UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowships 2027 for professionals from African biosphere reserves (Fully Funded to Iceland)

Introduction

Applications are now open for the 2027 UNESCO AfriMAB GRÓ-LRT Land Restoration Fellowships, offering fully funded places for professionals from African biosphere reserves engaged in ecosystem restoration.

Program Description

Selected candidates will spend six months, from 26 February 2027, at the Agricultural University of Iceland, combining coursework with an individual restoration project tailored to their home institution’s needs, before returning to their posts with a postgraduate diploma and university credits.

Requirements

The GRÓ LRT programme runs an annual six-month training in Iceland, hosted at the Agricultural University of Iceland. The first 12 weeks focus on coursework — introductory and specialized — alongside practical training and field trips. In the following 12 weeks, each Fellow develops an individual project tailored to their academic background and the needs of their home institution. Fellows who complete the training receive 30 ECTS at postgraduate level from the Agricultural University of Iceland, as well as a GRÓ LRT diploma.

Applicants should hold a prominent role in ecosystem restoration activity within a biosphere reserve, and hold at least one university degree relevant to GRÓ LRT’s field of work, such as ecology, natural sciences, environmental management or studies, and related disciplines.

Candidates must:

• have at least one year of relevant experience working in a biosphere reserve;
• be able to communicate in English (speak, read and write), the working language of GRÓ LRT;
• be under the age of 40.

In some cases, GRÓ LRT has accepted candidates who do not fulfil the education requirement but bring extensive working experience in a relevant area.

Benefits

• The fellowship – which covers tuition, travel, health insurance, and a full living stipend
• The fellowship is fully funded, covering tuition and academic expenses, travel and health insurance costs, and a stipend covering all living expenses during the six-month stay in Iceland.

Application Procedure

Applicants must submit:

• a letter of motivation;
• a CV;
• a letter of endorsement from the biosphere reserve where they work;
• a letter of endorsement from the national MAB Focal Point or MAB Committee in their country, and;
• certificates of academic achievement.

All documents must be uploaded in PDF form as attachments via the online application form.

Deadline

Applications are evaluated jointly by GRÓ LRT and the MAB Secretariat, and only complete applications meeting the stated requirements will be considered. The deadline for applications is 10 September 2026.