Higher education in Asian countries and the role of international ...

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The governors have the authority to admit or suspend members, review financial statements and
budgets, make formal arrangements to cooperate with other international organizations, and
exercise other powers that they have not delegated (The World Bank, 2007). Once a year, the
Boards of Governors of the Bank Group, including ICSID‟s Administrative Council, and the
International Monetary Fund (IMF) meet in a joint session known as the Annual Meetings.
The executive directors are responsible for making policy decisions affecting the Bank Group‟s
operations and for approving all loans. They are based at Bank Group headquarters in
Washington, DC. President of the Group is selected by the executive directors. The Articles of
Agreement do not specify the nationality of the president, but he or she is always a U.S. national
(by custom, nominated by the U.S. executive director), while the managing director of the IMF is
always European. The president serves a term of five years which may be renewed. There is no
mandatory retirement age.
5.3.1.3 Independent Evaluation Group
The Independent Evaluation Group is an independent unit that reports directly to the Board of
Executive Directors. Led by the Independent Evaluation Group‟s director general, the unit is
tasked with assessing the results of all of the Bank Group‟s work and offering relevant
recommendations. Separate units of the Independent Evaluation Group work with the Bank, IFC,
and MIGA. The group undertakes its work during the evaluation phase of all World Bank Group
projects. The unit also supports the development of evaluation capacity in recipient countries.
Other units with related missions include the Compliance Advisor/ Ombudsman for IFC and
MIGA; the Office of Ethics and Business Conduct which deals with joint Bank and IFC units;
and the Quality Assurance Group at the World Bank. In addition, the World Bank has set up the
independent Inspection Panel, a three-member body to whom citizens of developing countries
can bring their concerns if they believe that they or their interests have been or could be directly
harmed by a project financed by the World Bank.
5.3.1.4 The Five Institutions in the World Bank Group
The institutions that make up the World Bank Group specialize in different aspects of
development, but they work collaboratively toward the overarching goal of poverty reduction.
The terms “World Bank” and “Bank” refer only to IBRD and IDA, whereas the terms “World
Bank Group” and “Bank Group” include all five institutions.