Echidna Global Scholars Program 2019, Brookings Institution, Washington, DC, USA

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About the Echidna Global Scholars Program

The Echidna Global Scholars Program is a visiting fellowship hosted by the Center for Universal Education (CUE), within the Global Economy and Development program, at the Brookings Institution. The Echidna Global Scholars Program (the Program) aims to build the research, analytical, and leadership skills of NGO leaders and academics who have substantial experience with and ties to developing countries, whose work has a specific focus on improving learning opportunities and outcomes for girls in the developing world. This position would be ideal for a candidate with 10-15 years of professional experience in a related field. Echidna Global Scholars spend four to six months at Brookings Institution in Washington D.C. The structure of the Program is divided into two main components to assist the scholars in having impact when returning to their home countries: research on global education issues, and leadership training.

The research component of the Program will include a data-collection phase at home and a writing and analysis phase during a residency at Brookings. It aims to equip global girls’ education leaders with the skills and support necessary to create a written policy research product to affect change for girls in their home countries. The leadership component of  the Program is built on the understanding that emotional intelligence is a core competency needed in girls’ education leaders, and such training is thus integrated throughout the scholars’ residency at Brookings. Scholars will be exposed to new frameworks of leadership, participation in brainstorming and discussion groups, and be required to continually think reflexively on their own leadership style and philosophy. Upon completion of their fellowship, CUE supports the scholars in implementing an action plan that applies their new skills and expertise in the developing country where they have demonstrated substantial ties.   

About the Center for Universal Education:

As part of the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution, the Center for Universal Education develops and disseminates effective solutions for quality education and skills development.  It offers a forum for research, high-level dialogue, and public debate on a range of issues relevant to education, with a particular focus on the developing world.  CUE envisions a world where all children and youth have the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century and plays a critical role in influencing the development of policy related to global education and promotes actionable strategies for governments, civil society and private enterprise. 

The center seeks to build the evidence base on girls’ education policies and programs in developing countries.  The Echidna Global Scholars Program is designed to offer guest scholars the opportunity to pursue their own independent research on global education issues with a specific focus on girls’ education.  Echidna Global Scholars will also be supported in developing or implementing a project in which findings from the research are piloted.   The Echidna Global Scholars Program fits within CUE’s broader efforts, which seeks to catalyze and sustain collaborative action to achieve quality education for all and helps to build the leadership pipeline for girls’ education around the world. 

Education /Experience Requirements:

The Program selects professionals with substantial experience in and ties to developing countries, a demonstrated intent to return to a developing country after completing the period of residency at Brookings, and a passion and demonstrated commitment to girls’ education. Applicants should have a background in education, development, economics, or a related area, with a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in either research/academia; non-government and civil society; government; or business.  Master’s degree required; Ph.D. or research background strongly preferred.

Knowledge/Skills Requirements:

Strong analytical and writing skills. Successful applicants will have an intimate understanding of education development issues and gender. 

Additional Information

Applicants who have not worked explicitly on girls’ education previously are welcome to apply but should include an explanation of how this focus on girls’ education can be integrated successfully into their current and future work. 

Echidna Global Scholars’ research topics must be focused on education priorities for girls, as they are relevant in their specific contexts. This can include “second generation” priorities, like: 1) ensuring that girls can attend and complete primary and secondary school; 2) making schools safer and more secure; 3) improving the quality of learning for girls; 4) supporting girls’ transition to higher education and employment; and 5) cultivating local country leaders to champion this work at the grassroots level. Topics may also include the intergenerational effects of girls’ education, innovations in early childhood that are relevant for girls’ education, girls’ education in conflict settings, or quality education for indigenous and/or minority girls. Echidna Global Scholars are also encouraged to include areas of research focused on girls’ skills development. Other girls’ education issues lacking evidence are also welcome.

Benefits: Please note that this position is a short-term full-time resident fellowship at Brookings (it is not an employee position). Applicants selected for the fellowship will receive a living stipend of USD $5,000 a month while in D.C. (subject to U.S. tax withholding and reporting), paid single-occupancy housing for the four-and-a-half-month term, round-trip travel expenses, and a limited health insurance plan.

Program Requirements and Expectations: Echidna Global Scholars must be available for a full-time, on-site affiliation with the Brookings Institution for the entire duration of the residency and must be able to complete the pre-arrival data collection phase of research. Soon after selection, Echidna Global Scholars are required to conduct research on a topic approved by CUE staff.  Scholars will present their research papers at a day-long symposium hosted by Brookings at the end of the residency.  Each Scholar is expected to be an active participant in Brookings and CUE activities, including, but not limited to, regularly-scheduled organizational staff meetings, informal discussions, seminars, presentations, and other CUE and Brookings events.  

Term of Program: The research project must take place within a 7-8-month timeframe of pre-residency and residency work. Data collection must be completed by the scholar at home prior to the start of the residency at Brookings in Washington, D.C. Analysis and writing must be completed during the residency. The residency will begin on or around June 2020 and end in mid-October 2020. Scholars must also participate in the leadership development component throughout the program, including pre-residency components. Scholars may be invited to apply for seed funding to implement their research findings in a pilot program after the residency. Please note that the timeframe of this Program will not be changed, and that stipends are only paid while scholars are in residence in Washington, D.C.

Interview Process: Interviews will include an initial phone screen, program and panel interviews via phone and/or Skype calls with CUE leadership.  For those chosen as finalists, there will be an on-site final interview with a CUE staff member in the finalists’ home countries, to determine potential impact of the finalists’ proposed research.

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