In response to these challenges, the World Council of Optometry has established the WCO Fellowship Program. The program is dedicated to the advancement of the WCO mission and its concept of optometry. The WCO Fellowship Program is designed to foster an exchange of knowledge and expertise, and to encourage international partnerships of all kinds in the furtherance of the WCO mission. As a result, the program provides a basis for establishing lasting ties among individuals, institutions and organizations that are committed to improving vision and eye care globally. Fellowships are granted to professional candidates with a commitment to public service in both the public and private sectors, specifically in optometric education, patient care and community service and organizational development.
Fellowships are open to educators, students, practitioners and organizational leaders.
The fellowship program aims to work deliberately and persistently to build human networks that are dedicated to the vision and eye care needs of the world. In general, WCO fellowships can range from one month to one year in duration. A fellowship in educational administration and faculty and curricular development. A fellowship in optometric community service designed to bring necessary care to needy populations while building local self-sufficiency. A fellowship in instructional technology and information systems designed to foster the sharing of optometric knowledge using new electronic systems such as the Internet, telemedicine, teleconferencing, etc.