The Foundation is designed for intellectual significance and operational agility — a lean core in its first phase, growing only as impact demands it. Four components carry the whole structure: a Governing Board, an Executive Secretariat, a Research Centre, and a Scholarship Board.
Authority sits with the Board; delivery sits with the Secretariat. Click any element below to see how it fits together.
Carries final responsibility for the Foundation's strategic direction, financial integrity, and the coherence of its mandate over time. Members are drawn from development economics, international finance, higher education leadership, civil society, and the private sector, and serve in a voluntary capacity. The Board meets not fewer than twice annually.
Authority moves down through delegation; accountability moves back up through reporting. Neither track runs one way.
Approves strategy, budget, and policy; appoints the Executive Director and all director-level staff.
Implements Board decisions, manages institutional relationships, and oversees both the Research Centre and the Scholarship Programme.
Director of Research, Scholarship Coordinator, and Finance & Compliance Officer carry out day-to-day operations; the Secretariat approves all non-director appointments.
The Research Centre reports research output and publication activity; the Scholarship Programme reports on cohort welfare and outcomes.
Audit & Finance reviews expenditure and the annual audit; Research Quality approves publications; the Scholarship Committee sets eligibility and reviews selection recommendations.
Receives committee findings, holds the Executive Director accountable, and retains final fiduciary and strategic responsibility.
Every unit and role, at a glance.
| Unit / Role | Primary function |
|---|---|
| Governing Board (7–9 members) | Strategic oversight, fiduciary responsibility, policy approval |
| Audit & Finance Committee | Financial controls, annual audit, expenditure approval |
| Research Quality Committee | Peer review, publication standards, research ethics |
| Scholarship Committee | Eligibility criteria, cohort size, scholar welfare |
| Executive Director | Operational leadership, external representation, staff management |
| Director of Research | Research Centre management, cluster coordination, partnerships |
| Scholarship Coordinator | Application processing, scholar welfare, alumni relations |
| Finance & Compliance Officer | Accounts, donor reporting, regulatory compliance |
Growth follows demonstrated impact, not planned expansion. See what the structure produces.
See the Programmes →