ABCDE Support Grant

The ABCDE Support Grant 2007 has been awarded! See the list of awardees.

Applications for the ABCDE Support Grant 2007 were accepted until March 15, 2007.

ABCDE Support Grant (ASG) is a joint program of the World Bank and the ABCDE host country, providing an opportunity to developing countries participants to take part in the Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics.
The grant aims to ensure that the conference is accessible to academics, researchers, journalists, parliamentarians and leaders of the civil society from countries all over the globe.

The ABCDE Support Grant 2007 is sponsored by the Ministry of Finance of Slovenia.

Applications for the ABCDE Support Grant 2007 are accepted from January 18 till March 15, 2007.
Successful candidates will be announced on the ABCDE Slovenia website on April 2, 2007.

History
The ABCDE Support Grant was established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway and the World Bank at the occasion of the 2002 edition of the ABCDE held in Oslo, Norway. The purpose of the grant was to support participants from developing and transition countries, who would be otherwise unable to attend the conference.

In 2006, 31 participants from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe attended ABCDE as part of the ABCDE Support Grant. In 2005, 34 participants benefited from the Grant.

Selection Criteria and Eligibility
Applicants must be nationals of and reside in a developing or transition country (please see list – eligible countries are defined by the World Bank as low income, lower middle and upper middle income). Decisions are based on the applicants' qualifications and their abilities to transfer experience and knowledge gained at the conference to their professional communities upon return home. The decisions of the selection committee are made with a view to ensure a fair gender balance and regional representation. Researchers whose main area of academic interest is the World Bank are especially encouraged to apply. The beneficiaries of the grant are welcome to attend the Annual Meeting of the Researchers’ Alliance on Development (RAD) and to join the RAD activities in the future.

The beneficiaries are selected jointly by the World Bank and the host country. In 2007, between 20 and 25 candidates will be awarded the Grant, depending on the quality of applications.

Conditions
Successful applicants will have their full travel expenses, visa costs and accommodation covered during the time of the conference. The ticket will be provided to the grantee and hotel will be booked for him/ her. The participants are responsible for their own visa arrangements, with assistance from the host country, if necessary. Transportation from and to the airport will be provided. Local transportation in the candidate’s country of origin will not be covered.
Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) will be provided during the time of the conference.
More about the ABCDE Support Grant conditions...