Fellowships are determined primarily by the needs of the scheme’s partner governments. The continued demand from governments for ODI fellows, as well as the level of responsibility entrusted to them, is testament to the respect the scheme has earned over the 59 years since it was established.
Fellowships are determined primarily by the needs of the scheme’s partner governments. The continued demand from governments for ODI fellows, as well as the level of responsibility entrusted to them, is testament to the respect the scheme has earned over the 59 years since it was established.
Requirements
- The ODI fellowship scheme is open to candidates of all nationalities and we support and encourage applications from LGBTQ+ and disabled candidates.
- Postgraduate economists and statisticians with an interest in development are encouraged to apply.
- Successful candidates are expected to serve for the full two-year contract and be ready to work in any of the scheme’s partner countries.
Qualifications
- The ODI fellowship scheme is open to candidates of all nationalities who have a master’s degree or PhD in economics, statistics or a related field.
- Suitable specialised qualifications at postgraduate level include but aren’t limited to agricultural economics, environmental economics, international economics, health economics, development economics, and econometrics and statistics.
- For those studying for a postgraduate degree at the time of application, the award of a fellowship is conditional upon the successful completion of the postgraduate degree.
Benefits
Personal development
- Fellows gain valuable experience as civil servants. They learn about their host country, its policy landscape, and public service delivery in low- and middle-income countries, as well as the challenges of receiving aid from bi- and multilateral donors. They gain new technical skills as they work with colleagues to fill skills gaps. This experience is a unique opportunity for economists and statisticians and highly
valued by fellows and their future employers.International exchange
- ODI fellowships are also an opportunity for international exchange and lesson sharing between civil servants: some ODI fellows bring experience of another civil service and many more go on to work in large bureaucracies, either at home or in
third countries.Future career opportunities
- The scheme enjoys an excellent reputation and fellows benefit from the prestige associated with the scheme. ODI fellows have gone on to build successful careers in the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, academia, the private business sector, and non-governmental organisations as well as their own country governments. Many choose to stay on in the country of their fellowship.
Timeline:
• March 2022: Applications for the ODI fellowship scheme are accepted.
• 27 April 2022: Closing date for receipt of applications.
• Early May 2022: Short-listed applicants are invited to an interview.
• Late May 2022: Interviews take place, after which firm or conditional offers are made to successful candidates.
• June–July 2022: The ODI team visit all participating governments to discuss roles and candidates’ CVs. The team meets all current fellows and their supervisors to check fellowships are going well and to gain feedback on issues relevant to the scheme.
• July 2022: Governments submit requests for new fellows with job descriptions and a short-list of preferred candidates.
• July–August 2022: ODI and governments agree on which candidates are allocated to which openings.
• September 2022: A briefing session is held at ODI in London to prepare new fellows for their roles.
• October 2022: Successful candidates begin their fellowships.