GAJE CONFERENCE – FEES WAIVERS/REDUCTIONS & GRANTS POLICY

--- DEADLINE FOR GRANT APPLICATIONS HAS PASSED ---

POLICY STATEMENT

GAJE is an alliance of people committed to achieving justice through legal education. Clinical education of law students is a key component of justice education, but GAJE also works to advance other forms of socially relevant legal education.  This includes educating practicing lawyers, judges, non-governmental organizations and the public. GAJE is global, involving people from as many countries in the world as possible, avoiding domination by any single country, and especially committed to meaningful participation from less wealthy countries, institutions, and organizations.

GAJE conferences promote the exchange of information and experience among people involved in Justice Education around the world.  Reduced fees and grants aim to enable participation of justice educators who are unable to find funding to attend.   

Funds for reduced fees and grants are limited and every effort will be made to use these funds to realize and advance GAJE’s mission. 

Deadline for applying for a Travel & Accommodation Grant is set for the: 15th September 2022. 

PROCEDURE

A Waiver and Grants Committee consisting of at least two members of the GAJE Steering Committee shall be formed at least one month before the announcement each conference.  This committee will apply announced criteria and will have the final say on all grant requests; however, the committee may seek the guidance of the Chair of the Steering Committee concerning the application of the announced criteria if required.

The 11th Conference offers reduced fee options for those whose institution cannot cover complete fee or unable to afford or solicit other sources of funding. Full fee waiver is not available. All applications for a travel/accommodation grant must be made online at the GAJE Conference website within the deadline set by the Conference organising committee: before 15th September 2022. 

All applicants, also those who are applying for a grant, must register and pay one of the applicable conference fee option. Conference registration and fee payment can be made after the grant decision has been communicated. Note however, that grant money will not be allocated without full conference registration and a conference fee payment confirmation. 

As a general rule, conference registration fees will not be waived entirely.  The Waiver and Grants Committee does have the option, however, to waive the entire fee in extraordinary cases.

CRITERIA FOR GRANTS

These criteria apply for the grant:

1. All applicants must have shown a commitment to GAJE activities or have engaged in other activities consistent with the goals of GAJE.   In addition, applicants for a grant must be presenting at a conference session or be actively involved in the organisation of the conference.  However, this in itself does not guarantee the award of a grant.  (Although not required, applicants for a grant who are presenting at a conference session or actively involved in the organisation of the conference will receive a preference.)
2. The awarding of grants is based on the applicant’s capacity to cover travel and accommodation expenses from personal resources and funds available from sponsors. Moreover, applicants for grants are expected to have sought other sources of funding to attend the conference and applicants who have received partial support from other sources will be preferred.  In no event will a GAJE grant cover all of a delegate’s travel and accommodation expenses.
3. Applicants for a grant must be from a developing country; except in rare cases of demonstrated need.
4. Applicants who have received a fee waiver/reduction or a grant consistently for previous conference but have no evidence to actively contributing to GAJE, regional or national clinical movements will be least preferred.
5. Delegates awarded a grant are expected to attend the entire conference.
6. Delegates awarded accommodation grants are expected to stay in shared rooms or dormitory style accommodations, if available.

In the interest of furthering GAJE’s mission to exchange information and experiences from people from around the world, the following will also be considered:

1. The geographical spread of applicants.  The Committee will aim to include as many applicants from different countries as possible.  This may result in some applicants not receiving a grant if there are multiple applications from one location;
2. The gender of the applicant, as GAJE endeavours to ensure regional representation of all genders at the conference;
3. Representatives of new and emerging clinical programs, as GAJE values the opportunity to assist those locations and countries where new clinical legal education programs are emerging.