Fellows 2021-22

Six-month training

The core activity of the Fisheries Training Programme is an annual six-month training programme in Iceland which aims to strengthen the professional capacity of GRÓ-FTP Fellows to actively contribute to work done in their organisations and to recognise development potential in their home countries. Each year the programme runs from September to February and is comprised of three modules; an introductory part, a specialisation part, and an individual research project. Successful graduates receive a UNESCO certificate of completion.

The introductory part occupies the first five weeks of the programme and gives Fellows a holistic view of fisheries, providing them with insights into various disciplines within fisheries and their connectedness. Here Fellows receive a comprehensive overview of fisheries in an international context, sharpening their understanding of fisheries in their home countries and what is needed for a fisheries sector to evolve. The introduction consists of a series of lectures, site visits and assignments, touching upon the subject of personal and professional growth, and group dynamics. The FTP places emphasis on environmental conservation and gender equality which are integral to sustainable fisheries and the development of the fisheries sector.

On completion of the introductory part, each Fellow joins a specialist line according to their area of expertise. Here the focus is on one specific area of fisheries and each individual's experience and knowledge are honed throughout a five-week programme of lectures, assignments and site visits. During this time Fellows develop ideas for a final project in collaboration with their supervisors.
The FTP offers training in four areas of specialisation:

• Fisheries Policy and Management
• Aquatic Resource Assessment and Monitoring
• Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing
• Sustainable Aquaculture

The programme culminates in a twelve-week individual project in which fellows work closely with a supervisor to conduct research on a pressing issue related to their work at home. Here the Fellows combine the experience and practical skills gained in the introductory and specialist training, along with their personal goals on an individual research topic. Project design skills are applied to develop and present a research proposal, and then research is conducted individually through close collaboration with an expert supervisor. Final projects most often involve data directly from Fellows' home countries. On completion, a research paper is submitted and published on the FTP website. In addition, Fellows are required to design an information poster summarising their research and present their results in an open dissemination meeting.

GRÓ-FTP's mission

The Fisheries Training Programme offers applied postgraduate training for fisheries professionals, coordinates targeted short courses in partner countries and administers postgraduate scholarships to former fellows.

Through cooperation with our extensive network of partners, we aspire to further Iceland's contribution to the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals by promoting the sustainable use and management of living aquatic resources in less developed countries.

FTP's objectives are to strengthen capacities by providing excellence in training, education, and research opportunities, by facilitating the professional growth of fisheries professionals and by placing cooperation, capacity building, knowledge-sharing and research at the forefront of our mission.

GRÓ-FTP's history

The Fisheries Training Programme in Iceland was first established under the auspices of the United Nations University.

In 1998 an agreement was signed between the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the United Nations University, and the Marine Research Institute of Iceland and for 22 years the programme operated under the name UNU-FTP educating over 400 fellows from more than 60 countries.

Initially, the focus was on the development of our core six-month training programme for practising fisheries professionals from less developed countries.

However, the FTP now offers scholarships supporting former fellows who qualify for master's and doctoral studies at Icelandic academic institutions and cooperates in the development of short courses held in partner countries.

On the 1st January 2020, FTP joined hands with UNESCO through its membership in GRÓ International Centre for Capacity Development – Sustainable use of Natural Resources and Societal Change.