Deadline Date: September 15, 2025
Donor Name: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Grant Size: Not Available
The GRÓ Land Restoration Training Programme (GRÓ LRT) in Iceland is offering two fully funded fellowships for 2026 to African biosphere reserve professionals engaged in restoration activities.
The fellowships aim to build capacity among African biosphere reserve professionals by providing cutting-edge knowledge, practical tools, and an international network to address environmental challenges in their home countries. The programme supports restoration practitioners in combating degraded ecosystems that threaten biodiversity, livelihoods, and climate stability, aligning with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030) and UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme’s Strategic Action Plan.
The GRÓ LRT programme is hosted at the Agricultural University of Iceland and runs from 27 February to 27 August 2026. It combines academic coursework, hands-on field training, and a tailored individual project developed in collaboration with each Fellow’s home institution to ensure practical application upon return. Graduates receive a Postgraduate Diploma in Ecosystem Restoration and Sustainable Land Management equivalent to 30 ECTS credits.
The fellowship covers full tuition and academic expenses, round-trip travel, health insurance, and a monthly stipend for living costs. The first 12 weeks include courses, specialized training, and field visits across Iceland, while the final 12 weeks are dedicated to the individual project.
Eligible candidates must hold a prominent role in ecosystem restoration within a biosphere reserve, have at least one relevant university degree or extensive relevant experience, possess at least one year of biosphere reserve experience, be proficient in English, and be under 40 years old. The candidate’s home institution must approve a six-month study leave, maintain the Fellow’s salary and benefits during the training, and guarantee the Fellow’s return to their position.
Applications must be submitted online by 15 September 2025 and include a letter of motivation, a CV, an endorsement from the biosphere reserve, and an endorsement from the national MAB Focal Point or MAB Committee. Applications will be jointly reviewed by GRÓ LRT and the UNESCO MAB Secretariat, and only complete applications meeting all requirements will be considered.
For more information, visit UNESCO.
