SIR JAMES WOLFENSOHN PUBLIC SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP

History
In 2012 the Harvard Club of Australia established the Sir James Wolfensohn Public Service Scholarship to enable senior Australian public servants to undertake an executive education program at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), the world’s leading school of Government.  The Scholarship is intended to support the design and delivery of good public policy in Australia.


Scholarship value
The Wolfensohn Scholarship will fund attendance at one of the HKS’s executive education programs and return economy air travel to Boston. HKS executive education programs include board while attending. The scholarship does not include other accommodation or travel expenses.

Applicants will be required to nominate which HKS executive education program they propose to attend. Courses cover a wide range of topics including public sector management (through the flagship “Senior Managers in Government” program which runs for three weeks from late July), through thematic courses around policy areas such as defence, development, financial management and education. The HKS’s executive education program and calendar is on their website


Eligibility

The Wolfensohn Scholarship is open to employees of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments. HCA will award the Wolfensohn Scholarship to senior public servants – specifically, individuals who are expected to play a significant role in the design and implementation of public policy in Australia, possibly as a Department or Agency head in the near term.


Recipients will have 12 calendar months to complete their studies, from the date of award of the Wolfensohn Scholarship.


By funding executive education at the world’s leading school of public policy, the Wolfensohn Scholarship is intended to support the design and delivery of good public policy in Australia.
It will also reward outstanding individuals for their achievements in Government and, we hope, motivate them to re-commit to public service.


It is expected that each year at least two Wolfensohn Scholarships will be awarded. In 2018, with the support of agency co-funding, we were able to award four scholarships.


The Wolfensohn Scholarship will fund attendance at an HKS executive education program, including return economy air travel to Boston.


Harvard Kennedy School executive programs range from public sector management (such as the flagship ‘Senior Managers in Government’ program which runs for three weeks), through to thematic courses around policy areas such as defence, development, financial management and education.
Details of executive education programs at the Harvard Kennedy School can be found here.  


Wolfensohn Scholarship recipients will have 12 calendar months to complete their studies from the date the Scholarship is awarded. 

    
Funding Source
Sir James Wolfensohn and the HCA and other individual donors provide funds for these scholarship. The HCA seeks co-funding from government departments especially to support long duration programs.


The HCA is looking to be able to maximise the opportunity for outstanding candidates to receive a Wolfensohn Scholarship and to this end is looking for co-funding support for the Scholarship. To this end, the HCA will provide a base funding support for one week program at the HKS (to the amount of US$10,000), plus return economy airfare to Boston, and will assess having regard to the mix of candidates whether to support the more expensive three week programs (Senior Managers in Government and Senior Executive Fellows).


In this regard, Department or Agency heads should indicate in their nomination, if the nominee proposes to attend a three week program (or one of the two week programs), whether your department/agency would provide co-funding support for the balance of the course fees above the standard one week program.


As an indication, this co-funding support could be in the order of up to US$11,000 for a long course program.


There is a place on the nomination form to indicate whether the department/agency will provide co- funding support. The selection committee will have regard to whether there is co-funding support for candidates seeking to undertake longer than one-week programs, as part of its overall assessment and in determining the total number of awards that will be made.


Selection Process
The Wolfensohn Scholars will be selected as follows:
Nomination – Department or Agency heads are invited to nominate one individual from their Department or Agency and one individual from outside their Department or Agency. Please only nominate individuals who you feel meet the eligibility criteria – specifically, individuals who are expected to play a significant role in the design and implementation of public policy in Australia, possibly as a Department or Agency head in the near term. Nomination is very straightforward and can only be made by Department or Agency heads using the nomination form below. The nomination form should be completed and returned as indicated on the form.


Timetable
Applicants who have been nominated before 24th July will be considered. Based on applications received, a shortlist will be prepared for interview. It is expected that interviews will be conducted early August.


Partner Organisation
Offered in partnership with Jim Wolfensohn


More Information
If you have any questions about the Wolfensohn Scholarship including about the nomination or application process, please contact the convenor of the Wolfensohn Scholarship – Mat Franklin via email or on 0400 868 766

Wolfensohn 2023 Application Form - CLICK HERE

Wolfensohn 2023 Nomination Form - NOMINATION FORM 

Wolfensohn 2023 Media Release 2023 
Wolfensohn Scholarship - HONOUR ROLL  
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