The Africa Region of the World Bank Group is
launching the World Bank Group Fellowship Program for Ph.D. students of African
descent. The program will increase the diverse workforce that is a priority for
the Bank and its clients.
The Fellowship Program aims to build a pipeline of
researchers and professionals from the African Diaspora, particularly women,
who are interested in working in the development field at home or abroad, and
in starting careers with the World Bank Group.
Fellows will spend a minimum of six months at the
World Bank in Washington, D.C. getting hands-on experience in development work.
This includes knowledge generation and dissemination, design of global and
country policies and the building of institutions to achieve inclusive growth
in developing countries. While benefitting from research and innovation in
multiple sectors, Fellows will also work on economic policy, technical
assistance, and lending for eliminating poverty and increasing shared
prosperity. Special attention will be given to work with Fragile and
Conflict-Affected States.
Fellows will be expected to complete a research
project and prepare a research paper to present to staff. High-standard papers
may be published internally.
Specifically, selected participants will:
- Gain
a better understanding of the World Bank Group's mission and operations
- Access
quality data for their research work
- Interact
with seasoned experts in their field of development
- Contribute
to the World Bank Group's mission
Who Should Apply
Doctoral students of African descent within one or
two years of completing a Ph.D. program in the following fields: Economics,
Demography, Applied Statistics and Econometrics, Impact Evaluation, Education,
Health, Energy, Agriculture, and Infrastructure.
Candidates must:
- Be
enrolled in an academic institution and returning to university after the
fellowship
- Be
32 years of age or below
- Have
an excellent command of English, both written and verbal
- Possess
strong quantitative and analytical skills
Selection Process
After submitting an application online, the most promising candidates will be identified and their
application packages forwarded to World Bank Africa Region managers and
participating departments for consideration. Departments and managers will then
indicate their preferences, as well as the project to be undertaken.
Selected candidates will then be notified and,
upon acceptance, will be hired as short-term consultants for a minimum of six
months. Fellows will receive consultant fees, round-trip economy class air
travel to Washington, D.C. from their university, and worker's compensation
insurance.
