Agreement Secondment Programme. 14.4.1 This agenda item was considered under agenda item 14.3.
Agreement Secondment Programme. 12.3.1 The AC Chair presented AC7 Doc 10 detailing proposed guidelines for the further development of the Agreement’s secondment programme, including a process for the selection of candidates. This paper was developed in response to a decision made by Parties at MoP4 that (1) secondments may not necessarily occur in the Agreement’s Headquarters in Hobart, (2) the Secretariat should coordinate the implementation of secondment programmes with the Advisory Committee and, (3) that funds for the secondment programme should be placed in Appropriation 4, the Advisory Committee’s Work Programme.
12.3.2 Brazil queried whether the proposed process would be used to assess the suitability of both the candidate and the project to be undertaken. It was noted that the selection process is only to select the candidate and that the work to be undertaken would normally be tasks identified in either the Advisory Committee or the Secretariat’s Work Programmes. France noted a possible confusion between secondments and grants, so it was agreed to describe the work to be undertaken through the secondment as a task, rather than a project/programme.
12.3.3 Chile queried how the process would be used to evaluate the capacity of the person to undertake the task. Following discussion on this issue it was agreed that the process should include criteria for selecting candidates. A number of delegations proposed potential criteria. The meeting agreed that the following criteria should be incorporated into the selection guidelines:
1. The work to be undertaken addresses a task identified in the Advisory Committee’s or Secretariat’s Work Programme, and/or is deemed to be of high importance to achievement of the Agreement’s objective.
2. The task proposed is international in nature e.g. the outcomes will be of relevance to more than one country.
3. The funds allocated will not be used for the purpose of paying salaries. It is expected that the applicant’s institution will continue to pay the applicant’s salary.
4. The task to be undertaken has a capacity building focus.
5. The funds allocated will be primarily used for travel, accommodation and per diem costs.
6. That the applicant has received in-principle agreement from the Host Country to host this work.
12.3.4 The meeting agreed to the revised guidelines as detailed in AC7 Doc 10 Rev 1.
Agreement Secondment Programme. 13.4.1 The AC Chair presented a report on the operation of the Agreement’s secondment programme (AC8 Doc 25). He reported that a new strategy had been adopted by MoP4, to be implemented in coordination between the Secretariat and the Advisory Committee, allowing secondments to occur either in the Agreement’s Headquarters in Hobart or at other institutions, and following the schedule of two calls every three financial years in line with the grant scheme. In September 2013 the first call for secondments under this new scheme was opened. Four secondment proposals were submitted, however only one of these proposals was successful. Details of secondment proposals received and the grant provided, together with reasons for not allocating the total available funds were discussed.
13.4.2 Brazil noted that it is important that the secondment programme builds capacity, but also that it addresses tasks in the Advisory Committee’s Work Programme. The AC Chair agreed and noted that it would be desirable that more tasks suitable for secondments be identified in the Work Programme. He noted that the Working Groups which had met last week had now identified a number of tasks that would be suitable for secondments.
13.4.3 Uruguay agreed with Brazil and expressed its appreciation for the opportunity provided to Xx Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx to study in Britain with the support of the secondment programme. The AC Chair noted that this was a concrete example of how the sponsorship programme could assist the Advisory Committee’s Work Programme, while at the same time building capacity within the Agreement.
Agreement Secondment Programme. 12.3.1 The Executive Secretary presented AC9 Doc 14 outlining the processes followed for the allocation of funds within the Agreement’s Secondment Programme.
12.3.2 The document reports on two secondments supported in 2015, one by Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx (CEMAVE, Brazil) to the British Antarctic Survey and the University of Exeter, and another by Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx (University of Barcelona, Spain) to the Albatross Task Force, Chile. Both secondments were highly regarded by the Working Groups and the Advisory Committee. A total of AUD 26,034 was provided to support the secondments.
12.3.3 The Executive Secretary referred to the need for refining the application template in order to better guide applicants in the completion and submission of supporting documents.
