Every year, the Tribunal collaborates with the Nippon Foundation to organize a training program on dispute settlement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The program, which lasts for nine months and begins in July, is held at the Tribunal’s headquarters in Hamburg, Germany. The application announcement is made every year during February or March, subject to funding availability.
The program is intended for government officials and researchers from developing countries who work on matters related to the law of the sea, maritime law, or dispute resolution. Participants are given an exclusive chance to improve their legal expertise and enhance their practical understanding of dispute settlement in the law of the sea under UNCLOS.
All expenses of the program’s participants, such as travel, lodging, medical insurance, and a monthly stipend, are paid for by the Nippon Foundation. The program includes a series of lectures held over two days throughout the nine-month program, allowing fellows to engage in in-depth discussions with the lecturers. The faculty of lecturers includes Judges from the Tribunal, Registry officials, international organizations, universities, law firms, and other related institutions.
Recent program lectures include:
The topics covered in the program focus on dispute settlement under UNCLOS, with an emphasis on the ITLOS mechanism. This includes both contentious and advisory proceedings and the provision of evidence before international courts and tribunals, provisional measures, and prompt release. Additionally, the program covers the role of international organizations in implementing UNCLOS, including the work of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, and the International Seabed Authority. Current issues related to the law of the sea, such as maritime delimitation, human rights, the Arctic, fisheries management, marine scientific research, and marine biodiversity, are also addressed, as well as international environmental law and maritime law, including maritime security, ship registration, vessel pollution, and international law, such as sources of international law, the law of international organizations, state responsibility, and the law of treaties. The program takes place in Germany.
The program provides several benefits to the fellows. The Nippon Foundation covers all the costs related to the program, including travel, accommodation, medical insurance, and a monthly subsistence allowance. The foundation may also offer assistance in the visa application process. Fellows are provided with a fully equipped office with a computer, printer, and internet connection. They also have access to the Tribunal’s specialized library and are given accommodation in studio apartments. Additionally, the fellows are introduced to life in Germany, and language classes in German, English, or French may be provided.
To be eligible for the program, applicants must be between 25 and 40 years of age and have a first university degree in law, with the capacity to undertake independent scientific research, study, and training. They must be junior to mid-level government officials or researchers dealing with ocean or maritime matters and legal issues relating to them. Applicants must indicate a research topic relevant to the State concerned regarding the implementation of UNCLOS, and the nominating administration or institute must explain the extent to which the training program will benefit the institution/State. Applicants must have an excellent knowledge of one of the official languages of the Tribunal (English and French) and a working knowledge of the other language. The program is open to all eligible regions.
