WASHINGTON, June 20, 2024-A new World Bank Group (WBG) platform - the WBG Academy - aims to equip future leaders with development expertise that can help them realize their countries' full potential. A key component of the Bank Group's efforts to transform its approach to knowledge, the Academy will deliver programs that enhance engagement among government, development practitioners, Bank Group staff, and other stakeholders to share knowledge, learn from experience, and identify actions needed to solve difficult development challenges.
The Academy encompasses all three Bank Group institutions-the World Bank, IFC (International Finance Corporation), and MIGA-in one platform and will help ensure that the best global knowledge is driving development, informing projects that can be scaled and replicated, and influencing global conversations. The Academy comes in response to a call from clients to make capacity development as much a core service as financing and analytics.
"The new WBG Academy is fully focused on clients and their needs," said Senior Managing Director Axel van Trotsenburg. "We will engage with clients through technical exchange, peer-to-peer learning, and working together to identify best practices and proven solutions. Academy programs will bring the best of global development knowledge directly to clients through our network of country offices, will leverage the Bank Group's expertise honed through 80 years of development experience, and will support countries in achieving their ambitious visions for their countries' development."
Driven by an urgency to address global challenges and pressing development needs, the Academy programs are being designed in a more strategic, selective, and focused way, informed by innovative technologies, and offering programs in areas where our client countries are asking for support.
The Academy has already convened development leaders and practitioners from around the world for several programs on key development priorities and more programs are planned this year for countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, and other locations on a range of topics, including climate, disaster risk management, water management, and food security.
"The WBG Academy is an exciting new way for us to support client countries, partners, and stakeholders by facilitating knowledge exchange and engagement and by sharing cutting-edge knowledge and expertise from across the globe-and thus supporting their own effectiveness as development leaders," said Arup Banerji, Director for Knowledge and Learning (as of July 1).
Qimiao Fan, Director for Strategic and Corporate Initiatives, led the creation of the WBG Academy. "With a strong focus on South-South learning to promote shared learning and knowledge exchange, the Academy will leverage new technologies, new learning methodologies, and partnerships for the highest possible reach and impact-and enable us to replicate and scale successful programs globally," Fan said.
