PHD STUDENTSHIP City University London

Department of International Politics
City University London

We invite applications for a PhD bursary. The award will run for three years from September 2008 (subject to satisfactory progress). The studentship will comprise a maintenance grant of £13,500, plus tuition fees. Holders of the studentship will be expected to teach a maximum of five hours per week in term time, at the direction of the Head of Department, for which training and support will be available.

We particularly welcome applications in the areas of: global political economy, global finance, development, governance and policy-making. Applicants should normally have obtained, or be about to obtain, a relevant Master's degree at merit or distinction level. More information is available at: http://www.city. ac.uk/intpol/PhD.html
How to Apply

Applicants should complete the PhD application form available from:

Postgraduate Enquiry Service
School of Social Sciences
City University
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB

tel. +44 (0) 20 7040 8512
email: socscipg@city. ac.uk

The application form can also be downloaded via the following link:
http://www.city.ac.uk/cms/social/social/dps/forms/PhDApplicationFormGENERAL.doc

Applicants should submit a research proposal. The research proposal should include an outline of your topic; statement about the significance of the problem you have chosen to address and relevant theoretical framework; its place in the wider debate in the discipline of international relations and politics; and key research questions
that would guide your thesis. Ideally, research proposals should not exceed 4 pages in length

Applications should include the names and address of two academic referees.

Application materials should be sent by email to:

Ms Carmai Roberts
PG Coordinator
Carmai.Roberts. 1@city.ac. uk

Closing date: September 14th, 2008.

If you are interested in making an informal inquiry please contact the tutor for research students, Dr Anastasia Nesvetailova (a.nesvetailova@ city.ac.uk) with an outline of your research interests.

Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition

Staples, Inc is proud to partner with Ashoka’s Youth Venture and Changemakers to sponsor the "Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition" – a global search for the most creative and inspiring ways young people are changing our world.

Eligibility Criteria

The competition is open to all young individuals between the ages of 12-24 and all previously awarded Youth Venture teams. We consider all entries – ideas OR projects –that meet the following criteria:

-Idea or project reflects the theme of the competition: “Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur Competition.” The goal of the competition is to identify innovative solutions that young people are using to make life easier for others. Entries are accepted from young people in all countries.
-Ideas show strong potential for significant or meaningful impact. Projects show potential as well as demonstrated impact.
-Entry form is completed and submitted before the deadline.
-Entries are submitted in English, Spanish, Portuguese or French.

Assessment Criteria

The winners of this Changemakers Collaborative Competition will be those entries that best meet the following criteria:

-Innovation: This is the knock-out test; the idea or project must introduce creative elements or methods to positively impact the community in order for judges to give it a high ranking. For example, the project might use a new approach to tackle a challenge, creative methods to raise awareness of a problem, or innovative strategies to raise funds or engage volunteers.
-Social Impact: It is important that the idea or project has or will have significant impact on the issues it addresses. Some innovations will have proven success at a small level (or are still at the very beginning), while others will have scaled to engage hundreds or thousands of people. Judges will take into consideration how you plan to grow, replicate, and reach big goals.
-Sustainability: For a project to be truly effective it must have a plan for how it will acquire financial and other bases of support for the long-term. In other words it has a good strategy for creating ongoing positive change in the community and engaging partners, as well as a sound plan for transitioning leadership and recruiting team members or volunteers.

Competition Deadlines, Procedures, and Rules

Online competition submissions are accepted until October 15th, 2008 at 6pm, U.S. Eastern Daylight Time. Any time before this deadline, competition participants can revise their entries based on questions and insights that they receive in the Changemakers discussion. Participation in the discussion enhances one's prospects in the competition and gives the community and the judges an opportunity to understand one's project more completely. Posting and discussion are encouraged because the exchange of ideas helps social entrepreneurs develop and improve methods to create positive change in the communities in which we live.

There are four main phases in the competition:

-Entry Stage, August 20th – October 15, 2008:Entries can be submitted until 6 pm Eastern US time on October 15th, 2008, and anyone can participate in an online idea review discussion with the entrants.
-Online Review and Judging, October 16 – October 29, 2008: Online review and discussion continues. Simultaneously, a panel of judges who are well-versed in the topic and a group of Ashoka’s Youth Venture staff select the competition finalists.
-Voting October 30th – November 11, 2008:The Changemakers community votes online to select the Global Grand Prize winner.
-Announcement of Winners – November 12, 2008: - The Global Grand Prize Winner is announced. - Up to 25 entries will be awarded Youth Venture grants of up to US$1,000 to launch or advance their ideas. - In addition, four entries from USA and France are named as Staples Prize finalists. Their representatives will be flown to Boston, Massachusetts, USA to attend an awards ceremony on November 20, 2008. One of the Staples Prize finalists will be awarded a suite of Staples products worth US$5,000 to run their venture.




http://www.changemakers.net/en-us/competition/StaplesYV

First Asia-Europe Young Urban Leaders' Dialogue

Madrid , Spain
Nov. 10-18, 2008

The Asia-Europe Foundation and Madrid Global International Strategy and Action Office of Madrid's city Council are inviting organizations to send a representative to participate in the First Asia-Europe Young Urban Leaders' Dialogue which will be conducted in Madrid , Spain on November 10 to 16, 2008.

Objectives :

To forge solid and long-lasting relationships through exchanges and experiences, from the creation of personal and institutional lines and connections that involve new generation's interest in sharing the social reality that surround cities
To create network of contacts among emerging young leaders, professionals from the main urban settlements on both continents
Participants :

Between 24 and 30 years old
ASEM national
Excel in the fields of public administration, the corporate world, the academe, arts, political arena and media
Decisive in their respective areas of action
Have the capacity to share their experiences
Able to work in English
Willing to attend 100% of the meeting
Expenses :

The organizers will be responsible for covering all local costs, including accommodation, meals and local transportation. They may also help partially defray the international travel costs of participants who need assistance by providing a travel subsidy. In this sense, the maximum amount reimbursed cannot exceed 50% of the total travel costs (maximum amount for residents in Asia is EUR 500).

Application requirements :

Participant Application form
Updated detailed curriculum vitae (not more than 3 pages)
A recent photo (jpg or bmp format)

Submit the requirements to lutchieachua@yahoo.com on or before 8 September 2008.

Download application form here: http://youth.net.ph/download/asia-europe%20application%20form.doc

http://www.asef.org/index.php?option=com_project&task=view&id=471

CHINA-ASEAN YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS' FORUM

Nanning , China
Oct. 20-25, 2008

The All-China Youth Federation is inviting young entrepreneurs to the China-ASEAN Young Entrepreneurs' Forum to be held in Nanning , China on Oct. 20-25, 2008. The forum will be the venue for the official launch of the Chinese Secretariat for the China-ASEAN Young entrepreneurs' Association (CAYEA), as well as discussion on the draft constitution for the CAYEA based on the recommendations proposed at the ASEAN-China Youth Entrepreneurs' Workshop held in June in Brunei .

Participants :

The delegation shall include a senior official (head of delegation) from the organizations responsible for the establishment of the CAYEA in ASEAN countries. The head of delegation can bring one assistant and the other members of the delegation should be young entrepreneurs who are core members of the Chamber of Commerce in their own countries who have the capability to participate in the economic cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, have the willingness to join in the CAYEA and are fluent in English.

Expenses :

The organizer shall cover the local transportation and accommodation of all delegates during the forum. The organizer will also pay for the international travel costs of four (4) delegates of each delegation, including the head of delegation, his or her assistant and 2 young entrepreneurs.

Submission of registration form :

Submit thru email the registration form to lutchieachua@yahoo.com on or before Aug. 28, 2008.

Download application form here: http://youth.net.ph/download/chineseasian%20Registration%20Form.doc

(information c/o www.youth.net.ph)

2008 CGAP Microfinance Photo Contest: Innovators and entrepreneurs

WHO: The CGAP Microfinance Photo Contest is open to all photographers at least 18 years of age, except the operational team of CGAP and their immediate families.

WHAT: We are looking for original, striking images of microfinance around the world that capture what microfinance means to you. These images may reflect the wide variety of microfinance and microenterprise development around the world, representing a range of products, institutions, and methodologies, and may touch on a broad range of social, economic, developmental, and technological issues. We encourage entries from all regions, in both rural and urban settings. We expect to receive images that represent technology, institutions, money, microfinance transactions and impact, policy/regulation, human capacity, and people and their environment. Photo submissions must be accompanied by a brief description of the photo, including the place and country where it was taken, and how it reflects advancing financial access to people through microfinance.

Entries must be:

• The original work of the entrant
• Noninfringing of the rights of others
• Respectful of the rights, sensitivities, and culture of persons depicted
• An accurate reflection of the subject matter and scene as it appeared, without alteration (other than standard optimization, including removal of dust, cropping, adjustments to color and contrast, etc.)
• A depiction of microfinance and/or microenterprise development in one or more of the following categories:

o General
o Innovation in delivery, whether through new technologies, institutions, or infrastructure
o Innovative approaches to regulating and applying laws that relate to access to finance
o Innovation in funding and supporting microfinance
o Impact

Entries will be judged on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact, and artistic merit. The story behind the photo, submitted as a paragraph or brief essay, may influence the judges’ decisions. Decisions made by the judges are final.

http://www.cgap.org/p/site/c/template.rc/2008PhotoContest

The Body Shop Foundation Asia Pacific Grants Programme

The Body Shop Foundation Asia Pacific Grants Programme is looking to grant local organizations that focus on any the following ---

1.) Child Rights
2.) Environmental Sustainability
3.) Poverty Alleviation

In case you know of organisations who might be looking to apply, we can help facilitate their nomination. You can send their information here or through rvvibal@the-body-shop.com.ph

For more details on the programme, you may check www.thebodyshopfoundation.org

The Oliver Gurney Essay Prize

Prof. Oliver Robert Gurney (1911-2001) was a distinguished Assyriologist and Hittite scholar and former President of the British Institute at Ankara (BIAA). In order to commemorate his life and works, popularise Hittite studies, and to reward and recognise the achievement of young scholars in this field, the BIAA is pleased to announce the Oliver Gurney essay prize.

The prize money is £1,000. (Joint winners, or runners-up, may be awarded in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the prize-awarding panel).

The Oliver Gurney essay competition is open to all postgraduate students and to postdoctoral researchers within five years of graduation. The competition is open to entrants of all nationalities. The prize is awarded on the grounds of originality, clarity of argument and writing, and adherence to the conventions of scholarly presentation.

Essays should be:

-On any topic related to the study of the Hittite world, including ancient languages, history, culture, religion, politics, warfare, material culture, musicology, or any aspect of the archaeology of the Hittite world.
-A single piece of original writing of 3,000 to 5,000 words in length
-Written in English and accompanied by an abstract (c. 200 words).
-May be accompanied by up to eight illustrations.
-Previously unpublished (but may be adapted from a dissertation, thesis, or similar - submitted or forthcoming).

Submission of Essays:

Essays that do not comply with the criteria above may be disqualified.
Four hard copies of the essay should be submitted directly to the chair of the panel (Dr Alan Greaves) to arrive before the competition deadline.
All submissions should be accompanied by a signed and dated letter stating where and when the author graduated (or where they are studying) and stating that the work is original and has not been previously published. The letter should also provide a contact address for correspondence.

Deadline: 1st December 2008

Contact:
Dr Alan M. Greaves (Chair of the Oliver Gurney Essay Prize Panel)
School of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology
12-14 Abercromby Square
University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3GS, UK.
E-mail: greaves@liv.ac.uk

(information c/o www.pinoyworld.org)