The World Bank, in partnership with the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), has opened applications for the 2026 GovTech Bootcamp on AI in Governance and Public Administration.
The fully funded programme is designed for government institutions in low- and middle-income countries that are developing, piloting, or implementing AI solutions to improve public administration, service delivery, transparency, efficiency, and citizen engagement.
Scholarship Summary
- Host: World Bank | Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) | National Information Society Agency (NIA)
- Host Country: South Korea
- Category: Training | Fellowships
- Eligible Countries: Low- and Middle-Income Countries
- Reward: Full Sponsorship | International Travel | Accommodation | Technical Support
- IELTS: Not Required
- Duration: 5 Days
- Deadline: October 2, 2026
Scholarship Details
The World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp is a practical learning and peer-exchange programme designed to help government institutions strengthen their use of artificial intelligence in public administration.
The initiative will bring together selected government teams to learn from Korea’s experience in developing and implementing AI solutions at scale. Participants will engage with Korean public and private sector practitioners, World Bank experts, and other professionals working in GovTech.
The programme will focus on helping participating teams address real implementation challenges, strengthen their AI initiatives, and develop practical roadmaps for deployment.
Up to five government teams will be selected to participate in the fully funded five-day bootcamp in Seoul, South Korea.
Eligibility Criteria
The call is open to government institutions in low- and middle-income countries working on AI initiatives in areas such as:
- Public financial management.
- Civil service and human resource management.
- Citizen services.
- Civic technology and citizen engagement.
- Public procurement.
- Anticorruption.
- Transparency.
- Other public sector applications of artificial intelligence.
Each application must nominate a two-person team consisting of:
- A policy leader with decision-making authority.
- A technical practitioner directly involved in implementing the AI initiative.
Applicants should:
- Be comfortable participating in English-language discussions and workshops.
- Have a clearly defined public sector challenge.
- Present a realistic and impactful AI-enabled solution that is already being developed, piloted, or deployed.
- Demonstrate strong institutional commitment.
- Demonstrate technical feasibility.
- Present a credible pathway towards implementation.
- Explain how participation in the bootcamp will help accelerate their initiative through exposure to Korea’s experience and lessons.
The bootcamp will be conducted in English, with simultaneous Korean-English interpretation provided.
Scholarship Benefits
Selected government teams will receive:
- Fully funded participation in a five-day technical bootcamp in Seoul.
- International travel costs for the two selected team members.
- Accommodation during the programme.
- Direct exposure to Korea’s public and private sector AI ecosystem.
- Opportunities to learn from Korean AI practitioners and World Bank experts.
- Practical technical workshops and coding exercises.
- Support in developing technically grounded implementation roadmaps.
- Opportunities to identify solutions to algorithmic, data, and infrastructure challenges.
- Potential follow-up support and technical feedback after the bootcamp.
Programme Phases
The World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp will take place in three main phases:
1. Call for Proposals
Government institutions will submit applications describing their AI initiatives, implementation challenges, technical readiness, and proposed solutions.
2. Seoul Bootcamp — December 7–11, 2026
The programme will include:
- Site visits and exchanges with professionals working within Korea’s AI ecosystem.
- Engagement with Korean public and private sector practitioners.
- Hands-on workshops with Korean AI experts and World Bank specialists.
- Practical coding exercises.
- Development of implementation roadmaps.
- Identification of algorithmic, data, infrastructure, and other deployment challenges.
3. Follow-Up Support
Following the bootcamp, selected teams may receive additional technical feedback and support to help advance their AI initiatives, depending on the strength and viability of their proposals.
Key Dates
- Call for Proposals Opens: August 12, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 2, 2026
- Notification of Results: October 16, 2026
- Seoul Bootcamp: December 7–11, 2026
- Final Roadmap Submission: January 23, 2027
- Selection of Follow-Up Support Teams: February 13, 2027
How to Apply
To apply for the 2026 World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp:
- Review the eligibility requirements and programme objectives.
- Form a two-person team consisting of a policy leader and technical practitioner.
- Describe the public sector challenge your institution is addressing.
- Explain the proposed AI solution and its current stage of development.
- Provide information about technical and data readiness.
- Demonstrate institutional support for the initiative.
- Explain potential implementation risks and how they will be managed.
- Outline your learning objectives and planned next steps after the bootcamp.
- Include supporting materials where relevant, such as endorsement letters, technical diagrams, policy documents, budget commitments, or other relevant documents.
- Submit the completed application through the official submission form before October 2, 2026.
- Kindly wait for feedback.
To begin the scholarship application process, click HERE
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