Call for applications for participants to attend APORDE 2016
African Programme on Rethinking Development Economics
5th to 16th of September 2016
Johannesburg, South Africa
Supported by
The South African Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa (the dti),
The Industrial Development Corporation (IDC)
We are pleased to announce that the tenth edition of the African Programme on Rethinking Development Economics (APORDE) will be held in Johannesburg (South Africa) from 5th to the 16th of September 2016.
APORDE is a high-level training programme in development economics which aims to build capacity in economics and economic policy-making. The course is run for two weeks and consists of lectures and seminars taught by leading international and African economists. This call is directed at talented African, Asian and Latin American economists, policy makers, academics and civil society activists who, if selected, will be fully funded to participate in the course.
Please note that we receive many high quality applications and that, as a result, entry into APORDE will be very competitive (only 25 applicants will be selected). It is therefore important that applicants complete and submit all the required documentation.
APORDE is an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) with the support of the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). APORDE lecturers in 2016 include among others the internationally renowned economist Ha-Joon Chang (University of Cambridge) as well as leading lecturers from SOAS and Cambridge University.
“APORDE is being conducted in a climate when there is much greater contestation of ideas around the possible options for economic development and industrialisation than in recent decades. An initiative like APORDE can make a very important contribution in offering us new insights and reflections on the critical questions of building a developmental state and mounting a serious industrial policy.”
Dr. Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry, Republic of South Africa
What previous participants have said about the course:
• It touches on the most important developmental aspects which are critical to African Countries.
• The knowledge acquired from the course has changed my attitude towards Industrial Policy.
• The course provided an in-depth understanding of development issues at work.
• Great course, great lecturers, great everyone.
We encourage anyone with an interest in development to read and distribute this call for applications.
Background
Africa is probably the continent most affected by the poor availability of cutting-edge research and teaching in economics. While only a few African countries have experienced sustained economic development in the past 50 years, African governments and civil societies are weakly equipped to respond critically to external initiatives aimed at their development and to generate endogenous strategies. The tide is, however, gradually turning: in South Africa and in other African countries, the need for “more” (rather than merely “better”, which has often proved to mean “less”) state intervention in economic affairs is increasingly recognised. Crucially, economic take-off and converting growth spurts into sustained periods of structural change appears bound to remain a pipedream unless it is premised on developmental policy; South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry is leading the way with its industrial policy. However, few African decision makers feel equipped to design and implement such policies, a gap which APORDE aims to help fill.
APORDE
APORDE will allow talented academics, policy makers and civil society representatives from Africa, Asia and Latin America to gain access to alternatives to mainstream thinking on development issues and to be equipped in a way that will foster original thinking. Participants will receive intensive high-level training and interact with some of the best development economists in the world and with other participants. The following costs will be covered for selected participants – travel, accommodation, conference fee and per diem. The seminar will be held in Johannesburg from the 5th to the 16th of September 2016.
APORDE will cover essential topics in development economics, including industrial policy, rural poverty, inequality and financialisation. Lectures will equip participants with key information pertaining to both mainstream and critical approaches. The programme will mostly consist of daytime lectures, while a number of shorter evening talks and debates will also be organised.
This year APORDE will include sessions on:
• Critical Perspectives on Development Economics
• Market, State and Institutions in Economic Development
• Governance, Democracy and Economic Development
• Globalisation, Global Value Chains and Regional Value Chains
• Trade and Industrial Policy
• Agriculture, Economic Development and Land Reform
• Gender, Development and Growth
• International Financial Flows
• Industrial Development in Africa, East Asia, South Asia, Latin America
• Mineral Resource and Industrial Policy
• Industrial Policy in South Africa
A list of confirmed lecturers includes:
• Chris Cramer (SOAS, University of London)
• Nicolas Pons-Vignon (WITS University)
• Ha-Joon Chang (Cambridge University)
• Mushtaq Khan (SOAS)
• Faizel Ismail (the dti and UCT)
• Niki Cattaneo (Rhodes University)
• Carlos Oya (SOAS)
• John Sender (SOAS)
• Jayati Ghosh (Jawaharlal Nehru University)
• Jonathan Di John (SOAS)
• Thandika Mkandawire (London School of Economics)
• Fiona Tregenna (University of Johannesburg)
• Gabriel Palma (Cambridge University)
• Alejandro Nadal (El Colegio de Mexico)
• Arkebe Oqubay, Minister and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia
Applications
Applicants must demonstrate first-class intellectual capacity and (at least some) prior knowledge in economics/political economy, as well as proficiency in English. The objective of APORDE is to attract participants from a broad range of backgrounds and preference will be given to persons who have demonstrated exceptional capacity in their professional experience.
The main body of participants will be drawn from Africa, but we welcome applications from Asians, Middle Easterns and Latin Americans who have research or work experience related to Africa.
Prospective applicants should go to the APORDE website www.aporde.org.za and follow the link to the online application form
The following documents should be prepared to upload
• An official transcript (showing courses taken and grades obtained);
• A certificate of the highest qualification
• 2 (two) letters of reference, where possible 1 academic referee and 1 professional
• For those whose main medium of instruction or work is not English, some proof of English proficiency will be necessary. Results of Standard English proficiency tests (e.g. TOEFL or IELTS) will be preferable, but other proof may also be accepted (e.g. a sample of written work in English).
The application will be closed on Monday the 9th of May 2016 at 10 o’clock in the morning. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Candidates will be notified by E-mail of the outcome of their applications at the latest by the end of June 2016.
Should you have any queries, please contact Christian Kabongo (christiank@idc.co.za).
