Call for applications: 2023 WildCRU PG Diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practice

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Claudio Sillero

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May 6, 2022, 7:00:53 AM5/6/22

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Hello P&W

This is a great course for early-career conservationists. Help us spread the word and share the message below with suitable candidates. We would especially welcome candidates from central Asia (Kazakhstan, Dagestan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Mongolia), Portuguese and Francophone Africa, and South America (particularly Ecuador, Paraguay and Venezuela). If you have any contacts, or any ideas for people or organisations we should approach, please forward their contact details or cut and paste the message below.

Best wishes

Claudio

Message to share:

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We are looking for excellent candidates for our residential Postgraduate Diploma to begin in February 2023 at Oxford.

Since 2009 the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) at the University of Oxford, in association with Panthera, has been teaching a Postgraduate Diploma in International Wildlife Conservation Practice, specifically to provide training in applied conservation skills to promising conservationists from less-developed parts of the world, where such training may be difficult to obtain. Importantly, we have been able to sponsor most of our students each year (typical class size is 8 students – with full or partial sponsorship). This course is particularly well suited for applicants involved in terrestrial vertebrate conservation, especially those working with carnivores.

Over the years we have trained over 100 people and helped them advance their careers. Indeed, many have gone on to run conservation projects, work for government and NGOs, or advanced their scientific careers through enrolling in MSc and PhD degrees. Candidates are required to have a minimum of a BSc-equivalent qualification in a biology/natural resources-related field, or in exceptional cases a demonstrated equivalent experience in the field of wildlife conservation practice. An additional requirement is considerable (at least 2-3 years) hands-on field work experience in conservation issues in the developing world.

The Diploma is aimed at early career conservationists, those already enrolled for a doctorate degree would not be considered as a priority candidate. As the course is taught in English, an adequate level of spoken and written English is necessary. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any question about the diploma. You can learn more about the curriculum and application process here. The deadline for applications for the 2022 course is Friday, 24^th June 2022 at 12 noon, UK time.

Potential applicants should note the following considerations:

Duration: 7-month full time residential component (March-Sept. 2023), preceded by a one-month (Feb 2023) distance-learning module.
Students are enrolled as regular graduate students of the University of Oxford.
Strong professional and academic references are essential.
Priority given to applicants working in terrestrial vertebrate conservation, with an especial interest on the Carnivora and/or in areas important for the conservation of these species.
Applicants need to have good English skills, sufficient for graduate level studies at Oxford (see IELTS/TOEFL score requirements here). English language evidence waivers can be issued to candidates who have studied for at least 9 months at University level in English (and have evidence to prove that).
Finally, although we are willing to show some flexibility in English language requirements for some of the stronger applicants, the UK Boarder Agency requires a minimum of IELTS 5.5 for every student entering the UK (if they do not have a waiver). Importantly, applications without evidence of English language scores will be considered complete, but any offer would be conditional on the candidate meeting the language requirement.

The application procedure is highly competitive (many applicants for few spots), and to assess if somebody has a fair chance in the application procedure we strongly encourage potential candidates to share their CV’s with us first, by emailing it to wildcru...@zoo.ox.ac.uk so we can assess their CV and indicate if they would have a fair chance during the application procedure.