Call for Applications | CyberBRICS Fellowship Programme

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS 

Fellows in Rio 

CyberBRICS Fellowship Programme 

Hosted by FGV Rio de Janeiro Law School – FGV DIREITO RIO 

Deadline for applications: 10 November 2019

Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV) is a world-renowned institution of research and quality education. In 2018, FGV was deemed as one of the top 10 think tanks in the world, according to the 2017 Global Go To Think Tanks Index, produced by the Pennsylvania University. Besides being the 7th most influential think tank globally, FGV has been ranked as the most influential think tank in Latin America over the past nine years. Currently, FGV has 10 Schools and more than 50 Applied Research Centres in the areas of economics, business administration, public administration, law, social sciences, applied mathematics and international relations. See http://portal.fgv.br/)) Rio de Janeiro Law School – FGV DIREITO RIO is pleased to announce the second edition of the CyberBRICS Fellowship Programme. 

The programme, which is part of the CyberBRICS project and of FGV DIREITO RIO’s Fellows in Rio initiative, has been developed in partnership with the Higher School of Economics and the Center for New Media and Society, in Moscow, Russia; the Centre for Internet and Society, New Delhi, India; the Fudan University, Shanghai, and the University of Hong Kong, in Hong Kong, China; and Research ICT Africa and the University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. 

The goal of the programme is to support a selected group of highly qualified post-graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral scholars working in the area related to the activities of the 2020-2021 work plan of the CyberBRICS project, namely regulation of Internet access and digitalisation of public administrations in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS). 

The programme will offer five fellowships for a duration of up to 6 (six) months, ideally from  February to July 2020, at FGV DIREITO RIO, providing economic, intellectual and networking resources to support selected scholars coming from the BRICS or having relevant experience in at least one of the BRICS country. 

The CyberBRICS 2020 fellows will be selected by a commission formed by Prof Luca Belli, from FGV DIREITO RIO, (Brazil), Prof Alexey Ivanov, from the Higher School of Economics (Russia), Ms Elonnai Hickok, from the Centre for Internet and Society (India), Prof Shen Yi, from Fudan University (China), and Prof Alison Gillwald, from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance University of Cape Town (South Africa). 

Presentation of the CyberBRICS project 

Over the next decade, projected Internet growth is expected to occur predominantly in Asia, Latin America and Africa and, particularly, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries,^[a]See Cisco (2017) Cisco Visual Networking Index: Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast Update 2016 2021. White Paper. San Jose, CA: Cisco. which are increasing their cooperation^[b]See BRICS Working Group on ICT Cooperation. (11 November 2016). Digital Partnership – Transformation through ICTs. ICT Development Agenda and Action Plan. 2nd Meeting of BRICS Ministers of … Continue reading  in the fields of science and technology with the aim of increasing synergies^[c]See Declaration of the 5th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Communications – Brasilia, Brazil, August 14, 2019 … Continue reading between their digital policies to foster effective solutions and promote transformations.

As stressed by the BRICS leaders themselves: “Information and communications technologies provide citizens with new tools for the effective functioning of economy, society and state […] and the use and development of ICTs through international cooperation and universally accepted norms and principles of international law is of paramount importance in order to ensure a peaceful, secure and open digital and Internet space.”^[d]See Ufa Declaration, VII BRICS Summit, Ufa, the Russian Federation, 9 July 2015.

While the expansion of connectivity and the rise of new information and communications technologies (ICTs) have generated opportunities for individuals and businesses, they also pose a number of challenges, with particular regard to how to connect in a meaningful way the almost 50% of individuals currently offline, how to protect personal data and guarantee cybersecurity, and how to digitalise public administrations through shared and efficient policies, based on rigorously collected evidence and fostering digital inclusion. 

The purposes of the CyberBRICS project are: a) to map existing regulations, b) identify best practices, and c) develop policy suggestions in the areas of cybersecurity, Internet access and digitalisation of public administrations. The strategic importance of these areas has been recently stressed by the 5th Joint Declaration of the BRICS Ministers of Communications, according to which BRICS cooperation should be promoted and prioritised with particular regard to “rural connectivity and IoT solutions for agriculture in BRICS countries, 5G in BRICS countries, expansion of broadband internet access in BRICS countries, and digital transformation strategy in BRICS countries”^[e]See Declaration of the 5th Meeting of BRICS Ministers of Communications – Brasilia, Brazil, August 14, 2019.

Professor Luca Belli leads and coordinates the CyberBRICS project and can be contacted for further enquiries at luca.belli [at] fgv.br. 

1. SELECTION PROCESS 

The selection process will follow two stages: 

(a) First Stage: Evaluation of the following documents (from 10 to 15 November 2019) 

i. Curriculum Vitae (Brazilian candidates should send their CV in Lattes format)

ii. Links to two (2) samples of published material, in English, in at least one of the CyberBRICS project areas (i.e. cybersecurity, Internet access, digitalisation of public administration). 

iii. A reference letter 

(b) Second Stage: Interview with selected candidates (from 15 to 20 November 2019) 

i. Analysis of reference letter 

ii. Online interview 

FGV DIREITO RIO will release the results of the selective process by 30 November 2019. 

2. ELIGIBILITY 

Applicants should be preferably nationals of one of the BRICS countries or having any nationality but an affiliation with an academic institution in one of the BRICS countries. Applicant should be currently pursuing or have recently completed a doctoral degree in law or in political science, computer science or economics. Candidates must have perfect command of the English language and demonstrate they have already published research outputs in English. 

Applications from candidates holding a masters degree and demonstrating relevant professional working experience in one of the issue areas of the project will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. 

3. APPLICATION 

Documents to be submitted: 

a. Curriculum Vitae. Brazilian candidates should send their CV in Lattes format. 

b. Links to two (2) samples of published material in English, in at least one of the CyberBRICS project areas (i.e. cybersecurity, Internet access, digitalisation of public administration) 

c. A reference letter 

Documents shall be sent via email to the FGV DIREITO RIO International Affairs Secretariat at the following address cri.direitorio@fgv.br with the following Subject: “CyberBRICS Fellowship – candidate’s name”. 

Application deadline: 10 November 2019 

4. SELECTION 

The 5 (five) candidates approved in the selection process will begin their activities in February 2020. The start date and end date of the fellowship may be negotiated, on a case-by-case basis, to meet special needs of the candidates.  

Candidates will be selected by a commission formed by Prof Luca Belli, from FGV Law School, Prof Alexey Ivanov, from the Higher School of Economics, Ms Elonnai Hickok, from the Centre for Internet and Society, Prof Shen Yi, from Fudan University, and Prof Alison Gillwald, from the University of Cape Town. 

Selected candidates are expected to submit to the Human Resources Department of FGV DIREITO RIO all documents required for the fellowship agreement. Please note that FGV DIREITO RIO will provide assistance and supporting documentation but non-Brazilian candidates will be ultimately responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa (VITEM 1) at the local Brazilian Embassy or Consulate and all necessary authorisation for living and working in Brazil. 

Selected candidates are expected to work at FGV DIREITO RIO venue, in praia de Botafogo 190, Rio de Janeiro, during the entire fellowship period. Any substantial absences should be agreed with the programme coordinator, Prof Luca Belli, from FGV DIREITO RIO. 

5. FELLOWS REMUNERATION 

Selected CyberBRICS Research Fellows holding a PhD will receive up to 6 (six) instalments of R$ 8.500 per month, depending on the agreed duration of the fellowship. Selected CyberBRICS Research Fellows holding a masters degree and proven working experience (and/or currently pursuing a PhD) will receive up to 6 (six) instalments of R$ 7.500 per month, depending on the agreed duration of the fellowship. ^[f]Generally, fellows need to use only around half of the remuneration for their total expenses (housing and alimentation).

At the currency rate of Wednesday, 31st of July 2019, R$ 8.500 correspond to approx. US$ 2.300 while R$ 7.500 correspond to approx. US$ 2.000 

Selected candidates may choose to either advance their travel fees and receive all salary instalments after their arrival or to have their fravel fees (i.e. airplane ticket in economy class) anticipated by FGV, which will use one of the salary instalments for this purpose. 

A Brazilian bank account, including a Brazilian credit and debit card, will be opened, as a courtesy to each selected candidate upon arrival, to facilitate the reception of the salary. The account will be opened and may be closed at the end of the fellowship for no additional expenses. 

6. FELLOWSHIP DURATION 

The CyberBRICS Fellowship will cover the academic semester between February 2020 and July 2020, although the beginning of the fellowship period may be postponed, with the agreement of the project coordinator. The Fellowship will last up to 6 (six) monts. The start date and end date of the fellowship may be negotiated, on a case-by-case basis, depending on the special needs of the candidate. 

CyberBRICS Fellows are expected to work from their office at FGV DIREITO RIO, in Praia de Botafogo 190, Rio de Janeiro, from Monday to Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM. 

CyberBRICS Fellows will be free to pursue their non-CyberBRICS-related research during this time as long as this will not jeopardise the fulfilment of their CyberBRICS Fellowship obligations. 

7. FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITIES 

The main responsibilities of CyberBRICS Fellows 2020 will be to conduct research on Internet access and digitalisation of public administrations in the BRICS and teach to undergrad and master student. Research deliverables and teaching programme must be agreed with the project coordinator. 

Given the strong commitment required to the development of CyberBRICS research, Fellows will have to dedicate only a total of 15 hours during the entire fellowship to teaching and presentations. Although CyberBRICS Fellows are required to teach only a maximum of 15 hours over the course of the fellowship, they will be free to dedicate more time to teaching as long as this will not jeopardise their CyberBRICS research commitments. 

CyberBRICS Fellows shall elaborate a Work Plan describing the activities they expect to develop throughout the semester, explaining how such activities may contribute to foster a better understanding of Internet access and digitisation of public administrations in BRICS countries, and defining their respective objectives and deadlines. CyberBRICS Fellows will have the opportunity to participate and present their work in faculty research seminars and workshops developed by FGV DIREITO RIO and a wide range of partner organisations, including the Brazilian government, international organisations, businesses and civil society organisations.^[g]A non-exhaustive list of CyberBRICS events may be found a https://cyberbrics.info/
   

In case they wish to do so, besides their research and teaching commitments, CyberBRICS Fellows will be free to: (i) deliver lectures (undergraduate or graduate levels) on subjects of their interest; (ii) promote professional coaching for students of the undergraduate and masters programs; (iii) orient, tutor or participate in the evaluation of thesis and dissertations of undergraduate students; (iv) join ongoing research projects or engage in collaborative research with FGV DIREITO RIO professors; (v) offer courses in English to FGV DIREITO RIO students; (vi) cooperate in the activities of the LLM and Doctoral programmes in Regulation.