Addis Ababa — A joint initiative by the African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) and the University of Johannesburg has opened calls for applications and nominations for a pan-African postgraduate training programme in Industrial Policy with a deadline set for 15December 2015.
This pioneer class, a Master's degree in Philosophy, scheduled to commence in February 2016, is in response to a growing need by African countries for guidance in articulating industrial policies aimed at structural transformation. "Industrial policy has re-emerged alongside national development planning and regional integration as a core strategy for achieving structural transformation across the continent", posits the call.
The call further says the MPhil in Industrial Policy is designed to help fill an important gap in building specialised human resource capacity that would enable African governments in their individual and collective efforts to "design and implement the robust industrial policies and strategies that could set them on the path of sustained development and structural transformation."
The 24-month full time course targets mid-career and senior African officials drawn from ministries and extra-ministerial departments responsible for or associated with the design and management of industrial policy. The private sector and non-governmental development actors whose lines of duty focus on Africa's economic development and industrialisation are also eligible to apply or be nominated. Officials working with industrial policy in regional institutions and economic communities are also encouraged to apply.
Course participants will be exposed to 'state of the art' of industrial policy, equipping them to become well-rounded specialists in this field. They can expect to graduate to become part of a new generation of African specialists in industrial policy at a time of all-round transformation on the continent, the call says.
The primary objective of the course is to strengthen the capacity of African policy officials and other development actors to conceptualise, design, implement, monitor and evaluate industrial policies and strategies in an age of intense multi-level globalisation.
The course will focus on industrial policy and applied macroeconomics and microeconomics with an emphasis on understanding Africa's history with respect to industrialisation, its current trends in industrial policy and strategy; and its relationship to national development, as well as the reasons for Africa to industrialise today and the role of an appropriate industrial policy.
Participants will learn diverse topics such as mobilising domestic finances for industrial development; building domestic and export markets for industrialisation; creating an enabling environment for the promotion of industrial small-medium businesses; policies on competition and trade and approaches to encourage Public-Private Partnerships.
A limited number of full and partial scholarships are offered to participants who need such support. The scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis and priority attention is reserved for serving public officials of African countries. Candidates wishing to be considered for a full or partial scholarship are required to indicate this clearly in their applications for consideration for admission to the course.
To be eligible, candidates are required to hold a first degree in a discipline or field with a strong development content. Candidates are also required to have at least three years of relevant work experience.
The call for applications and nominations closes on 15 December 2015 and more details can be found at the IDEP website (www.unidep.org) and the University of Johannesburg website (www.uj.ac.za/economics). Completed forms and supporting documentation must be submitted by email to: industrialpolicy@uj.ac.za.
The African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) is a Pan-African Institution created in 1962 by the General Assembly of the United Nations. IDEP is a subsidiary body of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
