The full time one year studentship (theses must be submitted a maximum of 3 months after the funded one year study period) includes a tax-free maintenance stipend of £10,130 for 12 months, with full-time fees paid and additional allowances. A requirement of the studentship is a 30-day placement with the partner company, during the period of the project. The achievement of a Postgraduate Skills Development Award (PSDA) is compulsory for each KESS scholar. More information on the studentship and application process can be found via the ‘Apply’ button below.

The KESS funding is to deliver the approved project as outlined below

The project will have four main areas of enquiry:

• Development of protocols for quantification of household level firewood consumption
• Undertake field work to address gaps in the existing dataset (especially peri-urban and urban areas) and use this to further develop the sampling protocol and meta-analysis of survey results.
• Characterisation of firewood value chains. Use of value-chain analysis to identify and describe the suppliers and users of firewood sourced through trade (i.e. purchased) and social networks (i.e. home-grown, from family and friends).
• Determination of contribution of firewood use to national renewable energy generation.

Qualifications and experience requirements for successful applicant. The prospective applicant should have a minimum of a 1st or good 2:1 in a relevant degree, and be available to take up the studentship by January 2014. (Applicants need only apply, they do not need to secure a partner company)

Eligibility: To be eligible to participate in the KESS programme prospective students must be resident in the Convergence Area (West Wales and the Valleys) on application, and be able to work in the Convergence Area upon completion of the scholarship. The Eligibility Form is the first step in the application process and any applications which do not meet the above criteria will not be processed further.

How to apply: The first step in the application process will be to complete and submit the KESS Participant Application and Eligibility Form available via the KESS site. This form must be completed, signed and an original copy submitted to Caroline Barton, Senior Clerical Officer, KESS, Room E1.09, The Management Centre, College Road, Bangor, LL57 2DG kess@bangor.ac.uk.

The closing date: 18/12/2013.

Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships (KESS) is a pan-Wales higher level skills initiative led by Bangor University on behalf of the HE sector in Wales. It is part funded by the Welsh Government’s European Social Fund (ESF) convergence programme for West Wales and the Valleys.

For more information on the KESS project please contact Dr Penny Dowdney on 01248 382266 or p.j.dowdney@bangor.ac.uk  for specific academic queries please contact Dr James Walmsley 01248 382448 or j.walmsley@bangor.ac.uk