WBI Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary

The World Bank Institute (WBI), which began in1955 as the Economic Development Institute (EDI), marked its fiftieth anniversary in 2005.  

In its early years EDI delivered one six-month course per year on topics in General Development, for some 20 high-level developing country government officials in Washington DC. Since then, nearly 500,000 people have participated in WBI programs around the world; and the Institute now delivers more than 800 face-to-face and distance learning activities per year for diverse audiences including development practitioners, parliamentarians, political leaders, civil society groups, and youth, in addition to civil servants.

On March 10, 2005 the Institute held a reception that brought together current and former staff whose experience in EDI-WBI spanned nearly its entire 50 year history. 

•  Five Decades of Knowledge and Learning: A video overview of the Institute's 50-year history
  
•  Our Clients' Voices: Former WBI participants comment on their experiences with the Institute
  
• WBI 50th Anniversary Brochure: WBI's Leaders Look Back Over Five Decades of Capacity Building  ( pdf, 731 kb)
  
• How Well Do You Know the World Bank Institute?
  
• WBI Staff Celebrate Five Decades of Knowledge and Learning for Development
  
• WBI at a glance: 1955-2005(  pdf, 529 kb) 
  
• Photo Gallery

Related Links

• World Bank Archive & History: World Bank Institute Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary
  
• “A Glimpse at EDI” - a story by M. Aref Ghaussi, January 1957 ( pdf, 80 kb)
  
• Sir Alec Cairncross -- First Director of the Economic Development Institute, 1954-1957