Recruiting for the fourth year of the Schulich School of Business Sustainable Infrastructure Fellowship Program (SIFP) commenced Tuesday, May 16.
The SIFP is an International Group of Seven (G7) initiative that coincided with the G7 meeting held in Quebec City, Que. in 2018. The fellowship was launched by the Investor Leadership Network (ILN), representing 13 of the world’s largest institutional investors in infrastructure, with support from the Government of Canada. With the Schulich School of Business at York University as academic partner in Toronto, the first three years of the fellowship targeted emerging economies. That focus has now expanded in 2023 to encompass a broader audience.
SIFP 2023 is designed and delivered by the Schulich School of Business to develop a new generation of leaders in infrastructure, globally. This year marks the beginning of SIFP version 2.0, which is open to candidates from the public and private sectors. The fellowship is designed for mid- to senior-level professionals involved in infrastructure who want to better understand the role of private investment capital in addressing sustainable infrastructure needs, as well as the core tenets of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Candidates should ideally be directly involved in the infrastructure sector, within public or private organizations and agencies charged with the development, financing, investing and operation of infrastructure.
The fellowship develops the knowledge and practical skills required to increase the bankability of infrastructure projects by mobilizing sources of private capital to assist in bridging the global infrastructure gap. The curriculum involves lectures, case studies, interactive workshops and assignments delivered by a combination of academic and industry experts in an online format spread over six months.
Ravish Jain, a 2022 Fellow and deputy general manager of IFCI Limited, called the SIFP a “must-attend program for senior professionals who want to acquire a powerful knowledge toolkit to re-energize infrastructure.
“This unique platform provides a holistic shared international learning experience. [SIFP] provides direct access to some of the largest global infrastructure investors and their decision-making processes,” he adds.
Additionally, the globe-spanning fellowship alumni network offers access to a diverse, international cohort of past participants, each collectively contributing to a communal trove of infrastructure investment expertise. In the first three years alone, the program has graduated 67 Fellows from 22 countries, 40 per cent of whom are women.
“The [SIFP] broadened my view,” says Group Chief Business Development and External Relations Officer Mia Mary Sebastian, of Citadel Pacific Limited. “The exchanges of ideas in our sessions highlighted the importance of the enabling environment for infrastructure and its impact on investment decisions.”
To apply for the 2023 SIFP, visit schulich.yorku.ca/sustainable-infrastructure-fellowship-program.
For additional information, contact Karen Shlesinger, program director, sustainable infrastructure fellowship program, at kshles@schulich.yorku.ca.