JJ/WBGSP Short-Term Training Course in Japan, 2009

World Bank Institute (WBI), Tokyo-Kyoto, Japan, October 26-31, 2009
Closing Date for Receipt of Applications: August 3, 2009

Objective

The course aims to provide participants with a thorough exposure to Japan’s development experience as well as its recent economic policy issues. This course is organized by the World Bank Institute (WBI) in cooperation with Ritsumeikan University.

Course Description

The course will include discussions, company visits, and lectures by prominent professionals representatives of the government of Japan, the World Bank, and academic institutions. For Fall 2009, the planned course will include:

• Discussion on official development assistance (ODA) and development strategies with Japanese government officials (Ministry of Finance, JICA) and WB Tokyo Office
• Lectures by prominent academics on the topics of Japan’s economic policies, post-war development, corporate management, small and medium sized company incubation, R&D policies, etc.
• Visits to corporate executives of Japanese companies (Kyocera, Nintendo, etc.)
• Discussion with the JJ/WBGSP scholars from the partnership universities

Participant Commitments

Participants will commit to

• submit a report upon completion of the training course, evaluating what they have learned during the training course in reference to the needs of their home countries, and how to apply the newly gained knowledge to their work; and
• actively participate in the alumni activities in their home country, in cooperation with the JJ/WBGSP Secretariat, if there is already an association established, OR will contribute to establish one (check with the JJ/WBGSP Secretariat).

Expected Results

Participants are expected to learn from Japan’s postwar development strategy and its economic and industrial policies that may be applied to development of their own countries through their work. Participants are also expected to establish active network with the individuals and institutions they acquaint during the course.

Organization

The course is scheduled to take place between October 26-31, 2009. Participants are expected to arrive in Tokyo one day (for those traveling from Asia region) or two days (for those traveling from outside Asia) before the course starts. The team is composed of: Tsutomu Shibata, Senior Adviser, WBI (Team Task Leader), Yumi Ejiri, Program Analyst, WBI, and Professor Masahisa Koyama, Ritsumeikan University.

Participants/Audience

The course is designed for maximum 15 JJ/WBGSP alumni who studied at schools located outside Japan and have returned to their home countries after their completion of JJ/WBGSP.

Cost

All the expenses including international and domestic transportation and accommodation for the selected participants will be covered by WBI. Participants will also receive dairy subsistence to cover meals and any other petty expenses that incur during their stay in Japan.

Application for the Course, Fall 2009

The course will take place in Tokyo and in Kyoto, October 26-31, 2009. The course is exclusively designed for the JJ/WBGSP alumni.

To be eligible for the course, an applicant must:

• Have completed their degree under the JJ/WBGSP in 2008 and returned to and currently resides in his/her home country
• Have not studied, worked, or taken short term training in Japan (therefore those graduated from universities in Japan are not eligible)
• Be proficient in English. Those who did not study in English are requested to submit a copy of their TOEFL score. (Preferably 260 or higher on the computer- based exam; 620 or higher on the paper-based test; 105 or higher on the internet-based test.)

Eligible applicant must send:

• a completed application form (attached).Please download the application form in World Document, complete the form electronically (NO hand-written accepted),
• an essay in no more than 2,000 words (total of three questions) in English, answering the following questions:
  • How did the JJ/WBGSP impact your post-scholarship career and thereby development of your home country? Please give examples.
  • How do you think Japan’s experience and their lessons learned will be beneficial to (i) your country, and (ii) what you do at work? Please be as specific as possible both on the sector(s) as well as methodology.
  • What are YOUR OWN specific expectation from and objectives for this course?
• a scanned copy of TOEFL score for those who did not study in English.

All the required documents must be received no later than August 3, 2009, electronically at spscalingup@worldbank.org and also faxed to +1-202-522-4036 clearing stating Attention to SCALING-UP PROGRAM.

Applicants who does not satisfy all the eligibility listed above will NOT be considered.

Selection will take into account applicants’ academic and professional background and the essay they submit.

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