Statelessness Programme

Summer course

Statelessness Summer Course 2013: 5 - 9 August in Tilburg

Over the last several years, an increasing number of actors willing and able to address statelessness have emerged. However, much work remains to be done in terms of developing a full understanding of the phenomenon and building the required capacity to address it. The Statelessness Summer Course is designed to help fill this gap. It was organized for the first time in 2012 by the Statelessness Program at Tilburg Law School and the Open Society Justice Initiative. Participants from civil society, academia, governments and international organizations came together to learn about statelessness, and to develop plans for action. In 2013, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) joins as an additional co-convener of the course. As the UN agency mandated to help states to address statelessness, the active engagement of UNHCR in updating and teaching the curriculum will help to ensure that emerging developments at UN level are duly reflected in the programme.

Lasting one week, the Course aims to consider statelessness and the right to nationality from various angles. The course will deal with legal and policy issues associated with statelessness. The status of stateless persons, their human rights and international protection will be addressed, as well as ways to research and document statelessness. The Course will draw significantly on experiences from many places around the world. In addition, the Course will take a closer look at a number of specific questions relating to statelessness, such as UNHCR’s mandate and work, gender discrimination, and the litigation of the right to a nationality.

Target group and application procedure

A maximum of 30 participants will be admitted to the Course. Eligible candidates have experience in working on issues related to citizenship and statelessness, or significant experience in a related field such as minority rights, migration, forced displacement or child protection and an interest in the issue of statelessness. Such work experience may have been gained in NGOs, inter-governmental organizations, governments or research institutes and universities. The Course provides participants with new knowledge, tools and skills to address statelessness and enforce the right to nationality. The curriculum is taught by lecturers from a variety of backgrounds, both professionally and geographically. Participants from all over the world engage actively in the different sessions, with several opportunities throughout the week to work in smaller teams and focus specifically on their own area of interest. As such, the participants will benefit from the knowledge and professional experience of both the lecturers and their fellow participants.

You can apply for the course by sending an email to: statelessness.programme@tilburguniversity.edu. Please add your CV and a letter of motivation as an attachment in your email. The closing date for applications is 1 April 2013. All applicants will receive notice as to whether they have been selected for the course by 15 April 2013.

As both the sessions and the Course materials will be in English, applicants should have proficiency in the English language. Foreign-language English speakers should be able to obtain a score of 7.0 in ELTS/IELTS or 570 in TOEFL as a minimum.

Costs, location and accommodation

The course fee is € 950. This covers all weekday lunches, tuition, course materials, and a closing dinner. Other evening and weekend meals are not included in the course fee. A limited number of scholarships are available for applicants who are able to demonstrate how their work would benefit from participation in the Course, but who would otherwise be unable to participate. There are 5 full-scholarships (tuition fee, travel and accommodation covered by the scholarship) and a limited number of half-scholarships (tuition fee covered by the scholarship) available. Note that all scholarship positions are highly competitive: should you wish to be considered, please indicate this at the moment of registration and explain clearly how the Course would benefit your work in your letter of motivation.

The Summer School will be organised on the campus of Tilburg University in Tilburg, the Netherlands. Located in the southern part of the country, Tilburg is the sixth largest city of the Netherlands. With its many cafes, inspiring museums, entertaining festivals and green surroundings, the city has something for everyone. Tilburg is within easy reach by train from both Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Brussels Airport.

An accommodation package is available at a comfortable hotel situated within easy walking distance of Tilburg University’s campus. Wireless internet is available in the hotel rooms. The fee is € 550, which covers 6 nights’ bed-and-breakfast accommodation and bike hire (4 – 10 August 2013). The costs of travel to and from Tilburg must be covered separately by the participant.

Separate South East Asia Statelessness Course

Please note that the course organisers plan to convene a separate, dedicated regional course for South East Asia in Bangkok in October 2013. Details will be announced soon.