Talent for Governance Training Scholarships for Developing Countries

The Hague Academy for Local Government
Training
Deadline: 1 Dec 2017 (annual)
Study in:  Netherlands
Course starts May-Dec 2018

Application Procedure

Call for Applications
The application period for the 2018 Talent for Governance programme is now open! We welcome applications until the deadline on 1 December 2017 (24.00 CET). We would like to encourage eligible candidates to apply for the programme. Candidates who applied before but didn’t make it are most welcome to try again. For more information about eligibility criteria, the themes and the programme, please read this page thoroughly. To apply, please click the button below!

 For the three programmes in 2018, The Hague Academy for Local Governance will select a limited number of young, talented and motivated civil servants working for a local government in one of the countries on the DAC country list for its Talent for Governance programmes.

Eligibility 

An application is possible if you:

• work in one of the countries listed on the DAC country list;
• work for a local government (so not a NGO or private enterprise. Although we acknowledge the great work of civil servants like teachers, nurses, doctors, soldiers, and police, they do not form the focal point of the programme and are therefore not eligible)
• are 37 years of age or younger when you apply;
• have at least two years of work experience in local governance and prove your commitment work there for at least two years more;
• speak and understand the English language well (all programmes are in English);
• are able to write down and orally defend your motivation for the programme and its relevance to your own community;
• are able to identify an issue/project as a real-life case within the theme of the programme for which you will write a Back Home Action Plan during the talent programme;
• have written support of your employer to participate in the programme and to implement the Back Home Action Plan when you return home.

Programme Themes

The talent programme will be organised three times in 2018 and each programme will revolve around a different local governance theme. There will be just one application period.
To apply for the talent programme candidates need to choose one of the following programme themes. These themes are based on the topics of the training course at The Hague Academy which is part of the talent programme:

• Citizen Participation and Inclusive Governance – Programme from 5^th March 2018 to 22^nd March 2018,  (more information about the training course part of the programme)
• Local Service Delivery – Programme from 18^th June to 5^th July 2018, (more information about the training course part of the programme)
• Local Economic Development – Programme from 1^st October to 18^th October 2018, (more information about the training course part of the programme)

N.B. Please do not submit a separate application form for the specific training course of your choice through the website of the Hague Academy for Local Governance. To apply for the Talent Programme only the online application form of Talent for Governance will be considered!!

Rules and Regulations

Please download and read the Talent for Governance Rules and Regulations 2018 before you start filling in the application form. These rules and regulations contain important information on the application procedure, accommodation, allowances and criteria.

Procedure

First Round

• Only applications submitted through the online application form will be accepted. You will find a link to the application form on this page at the end of October 2017.

• Applications will be screened for completeness of the form and basic eligibility of the candidates. – You need to upload a copy of your passport as well as an employer statement according to this format. Within one month after the application deadline, only the candidates that are accepted into the next round will be contacted by Talent for Governance.

If you have not been contacted within one month after the application deadline, then you have not been selected for the next round of the application procedure. This decision will not become the subject of discussion and/or correspondence. Please note that due to the high-volume of applicants, The Hague Academy cannot guarantee a response to each individual application.

 Second Round

• In the following round, the application will be scrutinised and checked even closer. The applicant will be screened on various criteria such as relevance, completeness, motivation, the feasibility and application to real-life case and the dissemination plan. We may conduct a telephone interview to evaluate the candidate’s knowledge of the English language and get to know the candidate. Furthermore, we will need a statement that the candidate, once selected, will be willing and able to transfer the contribution for your participation in the programme.

Within six weeks after the first positive response, you will receive the preliminary result to your application. There are three possible outcomes:

1. You are selected for the talent programme.
2. You have been put on the shortlist of candidates. Talent for Governance largely depends on funds from third parties and the cooperation of Dutch local governments (internship places) to be able to organise the talent programme. If more financial resources and internship placements are raised during the year, it could be possible that we invite more talents than expected.
3. You are not selected. This means you were an eligible candidate but in comparison to other candidates you scored a few points lower. Please do try again next year.

All possible rejections will be based on the documents and information provided by the applicant (specifically the letter of motivation and the possible phone conversation) and the amount of internships and funds available. Talent for Governance holds the right to reject the applicant during all stages of the selection procedure.

Application Form

Please note that with your application form you will be asked to upload a copy of your passport and an employer statement (according to this format).
The application period is currently open! Please apply before the deadline on 1 December 2017.
N.B. Do not fill out a separate application form via the website of The Hague Academy. The only form that will be viewed by the selection committee is the Talent for Governance application form!!

APPLY HERE