Robert S. McNamara Fellowships

Summary:

Aspiring development economists from developing nations are paired with World Bank research economists through the Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program (RSMFP), which offers fellows exceptional chances to engage in rigorous, policy-relevant research in the Development Economics Vice Presidency (DEC) of the World Bank. During eight months, from September to May each year, fellows will be housed at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. They will work on excellent, policy-relevant research projects under the direction of researchers in the Development Impact (DIME) and Development Research Group departments of the World Bank.

Working with World Bank DEC experts and their external academic collaborators from major universities, fellows will learn new econometric techniques, analyze current research standards, and network with leading academics in their field. By engaging in rigorous policy-relevant research, they will be able to expand their perspective on possible development themes and how their study may address problems in the developing world.

Features of the Program

Professional experience: Fellows will interact with World Bank operations and work on World Bank projects under the close supervision of World Bank DEC experts. They will also receive training on state-of-the-art research techniques and technology. Fellows may participate in field trips, co-author with DEC researchers, add to DEC’s published work, or interact directly with World Bank clients, depending on the nature of the projects.

Building capacity: At the beginning of the program, fellows will participate in a one-week technical onboarding that will include instruction on reproducible research procedures. To further develop their skills, fellows will take part in practical trainings and seminars led by eminent economists throughout the program. Fellows will improve their capacity to recognize, research, and write about critical development policy issues through their engagement with DEC economists.

Research dissemination: Based on their fellowship research conducted at DEC, fellows will be asked to produce a blog. This is a chance to present their findings and add to the conversation on development policy. The best four blogs will be featured on DEC’s Let’s Talk Development blog each year.

Pay & Benefits

For the 2023–24 cohort, the RSMFP provides a competitive pay of $46,500 net of income taxes per fellow for an 8-month fellowship (paid in monthly installments). As the fellows will be housed at the World Bank in Washington, D.C., the HR Operations division of the World Bank will help the chosen applicants with their G4 visa application.

Note: Travel expenses are not reimbursed by the program.

Financing

The RSMFP was established in 1982 by a resolution of the Executive Directors to award fellowships to young researchers to study in the fields related to economic development. Funding for the program was initially provided by the Governments of Bangladesh, China, India, Kuwait, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru and former Yugoslavia.

Application Deadline: February 28th, 2024

For general inquiries, contact  rsm_fellowships@worldbank.org

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the World Bank Robert S. McNamara Fellowships Program