WBI News February 2009

The World Bank Institute e-newsletter (WBI News), issued monthly, provides a concise selection of WBI news with related links. Let us know what YOU would find most useful for us to include in upcoming issues of WBI News by sending an email with "Comments" in the subject line to: wbinews@worldbank.org. If you would like to request information, please include "Info Request" in the subject line of your email.

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1. The Government of Japan and the World Bank invite applications for the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program, 2009.

To apply for a JJ/WBGSP scholarship, please read the application procedure carefully: http://go.worldbank.org/N1E6BQZXY0

Completed application packages must be received by March 31, 2009. The awards will be announced in June 2009.

Correspondence and information requests may be sent to:
The World Bank, Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
MSN J2-204, 1818 H St. NW, Washington DC, 20433, USA
Email: jjwbgsp@worldbank.org Fax: (202) 522-4036

2. The World Trade Indicators (WTI) 2008 database and country tables online update at www.worldbank.org/wti2008.

Initially launched in June 2008, the WTI allows benchmarking and comparison among countries and customs territories across trade-related indicators, and will help policymakers and researchers analyze the key at-the-border and behind-the-border factors affecting the trade performance of countries and regions. Drawing from international databases and including new measures of trade policy and performance, the user-friendly WTI database makes it possible—for the first time—to rank countries and compare their performance not only on trade outcomes but also on policy and institutional dimensions, namely trade policy, the external environment, institutions and business climate, and trade facilitation.

 

3. Global and regional Development Marketplace competitions invite proposals.

The 2009 Development Marketplace global grant competition is seeking innovative solutions addressing Climate Adaptation in three sub-themes. The call for proposals will be open from February 12 through April 9, 2009. Winning projects will receive a US$ 200,000 grant for implementation over two years.

For more information on how to apply, eligibility, and selection criteria visit www.developmentmarketplace.org

The Development Marketplace team is also pleased to announce that the following regional competitions will open for submissions in February 2009: Central Asia competition on Efficient Water Use for Agriculture; South Asia competition on Nutrition; Latin America and the Caribbean competition on Innovation for Food Security; African Diaspora competition on Youth and Employment. For more information visit www.developmentmarketplace.org

 

4. Senior Policy Seminar on Managing Capital Flows During Global Financial Turmoil, May 18-21, Paris.

The seminar focuses on macroeconomic and financial sector policy responses to the global crisis, and options for managing capital flows and enhancing growth in emerging markets, including the need for global policy and regulatory reforms.

The event is being jointly organized by the World Bank Institute, Bank of England, Banque de France, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.  Speakers from the Bank for International Settlements, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Trinity College, Dublin, are also expected.  Participants will have to pay their own travel and subsistence while in Paris. The seminar fee of $1,500 per participant must be remitted to the World Bank account prior to confirmation of the registration. 

These and other details along with a registration form will be provided to you upon email request to   mpineda1@worldbank.org or rnallari@worldbank.org

 

5. Labor Market Policy Core Course: "Jobs for a Globalizing World" March 30 to April 10, 2009 – Washington D.C. Application Deadline – February 13, 2009.

This course for developing and transition countries identifies key labor market challenges within the context of overall poverty reduction and other economic and social development goals, and explores what policy makers and others can do about them.  Participants will also have the opportunity to present and discuss challenging labor market issues in their own countries, and work toward solutions with other participants and experts.

For more information and to register online, please visit: http://go.worldbank.org/LODHLISBS0

Contact: Nene Mane nmane@worldbank.org

 

 

6. The Affiliated Network on Social Accountability and Governance in South Asia (ANSA-South Asia) will be officially launched in the coming months.  The program will involve citizens, civil society organizations, media, and other groups in holding those in power to account and be responsive for their decisions and actions. 

Website: http://go.worldbank.org/ICDIF0ZF60

For further information, contact: Barrister Manzoor Hasan, Executive Director, BRAC University, Institute of Governance Studies, in Dhaka, Bangladesh at email: mhasan56@yahoo.com   or by phone at: 880-2-9881265, 8824180, or Karen Sirker, Social Development Specialist, Work Bank Institute, Washington, DC at phone: +1 202-686-8820 or email: ksirker@worldbank.org   

 

 

7. The World Bank Institute, the South African Department of Science and Technology, and the Embassy of Finland in South Africa are hosting the Africa Regional Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) at the Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa on March 19-20, 2009.

This event will continue the dialogue initiated at the Knowledge for Africa Development Conference held in May 2006 and the Africa Regional Workshop on Science, Technology and Innovation held in Maputo in November 2007. The workshop will include sessions on challenges facing STI in developing countries, the importance of strategic planning, STI governance structures and implementation strategies, national innovation systems, peer-to-peer learning, policy issues such as protection of intellectual property in emerging science and technology systems, and African regional integration. 

Contact: For more details please contact Thiru Swettenham tswettenham@worldbank.org or Robert Hawkins rhawkins@worldbank.org

 

 

8. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals: Poverty Reduction, Reproductive Health and Health Sector Reform global course will be held from March 16-27, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand.  Application deadline – February 13, 2009.

The course explores key elements in designing efficient, equitable and financially sustainable population policies and reproductive health programs in the context of health sector reform and Millennium Development Goals. 

Please visit our website at www.worldbank.org/wbi/reprohealth for more information regarding the course objectives, content and design.

Apply for the Course through the website: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/wbi_learning/sec/form_e.cfm?sch_id=HNP07-01-165

Contact: For more details please contact Gaston Sorgho Gsorgho@worldbank.org or Mary Mugala Mmugala@worldbank.org, Tel: +1 202 478 4276, Fax: +1 202 522 0638

 

 

9. Corporate Social Responsibility Free E-learning Course for Businesswomen’s Associations on March 1-31, 2009. Deadline: February 19.

Sunday, March 8 is International Women's Day. To mark it, the World Bank Institute and International Finance Corporation are delivering e-learning on Corporate Social Responsibility to businesswomen’s associations and their members around the world.

Website: http://go.worldbank.org/YUT7Z735G0

Contact: For questions on registration and course content, please contact Caroline Grunewald at cgrunewald@worldbank.org

 

 

10. GDLN Dialogue on Cluster Development Experiences between China and Africa.

The first of a series of South-South learning events between China and Africa on Investment Climate and Balanced Growth was completed on December 18, 2008 linking six distance learning centers in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, China, and the United States. The event provided a platform for a discussion on Cluster Development Experiences between China and Africa.

The second event of this topic, Cluster and Special Economic Zones Development Experiences, a dialogue between China and Africa will be delivered on February 25, 2009 for Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire; Madagascar, and Senegal.

For related materials and presentations, see the website: http://go.worldbank.org/JSWOBZ14O0

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