Alan W. Heston Fellowship

Alan W. Heston Fellowship

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.

We invite 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.

The fellowship honors Alan W. Heston (October 18, 1934 – October 25, 2024), who—together with Irving Kravis and Robert Summers—helped establish the International Comparison Program (ICP). The project aimed to establish a regular series of purchasing power parity (PPP)-based comparisons of gross domestic product (GDP). Today, PPPs are widely recognized and extensively used in socioeconomic analysis to adjust for differences in price levels between economies and to equalize the purchasing power of currencies. Their primary purpose is to convert GDP and its components into a common currency, ensuring comparability by explicitly accounting for price level differences.

Professor Heston, along with his colleagues, established a sound methodological foundation and an organizational and implementation framework for the ICP in the early years. His captivating 2017 memoir details the progress and expansion of the Program, as well as the challenges faced and successes celebrated by Professor Heston and his colleagues over successive ICP cycles. He served as Chair of the Program’s Technical Advisory Group for the ICP 2005 cycle and remained an active member of this Group and various research Task Forces through to the completion of the most recent 2021 cycle. His memoir also relates the origins of the Penn World Table which, together with the ICP, has become an indispensable resource for economists, policy makers, and researchers worldwide.

Carrying Forward Legacy

In his memoir, Professor Heston shared that the most gratifying part of the ICP was witnessing a new generation of statisticians and researchers embrace the work with interest and enthusiasm. To honor his legacy, the Alan W. Heston Fellowship has been established to support, inspire, and provide opportunities for future generations of researchers in the field of economic statistics.

Purpose

The Alan W. 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. We welcome 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:

1. CV/Resume

2. Cover letter outlining research interests and alignment with the fellowship’s goals (Maximum 500 words)

3. Project proposal, including: Objectives, Proposed Methodology, Expected impact, Timeline, Budget table, and Deliverables (Maximum 1,500 words without Annex)

4. Pre-approval letter (or equivalent documentation) confirming eligibility to receive the fellowship, if currently employed by a government agency

5. Two reference contacts (name, institution, job title, and email)

How to Submit

Complete your application and upload all supporting materials through the online submission portal.

Timeline

• Applications open: March 1, 2026.
• Applications close: March 29, 2026.
• Final decision: June 2026 [updated].

Contact Alan W. Heston Fellowship Program

at icp@worldbank.org