Expectations for MENOG Fellows

The MENOG Fellowship program is one example of how MENOG is supporting the community. In order to continue in its mission to build capacity within the MENOG region, this program seeks to create a broader and more diverse base of knowledgeable constituents. Priority is given to candidates currently living in the Middle East who are looking to share their experience and expertise, and/or have established financial need.

The Program is targeted at individuals who: show an awareness of, but are new to, the MENOG environment; are familiar with MENOG, but have yet to attend a face-to-face meeting; have started participating in MENOG through the program or by other means, but are in need of travel support and/or an additional fellowship opportunity in order to broaden their knowledge and deepen their engagement. Candidates come from a diverse range of backgrounds, including government, the ccTLD community, civil society, and the academic, technical, security, commercial and non-commercial sectors.

Each candidate selected to participate in the program through the online application and assessment process is provided a grant of support that covers the cost of round-trip economy class airfare to the meeting and hotel accommodation.

In order to get the most out of your MENOG Meeting experience, MENOG Fellows are expected to:

1. Prepare in advance of the Meeting

It is important to be prepared so that you have a productive MENOG Meeting experience. You should familiarise yourself with the topics posted on the MENOG mailing list.

2. Share the experience and knowledge you gain at the MENOG Meeting with your local technical community

An important part of the program is for Fellows to share the knowledge they gain at the MENOG Meeting with others in their local area or region. This can be done, for example, by making a presentation at a relevant professional, academic, or technical meeting, speaking at an association meeting or local ISOC chapter event, writing an article for a relevant local publication, and so on. We ask that you provide verification of your MENOG Meeting information-sharing activities within six months of attending the meeting.

3. Complete a MENOG Fellowship Program evaluation form after the meeting

In order to help us improve the program, we request that you complete a short evaluation form about your experience at the MENOG Meeting as a MENOG Fellow. We ask that you return this evaluation form to us within two weeks of attending the meeting.

4. Help the MENOG Organisation Team with the administrative components of your Fellowship

An e-mail will be sent to you outlining the steps that need to be taken in order to get you to the meeting. These tasks include filling out the MENOG Meeting registration information and searching for appropriate flights to get you to the meeting venue. You are responsible for applying for and obtaining any visas necessary to enter the country where the meeting is taking place. We ask that you respond promptly and let us know as soon as possible if any problems arise. Please also note that the Fellowship only supports travel itineraries that get the Fellows to and from the meeting on dates reasonably close to the actual meeting. Fellows should not plan on incorporating extra time for personal or business trips into their travel.