SDG target 4b: a global measure of scholarships

This paper argues that the wording of the target raises several questions, not least a need to define what is meant by ‘scholarships’, and the underlying intention. Who is to provide the scholarships, to whom and to what end? How do scholarships for a select group of people from a select group of countries contribute to the overall goal to “ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning”? To understand this issue more fully the paper discusses a typology of scholarships. It then proposes a limited interpretation of target 4b, and suggests an approach to measurement, including appropriate indicators.