Terms of reference of the ECOWAS-Spain scholarship for diplomats of ECOWAS Member States

Date : 23 Jan 2019 - 28 Feb 2019
Venue : ECOWAS Commission,
Town : ABUJA
Country : Nigeria

ENG_2019 Scholarship ECOWAS-Spain

TERMS OF REFERENCE OF THE ECOWAS-SPAIN SCHOLARSHIP FOR DIPLOMATS OF ECOWAS MEMBER STATES

1) Objectives of the scholarship
The key objectives of the scholarship are to:
– Improve Human Capital development in the ECOWAS region;
– Increase the number of Diplomatic Experts and Analyst in Spanish affairs and language by providing scholarships at Masters levels;
– Increase the knowledge base of the region and promote cooperation between Spain and ECOWAS
– Promote exchange of ideas and information between Spain and ECOWAS
– Promote personal and career development; and
– Facilitate integration among students through language immersion programmes, and best practices.
2) Selection of candidates / Requirements for the beneficiary Country:
– ECOWAS shall, on mutual accord with the beneficiary countries of the scholarship (Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone), select an initial list of 36 candidates (3 candidates per vacancy), to be presented to Spain before 31 st March 2019.
– The beneficiary country should ensure continued disbursement of the salary of the selected candidate (Civil Servant of the diplomatic profession) during the training period.
3) Deadline for submission of candidates to ECOWAS Commission:
– Candidates should submit their applications to ECOWAS Commission by 28 February 2019 (deadline) through the following email addresses:
 kkla@ecowas.int;
 mbangura@ecowas.int; and
 akudzi@ecowas.int.
4) Selection criteria
The 36 initially selected candidates for the scholarship shall meet the following criteria:
– Be a Civil Servant of the diplomatic profession;
– Be of a maximum 40 years of age;
– Selection after shortlisting and interview;
– Academic excellence/ Class of Degree of applicant;
– Availability of Letter of release from the candidate’s selected Institution/Ministry.
Spain shall then select the beneficiary candidates of the scholarship from the list presented
by ECOWAS before 15 th May 2019, guided by their suitability for the Master programme, with special attention and predominant consideration of their knowledge of the Spanish language,
and striving to preserve the gender balance of the 12 selected candidates.
Spain shall give special preference to those candidates who can provide a DELE (Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language) certificate, in the absence of which preference shall be
given to those who make a solid commitment to study the Spanish language before the commencement of the course, and present and pass the DELE examination before June 2019.
Spain will provide access, free of charge, to online Spanish language training (offered by the Instituto Cervantes). Spain will also facilitate, through its network of Embassies access to
DELE examination for the candidates.
The finally selected candidates shall equally make a written commitment to attend the classes of the Master programme.
The Master programme shall take place between October 2019 and June 2020, both dates
included.
5) Content of the scholarship:
The scholarship shall comprise the following elements:
– Return air ticket from the country of origin of the selected candidates to Madrid;
– Full board accommodation in the Colegio Mayor Guadalupe (Guadalupe University
College) of the city of Madrid;
– Registration for the Master Degree programme of the Diplomatic School;
– Medical insurance for the period of stay in Spain.
6) Management of the endowment:
A) Spain shall make a contribution of €200,000 (two hundred thousand Euro) into the Bank account indicated by ECOWAS, covering the total amount needed for 12 scholarships.
B) ECOWAS, on its part, and from the €200.000 (two hundred thousand Euro) provided
by Spain:
1. Shall make, as contribution from the endowment, a direct payment of a total of €1,202 per candidate per month to the Colegio Mayor Guadalupe of the city of Madrid, into a
Bank account to be indicated later, to cover the cost of accommodation and feeding of the beneficiaries. The Colegio Mayor includes the following services: double room with a bath; breakfast, lunch and dinner all the days of the week; beddings and towels
changed weekly; weekly laundry; room cleaning; use of all the facilities of the school – gymnasium, study rooms, library, computer room, etc., and participation in sports and cultural activities.2. ECOWAS shall, from the endowment, transfer to each student before the course begins, the cost of registration for the Master, to the tune of €1,250 per student, and the cost, to be yet determined, of the insurance covering for the period of time that the
beneficiary of the scholarships will remain in Spain.
3. Each beneficiary, in turn, shall have the obligation to pay, latest, by the month of November 2019, the registration fee through payment into a Bank account of the Tesoro Público de España (Public Treasury of Spain), and the insurance for the period
of stay in Spain. To facilitate this payment, the Diplomatic School shall make the necessary administrative documents (Form 069) available to each beneficiary. Once the Master registration fee is paid, each student has to send the payment teller to
ECOWAS.
4. The candidates shall commit to attend the lectures of the Master programme, otherwise they shall lose the scholarship, including the accommodation, without the right to any form of refund.
5. ECOWAS shall, from the endowment, provide the return air tickets for the beneficiaries.

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