World Bank Africa Fellowship Programme

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The Africa regions of the World Bank Group (WBG) is pleased to announce the opening of the 2023 application period for the WBG Africa Fellowship Program for Ph.D. candidates and recent Ph.D. graduates who are Sub-Saharan Africa nationals. Women are encouraged to apply.

The fellowship is aimed at building the capacity of the next generation of African change makers in development research, policymaking and to promote the goals of reducing poverty in the region.

SEE ALSO: University of Lincoln Scholarships for African Students

Contents

Key Scholarship Details

These are some of the key details about the ongoing World Bank Africa Fellowship Programme;

Scholarship Sponsor(s): World Bank Group
Host Institution(s): World Bank offices in Washington, D.C
Study Level: PhD
Scholarship Type: Fellowship
Duration of Fellowship: January-June
Number of Awards: 25
Eligible Countries: Sub-Saharan African countries

To be taken at (country): World Bank offices in Washington, D.C. or in a Sub-Saharan country

Details About the World Bank Africa Fellowship Programme

Launched in 2013, the World Bank Group (WBG) Africa Fellowship Program targets young talented African nationals who are completing or recently completed a Ph.D. in an area relevant to the World Bank’s work. The fellowship program has been very successful since its inception, building a strong pipeline of young African talent interested in a career in development, in international institutions, African governments, think tanks, and academia.

The program offers chosen fellows a six-month assignment at World Bank Group (WBG) offices in Washington D.C. or in country offices to gain hands-on experience in the operations of the WBG. 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 research, economic policy, technical assistance, and lending operations that contribute to the World Bank’s goal of eliminating poverty and increasing shared prosperity. Through the fellowship, we aim to build the capacity of the next generation of African change makers in development, policymaking and promote the goals of reducing poverty in the region.

The 2023 WBG Africa Fellowship Program expects to host up to 15 fellows. This year, with the support of the Think Africa Partnership, a private sector window provides support for 10 additional fellowship positions with a special focus on private sector development and finance. The additional 10 fellows will work on improving the macroeconomic, business and financial frameworks to enhance private sector investment, strengthen economic policy making and ultimately promote economic growth across the region.

Eligibility Criteria for the World Bank Africa Fellowship Programme

A candidate of the World Bank Africa Fellowship must:

Be a recent Ph.D. graduate (within three years of completion) or be enrolled in the last year of the Ph.D. program.
Have an excellent command of English, both written and verbal
Possess strong quantitative and analytical skills
Be under the age of 32 by the closing of the application period

Selection Criteria

The following additional attributes are highly desirable:

a command of an additional World Bank official language
national from fragile and conflict-affected countries
candidates from refugee and internally displaced communities and/or with proven experience on forced displacement

The selection process consists of two phases:

In the first phase, a short-list of candidates will be made available for hire for the different units of the WBG depending on applicants’ specialization. Applicants will be notified of about the status of their application or whether they have been shortlisted or not.

In the second phase, the final list of fellows will be selected in consultation with the various units of the WBG. When the selection is complete, all shortlisted candidates will be informed of their selection status.

Value of World Bank Africa Fellowship Programme

Selected candidates will then be notified and, upon acceptance, will be hired as short-term consultants for six months starting January 2023. Fellows are eligible to receive consultant fees, round-trip economy class air travel to Washington, D.C. or a WBG country office from their university or institution, and worker’s compensation insurance. 