Applications are now open for the Alan W. Heston Fellowship for Early-career researchers and Statisticians (up to USD 10,000 per fellow)

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Closing Date: 29 March 2026

Applications are now open for the Alan W. Heston Fellowship for Early-career researchers and Statisticians (up to USD 10,000 per fellow)

Fellowship Overview

The Alan W. Heston Fellowship seeks to inspire and empower emerging scholars and practitioners to advance the field of economic measurement, with a particular focus on international comparisons of prices, real incomes, purchasing power parity (PPP) methods, and the data that underpins cross-country comparisons.

The fellowship invites you to honor the enduring legacy of Professor Alan W. Heston by supporting and cultivating the next generation of leaders in international economic statistics.

At a glance

Purpose: To support and advance ongoing research or initiate new research projects focused on economic measurement in areas relevant to the ICP and international price level comparisons.
Fellowship term: 6-12 months.
Application window: Mar 1 – March 29, 2026.
Award: up to USD 10,000 per fellow.

Purpose

The Alan Heston Fellowship aims to support and advance ongoing research or initiate new research projects focused on economic measurement in areas relevant to the ICP and international price level comparisons.

Research Priorities

Advance national and regional statistical applications and methodologies in relation to the ICP.
Advance the development of new or improved data sources for price and quantity comparisons.
Improve the understanding of global economic development and living standards through new or improved uses of PPPs.
Strengthen national and regional statistical frameworks and develop strategies for better user engagement and communication.
Undertake research that closely aligns with the current ICP research agenda, including alternative sources of data (scanner, web scraping, satellite) and ICP-CPI integration.

Fellowship Experience

Duration: 6 – 12 months.
Receive guidance, from the ICP Global Office and ICP community, on data access, research methodology, and practical applications.
Publish their findings and share their experiences through the World Bank’s Data Blog and/or disseminate their findings through the World Bank Policy Research Working Paper Series.

Fellowship Deliverables

During the tenure of the fellowship, fellows are expected to deliver:

Intermediate deliverables:
- Summary of findings with updated budget table and timeline.
- Meeting with the Fellowship Secretariat.
Final deliverables:
- A draft intended for publication on the Data Blog.
- A draft or final research paper and a brief plan for future publication.

Compensation

The fellowship provides funding of up to $10,000 USD per recipient, covering a period of 6–12 months

Eligibility and Criteria

Applicants must be either:

1. Early-career researchers within 5 years after PhD completion, including post-doctoral fellows, assistant professors, and candidates currently in the PhD job market. The Fellowship welcomes applications from those in economics, economic statistics, policy studies, or related fields, OR

2. Statisticians working at national or regional statistical organizations conducting research to advance statistical practices.

Preferred qualifications include prior experience in related research fields and a focus on applying findings to improve national or regional statistical systems.

Application package:

Interested applicants should submit:

CV/Resume
Cover letter outlining research interests and alignment with the fellowship’s goals (Maximum 500 words)
Project proposal, including: Objectives, Proposed Methodology, Expected impact, Timeline, Budget table, and Deliverables (Maximum 1,500 words without Annex)
Pre-approval letter (or equivalent documentation) confirming eligibility to receive the fellowship, if currently employed by a government agency
Two reference contacts (name, institution, job title, and email)