The World Bank, South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), and the National Information Society Agency (NIA) have opened applications for the 2026 GovTech Bootcamp on Artificial Intelligence (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 deploying AI-powered solutions to improve public administration and government services.
Selected teams will travel to Seoul, South Korea, for a five-day technical bootcamp where they will engage with Korean government and technology practitioners, World Bank experts and other participants to strengthen their AI initiatives.
World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp 2026 at a Glance
– Host: World Bank, Republic of Korea’s MOIS and NIA
– Programme: GovTech Bootcamp on AI in Governance and Public Administration
– Location: Seoul, South Korea
– Eligible applicants: Government institutions in low- and middle-income countries
– Team size: Two people per institution
– Funding: Fully funded
– Travel: International travel costs covered
– Accommodation: Covered
– Duration: Five days
– Bootcamp dates: December 7–11, 2026
– Application deadline: October 2, 2026
– IELTS: Not required
Who Can Apply?
The call is open to government institutions in low- and middle-income countries that are pursuing AI initiatives in areas such as:
– Public financial management
– Civil service and human resource management
– Citizen services
– Civic technology and citizen engagement
– Public procurement
– Anti-corruption
– Transparency
– Other public-sector applications of AI
Each application must nominate a two-person team comprising:
1. A policy leader with decision-making authority; and
2. A technical practitioner directly involved in implementing the proposed initiative.
The programme will be conducted in English, with simultaneous Korean-English interpretation. Applicants should therefore be comfortable participating in English-language discussions and workshops.
What Kind of Projects Are Eligible?
The strongest applications are expected to demonstrate a clearly defined public-sector challenge and a realistic AI-enabled solution that is already being developed, piloted or deployed.
Applications should demonstrate:
– A clear public-sector implementation challenge
– A practical and potentially impactful AI solution
– Technical feasibility
– Data readiness
– Strong institutional commitment
– A credible implementation pathway
– Awareness of potential implementation risks
– Clear learning objectives
– How participation in the bootcamp could accelerate the initiative
Applicants may also be required to explain their planned next steps following the bootcamp.
What Does the Fully Funded Programme Cover?
Up to five government teams will be selected to participate in the five-day technical bootcamp in Seoul.
For the selected teams, the programme will cover:
– International travel costs for two team members
– Accommodation in Seoul
– Participation in the five-day bootcamp
Following the bootcamp, selected teams may also receive follow-up technical support and feedback to help advance their AI initiatives, depending on the strength and viability of their proposals.
What Will Participants Do in Seoul?
The bootcamp will combine exposure to South Korea’s AI ecosystem with practical technical training.
Participants will visit Korean public and private-sector organisations and engage with practitioners who have implemented AI solutions.
They will then participate in hands-on workshops with Korean AI practitioners and World Bank experts. The sessions will focus on refining their proposed solutions, including practical coding exercises and the development of technically grounded implementation roadmaps.
Participants will also examine potential challenges involving algorithms, data, infrastructure, dependencies and implementation risks.
Important Dates
Activity| Date
Call for Proposals launched| 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 for the World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp 2026
Interested government institutions should complete the official application before the October 2, 2026 deadline.
Applicants will be asked to provide information about their proposed AI initiative, including:
– The public-sector challenge being addressed
– The proposed AI solution
– Technical and data readiness
– Institutional support
– Implementation risks
– Learning objectives
– Planned next steps after the bootcamp
Supporting documents may also be submitted, including endorsement letters, technical diagrams, policy documents, budget commitments and other relevant materials.
Application deadline: October 2, 2026.
How to Apply: Applicants should use the official World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp submission form provided on the programme webpage.
This opportunity is particularly relevant to government agencies, digital transformation teams, public-sector technology professionals and policymakers working on practical AI applications in governance and public administration.
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