This Program of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was conceived in January 1960 as a means for bringing well-trained, working-level assistance to development institutions at a time of acute need. The aim was to aid a few African governments by recruiting to their service exceptionally able young Americans whose education is directly relevant to problems facing these governments. A corollary objective was to expose these promising graduates to front-line experience within African institutions, in the belief (i) that such men and their wives would present a favourable image of highquality young Americans, (ii) that they would mature rapidly through responsible action in the actual business of economic planning and development, and (iii) that upon completing a two-year tour in Africa they would form a promising pool of talent for meeting the manifold needs of the United States in its role towards emerging Africa.