Institute of Tropical Forest Conservation

Scholarships for Masters' research: we have some limited funding to support Ugandan, Rwandan or congolese postgraduate students for research on selected themes. Six selected students for the 2009-2010 fellowships have finished fieldwork and are now writing up their theses. Six newly selected students will start their research projects soon.

Post graduate students interested to work with us in the field research year, please check for 2 remaining scholarships

Research students: students interested to undertake research projects on other than these themes are still welcome to contact us to discuss their ideas. See the overview of completed postgraduate projects to be aware of what has been done in the past. ITFC will be raising additional funds as opportunities arise and may be wiling to assist exceptional students with good project ideas.

Note that all research requires clearance from the Ugandan authorities which can take up to 3 months.

(Note: ITFC cannot help researchers avoid these requirements)

Researchers: We are particularly interested in proposals and activities which have a strong applied component and can contribute to local and regional capacity and/or conservation outcomes (see below for a list of suggested themes). Note that all research requires clearance from the Ugandan authorities which can take up to 3 months. We advise those seeking collaboration to contact us in good time for guidance on proposal development.

Our facilities are also available, at a charge, to researchers who have their own funds and research plans and are simply looking for a base.

Themes of interest:

Prioritising research needs (demands and unknowns)
Threats to forests and forest biodiversity
Forest and wildlife ecology
The distribution and status of species of conservation concern
Attitudes to conservation
The costs, benefits and economics of conservation and sustainable use
Forest environmental services
Climate change, impacts, adaptation and mitigation. See new focus and suggested research topics
Monitoring carbon. See also new focus and suggested research topics
Local people’s needs
Sustainable resource use
Education and outreach
Monitoring and the effectiveness of conservation and resource management actions

Proposals to donors: We welcome to be included in proposals to work with us. Please consult with us to ensure ITFC's objectives, costs and requirements are reflected in any such proposals.