10 Fellowships administered by the Organization for individuals and groups may be financed from assessed, voluntary contributions or any other appropriate funds. WHO supports governments in the administration of the fellowships.
20 A WHO Fellowship award means that an appropriate training programme, on-site or via distance learning, is selected or arranged for an individual or a group with the necessary financial assistance provided. A training and development needs analysis should be made available and all requests should be based on a training and development plan.
Strategic directions
30 The strategic directions of the Fellowship programme are guided by monitoring fellowship trends; the training needs identified by the countries to scale up workforce production; and evaluation and impact assessment results towards country capacity building in HRH development. The strategic directions encompass the following:
- Adopt best practices from WHO Regions and other United Nations Agencies;
- Use innovative approaches in education and training;
- Advocate partnerships and resource mobilization; and
- Ensure monitoring and evaluation of the outcomes and impact of the Fellowship programme.
Eligibility for fellowships
40 Fellowships are available to nationals of Member States and Associate Members of WHO and to nationals of territories and areas for whose international relations WHO Member States are responsible, or which are administered by international authorities established by the United Nations.
50 Normally, fellowships are granted to persons:
- who are, or who will be, engaged in medical or health work in their national health organization, and whose applications are supported by their national health administration;
- who have not less than two years' experience in the subject they wish to study (except for undergraduate studies);
- who submit subjects for study which are directly connected with the country’s training and development plans;
- who will place their services at the disposal of a national health administration immediately after their fellowship for specified minimum periods in relation to the duration of the fellowship;
- who are in good health and, normally, are not over 55 years of age if the retiring age is 60 or above, nor over 50 if the retiring age is below 60; and
- who are able to speak, read and write a language which can be used for the proposed studies.
Fellowships for individual studies
60 Fellowships for individual studies are defined as awards for advanced study made to individuals, who have been recommended by their governments, to prepare them for a specific assignment in their home country after completion of their studies. The application and awarding of a fellowship constitute a joint undertaking by WHO, the host country, the fellow and the government.
Fellowships for group training
70 Fellowships for group training may be granted to individuals nominated by their government to enable them to take part in a training course or study tour, as defined below:
- A training course is a set programme of instruction, sometimes leading to a qualifying examination, to which candidates who fulfill certain conditions may be admitted. Such a course is normally available at an educational establishment, but it may occasionally be specially organized and sponsored by WHO.
- A study tour is a visit by a group of health workers or scientists to study sites in one or several countries to examine local problems and best practices. It is a fact-finding mission, an educational experience, and an opportunity to establish international linkages and collaborations with longer-term impact.
