The International Law of Marine Genetic Resources in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

The world’s awareness of the potential benefits to be drawn from marine genetic resources is growing. The exploitation of species found within areas of national jurisdiction naturally falls within the sovereignty or sovereign rights of coastal States, guided by the obligations found in the Convention on Biological Diversity. The legal regime applicable to those in areas beyond national jurisdiction is however, open to question. While the United Nations has instigated preparatory work, which may lead to a treaty being drafted to address conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, the work is far from complete. An opportunity to influence the development of the law, therefore, exists.
Applicants are invited to submit a proposal to address a key aspect of the law on exploitation of marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The primary aim must be to clarify the law, identifying gaps and potential model regulations that could be used to address those gaps. The primary focus of the research should be on conservation and sustainable use of those resources, but applicants may choose to narrow the focus further for example, to draw on intellectual property rights and obligations, the role of science in shaping regulation, or the role of non-State actors in shaping regulation.

The best applicant for this project will be assessed against candidates from two other Nottingham Law School advertised projects with only the top two candidates overall being awarded a scholarship. The successful applicant will join a vibrant research and post-graduate-research student culture at Nottingham Law School. They will also be encouraged to be an active member of the multi-disciplinary Centre for Marine Ecological Resilience and Geological Resources, led by Professors Kirk and Ong.

Specific qualifications/subject areas required of the applicants for this project
Entrants must have a first/undergraduate Honours degree, with an Upper Second Class or a First Class grade, in law or related subjects Entrants with a Lower Second Class grade at first degree must also have a postgraduate Masters Degree at Merit.

This studentship competition is open to applicants who wish to study for a PhD on a full-time basis only. The studentship will pay UK/EU fees (currently set at £4,195 for 2017/18 and are revised annually) and provide a maintenance stipend linked to the RCUK rate (this is revised annually and is currently set at £14,553 for the academic year 2017/18) for up to three years. Applications from non-EU students are welcome, but a successful non-EU candidate would be responsible for paying the difference between non-EU and UK/EU fees. (Fees for 2017/18 are £12,900 for non-EU students and £4,195 for UK/EU students). The studentships will be expected to commence in October 2018.