European Investment Bank/Global Development Network (GDN) Fellowship Programme in Applied Development Finance (Fully-funded) 2019

The Global Development Network (GDN) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) have partnered to create the EIB-GDN Program in Applied Development Finance to study the impact of projects in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries financed under EIB’s Impact Financing Envelope.

Application Deadline: 5th May 2019.

Eligible Countries: African, Caribbean and Pacific countries

To Be Taken At (Country): Candidate’s home country.

About the Award:  The purpose of the program is to provide a select group of highly qualified and motivated young researchers a practical opportunity to hone their impact assessment skills, by working on real-world projects in private sector development funded by one of the world’s leading financial institutions, under the mentorship of top international experts. The researchers will be inducted into the Program as Candidate Fellows; at the end of the 12-month program cycle and on satisfying all program requirements, they will receive joint certification from EIB and GDN as EIB-GDN Fellows in Applied Development Finance.

Type: Research, Fellowship (Career)

Eligibility: The Fellowship is open only to nationals of ACP countries.

Selection Process

Candidate Fellows will be selected through a 3-stage process:

1. Initial Screening: In this stage, applications will be judged on the following criteria:
   1. Relevance of academic training
   2. Professional experience
   3. Private sector experience
   4. Research experience
   5. Professional experience in evaluation and impact assessment
   6. Academic knowledge of evaluation and impact assessment
   7. Communication skills and career aspirations, as stated in the Statement of Purpose (SoP), that will be judged on
      1. Language
      2. Motivation
      3. How well the candidate explains the fit of the program to his/her background
   8. Location, i.e. match with project geographies.
2. Written Assignment: Candidates who pass through the screening stage will be issued a written assignment designed to test their grasp over basic statistical and econometric concepts and their understanding of impact evaluation.
3. Interview: Candidates will be ranked on the combined scores they receive in the previous two stages, and shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by skype or over the telephone.

The profiles of the finalists will be reviewed by the Expert Advisors and EIB for final selection.

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award: For successful candidates, the program offers the following benefits:

1. Firsthand experience in the rapidly developing fields of Impact Investing and Development Finance;
2. The opportunity to apply academic knowledge and training to real world private sector development projects;
3.  Deepening of subject matter expertise in evaluation methodologies, with mentoring from some of the world’s leading evaluation experts;
4. Working with two leading international institutions;
5. Professional certification;
6. Inclusion in a knowledge network which can work locally in ACP countries for national and regional development; and
7. Part-time commitment with excellent financial support.

Financial and Non-financial Support

Each researcher inducted into the program will receive a stipend of €15,000 (to cover time costs), along with a grant of up to €10,000 to cover all direct and indirect expenses of conducting the research (including field trips, data collection and analysis). These will be disbursed in installments through the length of the 12-month program cycle and will be tied to deliverables and contingent upon satisfaction of all program requirements. GDN will provide administrative, management and logistical support.

Duration of Program: 12 Months

How to Apply: To apply, please visit https://gdn.catsone.com/careers

Visit the Program Webpage for Details