Fellows 2023-24

Welcome to Iceland

You arrive at the time of the year when winter is coming ... and the happy Christmas season approaching.

This year, September 23rd was the day of the equinox, i.e., when daytime and night-time are of equal duration all over the planet.

After that we have progressively longer night-time than daytime here in the north and we also start to experience colder weather and occasional snow storms.

In October the temperature usually ranges between 2-7 degrees Celsius. It can go below zero, especially during the night. For outdoor activities you would need a warm jumper, wind /waterproof outer shell, and good shoes.

On the official tourism website Visit Iceland  you find a lot of practical information on the weather, what to wear, food, currency, safety issues etc.

Incoming fellows profile

The 2023-24 cohort includes 25 fellows from 15 countries -- in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific. This year men (14) are three more than women (11). The biggest line of specialisation is the Fisheries Policy and Management line with 10 fellows; the three others all have five, the Aquatic Resource Assessment and Monitoring line, the Sustainable Aquaculture line and the Quality Management line.

For individual fellows' profile see here >

This year´s  FTP staff

The GRÓ-FTP team at work  ...

from the left, Julie Ingham, Zaw Myo Win and Stefán Úlfarsson (holding the camera ha ha).

Missing in the photo is Þór Ásgeirsson and Davíð Tómas Davíðson.

More information here >

Fellowship info

General info

It is always challenging to settle into a new society. To help incoming fellows to orient themselves FTP has taken together a handbook with practical information on weather conditions, suitable clothing, accommodation, service hours, entertainment, transportation, important phone numbers … and last but not least about the fellowship’s responsibilities and benefits.

It is possible to upload a PDF version of the FTP General Handbook here>

Accomodation

The GRÓ House is the Reykjavík home of the GRÓ six-month fellows (GRÓ-FTP, GRÓ-GTP & GRÓ-LRT) and houses occasionally GRÓ MS/MSc and PhD scholarship recipients and visiting guest lecturers invited by the four GRÓ Programmes. The house is located on Grensásvegur 14, close to a major shopping and recreational area with convenient access to bus routes.

It is possible to upload a PDF version of the GRÓ House Handbook here>

The six-month training

The core activity of the FTP is an annual postgraduate level six-month training programme in Iceland which aims to strengthen the professional capacity and competency of FTP Fellows to actively contribute to work done in their organisations and to recognise development potential in their home countries.

Each year the course runs for six months and comprises three modules: an introductory part, a specialisation part, and an individual research project. Successful graduates receive a UNESCO GRÓ certificate of completion.

The overall framework for the 2023-24 semester presented below is a draft, intended to help general orientation. However, as the programme is by nature quite fluid and relies on cooperation of many people, institutes and companies it will need to be updated periodically.

It is possible to upload a PDF version of the Overall Plan here>

Introduction

The introductory part occupies the first 5-6 weeks of the programme and gives Fellows a holistic view of fisheries, providing them with insights into various disciplines within fisheries and their connectedness.

In this course, 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.

Transition from intro

On completion of the intro, fellows join one of four lines of specialisation: Fisheries Policy and Management; Aquatic Resource Assessment and Monitoring; Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing; or Sustainable Aquaculture.

Fellows now have the task of attending a full specialisation programme while, at the same time, developing research project ideas into a proposal.

During this phase, heads of lines provide fellows with course outlines, time schedules and reading materials specific to their lines of specialisation. They also lead the process of assigning supervisor(s) to work with fellows on their research project.

FTP-staff, on the other hand, monitor fellows’ progress and, also, provide cross-specialisation-line support and tools, such as "guidelines on roles and responsabilities” (see below); and a “schedule of common activities”(see below).

Note, materials referred to in the guidelines and the schedule are shared via File Storage here >

Specialisation

On completion of the introductory part, each Fellow joins a specialist line according to their area of expertise and responsibilities at home. The lines focus on one specific area of fisheries and aims to hone each Fellow’s knowledge and experience throughout a six-week programme of lectures, assignments, and site visits. During this time, Fellows develop ideas for a final project in collaboration with their supervisors communicated through a project proposal submitted orally and in writing.

The FTP offers training in four areas of specialisation:

• Fisheries Policy and Management (University of Akureyri in the north of Iceland)
• Aquatic Resource Assessment and Monitoring (Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Hafnarfjörður, near Reykjavík)
• Quality Management of Fish Handling and Processing (Matís, Food Science and Biotechnology Institute in Reykjavík)
• Sustainable Aquaculture (Marine and Freshwater Research Institute in Hafnarfjörður, near Reykjavík)

Research project

The programme culminates in a 12-13 week research project in which fellows work closely with a supervisor to conduct research on a pressing issue related to their work at home. The project work combines the Fellow’s 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 GRÓ-FTP website. In addition, Fellows are required to design an information poster summarising their research and present their results in an open dissemination meeting.

Roles & responsibilities

The research project is a collaborative project between fellows, supervisors, heads of lines and the GRÓ-FTP team, where the fellow bears the main responsibility.

The fellow is responsible for:

• Coming up with ideas for projects that are then developed in collaboration with the supervisor and GRÓ-FTP team.
• Ensuring that the work undertaken will add value to their home institution.
• Implementation of work related to the project.
• Following the instructions on formatting and writing,
• Taking the initiative in seeking help if help is needed.
• Informing the supervisor and GRÓ-FTP team about the progress of the project.
• Notifying the GRÓ-FTP team if progress of project implementation is little and the possible reason for that.
• Working with the supervisor on setting regular meetings and then keeping to them.
• Contacting the supervisor at least once a week.
• Inviting other relevant parties to regular supervisor meetings.

Heads of lines find supervisors to assist in designing and implementing fellows’ final research project.

The following are some of the supervisors’ responsibilities:

• The supervisors, in collaboration with the heads of lines, and in consultation with FTP staff, are responsible for coaching the fellows through the research project. That includes helping them to define research topics, planning the project, and provide the fellows with necessary support (logistics, facilities, consultation etc).
• The supervisor should assist the fellow in the development of the project idea and assist in the preparation of a project proposal.
• The supervisor must ensure that all academic requirements are met, specifically the use and registration of sources (references and bibliography).
• The supervisor is expected to meet the fellow at least once a week. It is important that the supervisor establishes rules regarding communication and regular meetings with the fellow so that time is used as efficiently as possible, and distractions are reduced. The supervisor should ensure that the fellow has access to the data and people needed to complete the project. If the supervisor must be absent for some time, he or she bears responsibility for ensuring that the fellow knows what needs to be done in his or her absence.

Although the heads of lines /supervisors oversee the professional aspects of the research project, the GRÓ-FTP team will always monitor the process closely and intervene if necessary. It is therefore important that both supervisors and fellows are in good communication with the GRÓ-FTP team. If any problems arise, they should be resolved as soon as possible. It is very important that the short time allotted for the project is used well and that fellows have a balanced workload throughout the period. The supervisor and fellow will formally meet with the GRÓ-FTP team 2-3 times to review the status of the project.

Schedule of common activities

It is possible that some dates or other arrangements may need to be changed at later stage. In that case, FTP will inform relevant fellows /supervisors.

• Jan 19 (Fri) > All lines: Project idea worksheet. This is entirely a voluntary exercise. However, it is strongly recommend that fellows go through it by themselves. It will help in getting started with the research project. It will also help as a preparation for the upcoming design workshop (see below). Please download the worksheet here >. Follow the instruction in the worksheet. Keep the paper for yourself – you don’t need to hand anything in. There is not any planned feedback from FTP staff.
• Jan 27 (Saturday) > ARAM + QM + SAq: Project design workshop. Fellows will receive instructions about the structure and format criteria for the main submitted papers, i.e. the project proposal and research report. Organised as a whole day workshop at the location of the MFRI (Hafró). Exact timing and other logistics communicated later.
• Jan 29 (Mon) > FPM: Project design workshop. Fellows will receive instructions about the structure and format criteria for the main submitted papers, i.e. the project proposal and research report. Organised as a whole day workshop at the location of UNAK Akureyri. Exact timing and other logistics communicated later.
• Feb 5 (Mon) > All lines: Draft proposal submission. By noon fellows are supposed to hand in a draft proposal (send to: stefan@groftp.is). They should follow instructions provided during the Project design workshop held earlier (see above). Based on the draft proposals individual fellows and /or heads of lines may be contacted directly to make sure project is on schedule. When fellows hand in the draft proposal, it can differ how much their supervisors have already become involved. However, from now on we expect fellows and supervisors to work closely together, preparing for the upcoming deadlines according to the schedule below.
• Feb 8 (Thu) - 13 (Tue) > All lines: Proposal presentations. Open presentations held at the location of each line of specialisation (15 minutes presentation + 5 minutes discussion per fellow). Confirmed order: ARAM (morning) Feb 8 /// QM (morning) Feb 9 /// FPM (all day) Feb 12 /// SAq (morning) Feb 13. Exact timing and other logistics provided later.
• Feb 16 (Fri) > All lines: Proposal Submission. Project proposal handed in (send to: stefan@groftp.is).
• Feb 19 (Mon) > All lines: Start of Research project module. In the days following the proposal submission, fellows will receive: 1) A notification from FTP on whether their proposal has been accepted or if there are still issues that need to be addressed; and 2) how incurred research cost -- if any -- may be reimbursed.
• Mar 12 (Tue) - 14 (Thu) > All lines: First progress meeting. Progress is assessed based on approved proposal. At the first progress meeting special focus is on methodology, collection and quality of data, research design and overall structure of report. Also to be discussed is the working relationship between fellows and supervisors and any other issues that may arise. The meeting is usually organised as hybrid online/in-person meetings between a fellow, his /her supervisor(s) and FTP staff (20-30 minutes per fellow). Provisional order: SAq (morning) + ARAM (afternoon) March 12 /// FPM (all day) March 13 /// QM (morning) March 14. Exact timing and other logistics provided later. Note: Fellows are supposed to update their research report regularly and hand it in 5 working days before the progress meeting (send to: stefan@groftp.is).
• Apr 5 (Fri) - 10 (Wed) > All lines: Second progress meetings. Again, progress is assessed based on approved proposal. At the second progress meeting special focus is on preliminary results and their interpretations. Also to be discussed is the working relationship between fellows and supervisors and any other issues that may arise. The meeting is usually organised as hybrid online/in-person meetings between a fellow, his /her supervisor(s) and FTP staff (20-30 minutes per fellow). Provisional order: ARAM (morning) April 5 /// QM (morning) April 8 /// SAq (morning) April 9 /// FPM (all day) April 10. Exact timing and other logistics provided later. Note: Fellows are supposed to update their research report regularly and hand it in 5 working days before the progress meeting (send to: stefan@groftp.is).
• Apr 22 (Mon) > All lines: Workshop on poster design & review of academic writing. More details in "Timing and logistics" box below.
• May 6 (Mon) - 8 (Wed) > All lines: Research project presentation. Open seminars held at the location of each line of specialisation (20 minutes presentation + 10 minutes discussion per fellow). Confirmed order: FPM (all day) May 6 /// SAq (morning) + ARAM (afternoon) May 7 /// QM (morning) May 8. Exact timing and other logistics see "Timing & logistics, updates" box below.
• May 6 (Mon) > All lines: Posters must be submitted to FTP for proofreading by 9 a.m. (send to: julie@groftp.is).
• May 13 (Mon) > All lines: Submit papers -- final date.
• May 13 (Mon) > All lines: Posters are displayed in the entrance at MFRI.
• May 13 (Mon) > FPM focus group between 12:00 and 13:00 and ARAM between 13:30 and 14:30.
• May 14 (Tue) > QM focus group between 10:30 and 11:30 and SAq between 13:00 and 14:00.
• May 15 (Wed) > All lines: Graduation (afternoon); celebration (evening).

Timing & logistics, updates

Research project presentations

Open seminars held at the location of each line of specialisation (20 minutes presentation + 10 minutes discussion per fellow). 

Schedule:

Workshop on poster design & review of academic writing

• Date: Monday 22^nd April
• Time: 09:00 – 12:00
• Location: Marine and Freshwater Research Institute for ARAM, SAQ and QM groups
• Online teams meeting for FPM group (invites will be sent out by April 17).

Second progress meetings

Please, coordinate with your supervisor(s).

Special focus this time is on preliminary results of your research and how it can be interpreted. Also to be discussed is the working relationship between you and your supervisor(s).

Note: You are supposed to update your draft research report regularly and hand it in to us two working days before your scheduled meeting (send to: stefan@groftp.is).

As usually, the meetings are organised as hybrid online/in-person meetings between a fellow, his /her supervisor(s) and FTP staff (20-30 minutes per fellow).

First progress meetings

Progress is assessed based on approved proposal workplan. At the first progress meeting special focus is on methodology, collection and quality of data and overall structure of report. Also to be discussed is the working relationship between fellows and supervisors and any other issues that may arise. The meetings are organised as hybrid online/in-person meetings between a fellow, his /her supervisor(s) and FTP staff (20-30 minutes per fellow). 

Project proposal sessions

Open presentations held at the location of each line of specialisation (15 minutes presentation + 5 minutes discussion per fellow).

Excel sheet with more detailed information (including Teams /Zoom links to presentation sessions) is downloadable here >

Project design workshops

• For QM, SAq and ARAM specialist lines on Saturday 27^th January 13:00 to 18:00. Meet at MFRI, Fornubúðir 5 in good time. Þór and Julie will be holding this workshop in the lecture rooms on the ground floor.
• For FPM specialist line on Monday 29^th January 09:00 to 15:00. Please meet at BORG in the room R262. Þór will be holding this workshop. Lunch break between 12:00 and 13:00.