Scholarships

Challenge

In many countries, only limited opportunities exist for those hoping to pursue post-graducate education. Especially in developing economies, governments and the private sector have a pressing need for highly qualified officials who can contribute to the country's development objectives. Many accomplished mid-level and practitioners want to acquire higher-level skills, but lack resources to do so.

Approach

As part of its mission to build capacity in developing countries, WBI administers the Joint Japan/ World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), the Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program, and the newly-launched Japan Indonesia Presidential Scholarship Program. The purpose of these programs is to create a community of skilled professionals in fields related to economic and social development.

The JJ/WBGSP is in its 22nd year. The program awards scholarships to individuals from World Bank member countries to undertake graduate studies at universities known for their development research and teaching.

The World Bank and the Government of Japan require the scholars to return to their home countries on completion of their studies and apply their new knowledge and skills in their respective regions and communities. “From our own development experience in Japan after the destruction of World War II, we have consistently stressed the importance of investing in the human capital of developing countries,” said Mr. Toru Shikibu, Executive Director for Japan at the World Bank. “

Since 1987, the JJ/WBGSP has awarded 4,006 scholarships to mid-career professionals from over 150 countries to study at the graduate level in the world’s top-class universities. Last year, 278 scholarship recipients were selected to study development-related subjects like public policy and development, economics, and the environment. The JJ/WBGSP is solely funded by the government of Japan. Today it is the biggest scholarship program administered by an international organization.

Results

Gyaltshen Penjor is one of more than 4,000 graduates the scholarship programs managed by WBI. Penjor, who hails from the landlocked Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan, was awarded a scholarship in 1999 to study economic policy management at Columbia University. While there, he deepened his understanding of policy analysis, development and administration, he says, opening the way to an influential role on education policy in his home country of Bhutan. Given the small size of his country—it has a population of less than one million—such specialized learning experiences are not available at home.

Penjor is now Director of the Royal Education Council in Bhutan, and attributes his role as “a decision-maker entrusted with formulating public policy” to a scholarship he earned through the JJ/WBGSP. Mr. Penjor spoke about his experience at a recent conference of scholarship alumni. He noted that the graduate degree, while critical, is not the only advantage he gained. “The contacts I have maintained with Columbia faculty, staff of the World Bank, and fellow PEPM students have been most helpful,” he said.

Another alumna, Beatrice Kiraso, now Deputy Secretary General of the East African Community, also attributes her success to the program, “While Africa grapples with environmental degradation, high mortality rates, and low access to education, programs like this one should be applauded for creating an enabling environment to help empower people in developing economies. Creating a critical mass of enlightened people from the world’s poorest and most marginalized countries will help improve the lives of the people in those countries. Had I not taken courses at Harvard, the challenges I currently face would have been even greater. How I wish more mid-career professionals could have such an opportunity!”