ICLD’s Fieldwork Grant

About the Grant

ICLD’s Fieldwork Grant is a programme for master’s students in Sweden. The aim of the programme is to provide an opportunity for students to conduct fieldwork in one of ICLD’s countries of cooperation. The subject of study must have a strong connection to local democracy. Students may apply for a maximum of 20,000 SEK to conduct fieldwork for at least five weeks in a selected country.

Studies must be relevant to the role of local governments and local democratic institutions in addressing global challenges and should have a sustainability, human rights and gender perspective.

The application must fit into at least one of the following themes:

  • Social accountability and participation of vulnerable groups
  • From climate crises to climate action: what role for local governments?
  • Global migration: cities and communities in search of inclusion
  • Children and youth influence in local decision-making
  • Inclusive cities
  • Post-conflict recovery: challenges and opportunities
  • Contesting gender inequality

In addition to these areas, we welcome applications that focus on collaborations within the Municipal Partnership or International Training Programmes. Information on these programme areas may be found here.

Municipal partnerships include projects focused on a variety of issues such as urban planning, equity, gender equality, inclusion, economic development, etc. In the case of international training programmes, we have projects with women politicians, sustainable urban planning, sustainable urban planning, municipal financing, and rights-based local governance. For a range of projects from which to choose, please read more here.

Countries eligible for fieldwork studies

The field studies must be conducted in one of the following countries in which ICLD operates: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Botswana, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Kenya, Kosovo, Moldova, Mozambique, Namibia, North Macedonia, Serbia, South Africa, Tanzania, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Vietnam, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

ICLD will prioritise field studies conducted in the countries where we operate, however research projects in other countries are welcomed if they show an important contribution to the research themes of the call.

Mandatory preparation course

All successful candidates are expected to participate in a preparatory course on 5-6 December 2019. It is important to plan your departure so that you can attend the course before leaving. No exemptions are granted. 

Application

Candidates are required to submit and upload the following documents in English:

  • Short but strong letter of motivation (max 1 page) in English to support the suggested activity and why it is essential for the applicant’s studies.
  • Project description (using the project description template provided)
  • Letter of certification from your university in Sweden to support the application (signed by student counsellor, professor or similar)
  • CV – max 2 A4 pages

How to apply

Candidates are advised to read the fieldwork grant guidelines and submit your application via the online application system no later than 31 October 2019. It is not possible to supplement an application after the closing date.

The Guidelines

Contact

For more information and questions regarding the programme, please contact Malaika Mikaelsson, tel 0498-29 91 49.