TORONTO | June 2, 2022–– Academic instruction for the Investor Leadership Network’s (ILN) third annual Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program begins today.
Created in 2018, this executive leadership program offers academic and practical training to public-sector officials in emerging market government ministries, municipalities, organizations, and agencies charged with the development, financing, and operation of infrastructure. By better aligning the expectations of private investors with planners, the Fellowship seeks to increase investment-ready projects, diminish the infrastructure gap, and hasten emerging economies’ sustainable transitions.
Beyond funding the Fellowship, ILN members participate in the Fellowship Program’s lectures, guest speaking opportunities, case studies, project assignments and ‘industry days’ to share their perspectives and guidance as private institutional investors. Academic coordination for the Fellowship Program is conducted by York University’s Schulich School of Business in Toronto, Canada. Additional financial support comes from the Global Infrastructure Hub (GI-Hub), a not-for-profit organization, formed by the G20, that advances the delivery of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive infrastructure .
The 2022 Fellowship Program is being delivered virtually and will run from June to December. This year’s cohort of 34 Fellows (60% men and 40% women) was selected from 63 applicants following an extensive international marketing program. Nineteen countries are represented in the 2022 Fellowship, including India, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, South Africa, Kenya, Georgia, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
The Fellowship Program has attracted international attention and targets a long-term demand in developing countries for new infrastructure that can serve social and economic needs, respond to the impacts of climate change, and assist in attracting private capital where public funding is scarce.
Amy Hepburn, CEO of the ILN Secretariat, shared, “The ILN is proud of the Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program’s success in building project preparation capacity for public sector infrastructure planners in emerging and frontier markets. We’re thrilled to have recruited our largest cohort of Fellows yet, and our members are eager to lend their guidance and expertise to the Program.”
Prof. Jim Clayton, Director and Timothy R. Price Chair, Brookfield Centre in Real Estate & Infrastructure, shared, “The Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program exemplifies the benefits of partnership and collaboration, as we work together to help mobilize private capital towards emerging and frontier markets. The third delivery of the Fellowship comes at a time when closing the infrastructure gap is of increased urgency, and this program is uniquely positioned to support the development of sustainable infrastructure. Schulich School of Business is a proud partner in the Fellowship.”
Marie Lam-Frendo, CEO of the Global Infrastructure Hub, says, “Mobilising private capital is key to closing the infrastructure financing gap and achieving global climate targets. There is an urgent need to ensure investments address both fiscal constraints and social inequalities, transforming our economies toward an environmentally sustainable, inclusive, resilient, and digitally-enabled future. Capacity building initiatives like the Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program can help bridge the infrastructure gap and promote mutual learning between emerging market infrastructure practitioners and developed market investors. GI Hub is proud to return as a sponsor and I wish the fellows all the best in the 2022 program.”