement of scholarship should be within each Japanese Fiscal Year; that is, awarded students should commence their study within April of that year– March of the next year.

The duration of the scholarship is strictly three years, counting from the day of arrival at a Host Institution. Students who need more than three years to acquire a degree will be expected to self-finance during period of extension.

Note: The AUN/SEED-Net Project, in consultation with the Host Institution, will terminate the award of any student who fails to maintain satisfactory progress at the Host Institution.

Scholarship Allocation

Although even distribution across nine fields and across Sending Institutions are taken into consideration, our scholarship allocation needs to be based on first-in-first-served policy; that is, depending on the submission of admission results (with names of advisors and co-advisors) from Host Institutions.

Submission Deadline of the Application Form

Applications for the Doctoral Degree Sandwich Program should be submitted, in printed forms to the AUN/SEED-Net Project by February 15 each year.