Communities of practice on linking research, policy and practice

Capacity.org reader survey 2013: Please give us your feedback

23/05/13

SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, co-publisher of Capacity.org journal and the associated web portal, is carrying out an independent external evaluation. The aim is to assess the role of the capacity development platform and how it can contribute to SNV's role as a knowledge broker and facilitator of change in different development contexts. Please give us your feedback by Friday 31 May. It will only take 10-15 minutes of your time. 

LenCD General Assembly: learning about institutional reform

18/05/13

The Learning Network on Capacity Development (LenCD) will hold its General Assembly in Brussels on 20 and 21 June 2013. The first day will be an open learning day on the theme of institutional reform. All members of the LenCD network and others interested in capacity development and institutional reform are invited to participate.

Head of capacity development, UNEP-WCMC

06/04/13

Contracting organization: UNEP-WCMC
Location: Cambridge, UK
Application deadline: 26 April 2013 
Type/duration of assignment: Permanent staff position
More information: http://www.unep-wcmc.org/vacancy---head-of-capacity-development_1008.html

World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) is a UK charity, based in Cambridge, which works in collaboration with UNEP, under the banner of UNEP-WCMC. Our mission is to evaluate and highlight the many values of biodiversity and put authoritative biodiversity knowledge at the centre of decision-making. WCMC is now seeking to fill a new role of Head of Capacity Development to work with us on a permanent basis and to take a leading role in ensuring the Centre’s growing engagement with national governments is as effective as possible.

Market and capacity development specialist kenya

06/04/13

Contracting organization: International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
Location: Kenya
Application deadline: 30 April 2013 
Type/duration of assignment: Not specified
More information: http://ilrijobs.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/ilri-vacancy-market-and-capacity-development-specialist-closing-date-30-april-2013/

ILRI seeks to recruit a Market and Capacity Development Specialist to build and execute a market and capacity development strategy to support efforts to bring to scale its Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) agenda. The assignment involves working with the suite of IBLI partners that range from research leaders, our research-for-development partners, commercial entities, NGOs, government agencies, and target communities to manage the transition from pilot to scale-up.

Post-2015 consultations: Call for input from southern researchers and practitioners

06/03/13

The Global Development Network (GDN) seeks input from Southern researchers for an international seminar in New Delhi in late March that will connect members of the UN High Level Panel with the academic community of economists and other social scientists from developing countries. Input can be provided through an online survey - closing on 11 March - that covers five of the most pressing questions facing the panellists:

Capacity development advisor, Kenya

19/02/13

Contracting organization: Pact
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Application deadline: Not specified
Type/duration of assignment: Staff position
More information: https://www5.ultirecruit.com/PAC1005/JobBoard/JobDetails.aspx?__ID=*4DFAB71DC6DA8B62

The Capacity Development Advisor will provide high-quality technical assistance to Pact’s institutional strengthening initiatives in Kenya and for Pact worldwide. The CD Advisor will be responsible for developing, implementing and documenting institutional strengthening methodologies and approaches, and for training staff and partners. In addition, the CD Advisor will be expected to remain up-to-date with the latest in African and global capacity development initiatives and will be asked to support Pact’s global portfolio. Fluency in English is a must and knowledge of Kiswahili is preferred for the position.

Capacity development specialist (livestock) Kenya

29/01/13

Contracting organization: ILRI
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Application deadline: 28 February 2013
Type/duration of assignment: Staff position
More information: http://bit.ly/1150nwD

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Capacity Development Specialist to enhance ILRI’s contribution to the capacity development aspects of the CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish (http://livestockfish.cgiar.org/). The assignment involves working with research leaders and our research-for-development partners to convert research outputs and tools into training media and a strategy to ensure effective dissemination and uptake among our research team and target beneficiaries. Media are expected to include development of instructional materials and curricula, workshop designs and ICT delivery techniques.

Panel discussion: Restoring human security to conflict affected states in Africa

16/01/13

Dates: 29 January 2013
Type of event: Panel discussion
Location: Committee Room 16, House of Commons, London, UK (Time: 15.30 - 17.00)
Organization: Institute of Development Studies (IDS)
More information: http://www.ids.ac.uk/events/restoring-human-security-to-conflict-affected-states-in-africa

Human security is essential to the achievement of development goals. Yet its restoration has proved elusive in too many conflict-affected states. This will be the subject of an expert panel convened by the Africa All Party Parliamentary Group (Africa APPG) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS).

Learning and knowledge management officer, Ethiopia

16/01/13

Contracting organization: Mercy Corps/USAID
Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Application deadline: Not specified
Type/duration of assignment: Staff position
More information: http://bit.ly/10x8zVZ

The Learning and Knowledge Management Officer will be a key position in the $48 million, 5-year USAID-funded Pastoralists Areas Resilience Improvement and market Expansion (PRIME) program. He/she will lead enhanced innovation learning and knowledge management activities. In addition he/she will work closely with USAID/FTF’s Knowledge Learning, Documentation and Policy (KLDP) project and the Capacity to Improve Agriculture and Food Security (CIAFS) program.

Evidence and knowledge in humanitarian action

08/01/13

Dates: 5-7 March 2013
Type of event: Conference
Location: Washington D.C.
Organization: ALNAP
More information: http://www.alnap.org/events/28th.aspx

Accurate information is a vital tool for humanitarians. It can provide evidence of current or anticipated needs; demonstrate those elements of a response that are working, and those which urgently need to be changed; and support the development and improvement of life-saving practices. But there are many challenges to the collection of information and the use of evidence in humanitarian response, arising from the context of operations and from the culture of the humanitarian system. This upcoming ALNAP Meeting will look at these challenges and – building on the experience of Network members and invited experts - try to find ways to address them.

Systematic reviews in international development: Dhaka Colloquium materials now available

04/01/13

In December 2012, BRAC University in Bangladesh hosted the Dhaka Colloquium, which brought together 130 leading researchers and policymakers from 31 countries to discuss the latest methodologies and evidence from systematic reviews of development programmes. Materials from the event, including videos of some of the presentations, are now available.

Capacity building officer: Cash learning initiative

04/01/13

Contracting organization: Oxfam GB
Location: Oxford, UK or Home Based
Application deadline: 11 January 2013
Type/duration of assignment: Staff position
More information: http://reliefweb.int/job/546008/cash-learning-partnership-capacity-building-officer

The Cash Learning Partnership (CaLP) is an interagency partnership founded in 2006 with a steering committee of five member agencies: Save the Children, Action against Hunger, Norwegian Refugee Council, The British Red Cross and Oxfam GB. The Partnership promotes the appropriate use of cash transfers in emergencies through capacity building, evidence based research and advocating for and engaging in developing policy around cash based programming. The Capacity Building Officer will be responsible for technical quality and roll out of the CaLP trainings and training modules under the CaLP strategy 2012 - 2015 and will be hosted by the Humanitarian Department in Oxfam GB.

Consultant: Review of the Learning Network on Capacity Development (LenCD)

26/12/12

Contracting organization: UNDP
Location: Home based
Application deadline: 11 January 2013
Type/duration of assignment: 15-day consultancy
More information: http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?cur_job_id=34692

LenCD is an informal network established in 2004 to raise the contour of capacity development on the international policy agenda. This review will explore the extent to which LenCD has been able to facilitate learning on capacity development (CD), promote change in CD practice on the ground, broaden evidence on CD, and promote the integration of CD into mainstream development policy.

Capacity building programme in community-driven development, India

12/11/12

Dates: 7-31 January 2013
Type of event: Training with field exposure (please note that this is a paid course)
Location: Andhra Pradesh, India
Organization: Bala Vikasa People Development Training Center
More information: http:www.balavikasa.org

Bala Vikasa's four-week " Capacity Building Program with Field Exposure in Community Driven Development” covers the theory and practice of making developmental interventions more inclusive, effective, efficient and sustainable. The course is designed to deepen participants' understanding of community development concepts and familiarize them with various approaches and tools that can be applied in the process of empowering the community.

Consultant: Developing adaptive capacity for climate change adaptation, Lliberia

09/11/12

Contracting organization: UNDP/GEF
Location: Monrovia, Liberia
Application deadline: 23 November 2012
Type/duration of assignment: International Consultant, 8 weeks
More information: http://emansion.gov.lr/doc/TORCCMCDPlanConsultantInternationalInc.pdf

In 2011 the Government of Liberia (GoL) through the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a Global Environment Facility (GEF) Agreement to implement this Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) project titled: “Enhancing Resilience to Climate Change by Mainstreaming Adaptation Concerns into Agriculture Sector Development in Liberia”. The 4-year project will be a vehicle for implementing priority interventions for the agriculture sector identified in Liberia’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA). Among other tasks, the consultant will be expected to: prepare an Inception Report; development and review a Climate Change Management (Climate Risk Management) Needs Assessment for the Agriculture Sector; and develop and review an implementation manual for the Ministry of Agriculture.

Applications invited for new round of South-South learning alliances

06/11/12

Practical Action has launched the second round of south-south learning alliances, starting January 2013. The four-month online learning programme fosters networking between policymakers and practitioners in Latin American, African and South Asia as part of the Evidence and Lessons from Latin America (ELLA) knowledge platform. The programme will include a visit to Latin America for selected active members from Africa and South Asia.

The learning programme will focus on the following topics:

• Small-scale farming: prmoting small-scale sustainable farming and rural development (application deadline: 7 December 2012)
• Human rights: promoting, protecting, defending and guaranteeing human rights (application deadline: 30 November 2012)
• Climate resilient cities: making cities more resilient to climate change (application deadline: 7 December 2012)

Participation is free of charge and members are expected to devote about one to two hours per week to the learning programme. For more information please visit: ella.practicalaction.org

Inclusive and sustainable growth for human development - EU Development Days 2012

02/10/12

Dates: 15-16 October 2012
Type of event: Conference
Location: Brussels, Belgium and online (live webcasts)
Organization: EU Commission
More information: http://eudevdays.eu/

The seventh edition of the European Development Days (EDD 2012) will focus on the theme of sustainable and inclusive growth for human development, with three related sub-themes: - sustainable agriculture, food security and resilience; - engaging the private sector for development; and - empowering people for inclusive growth.  Live web-streaming of all sessions taking place in the four main high level panels each day will be available online at http://live.eudevdays.eu/ in French, English and the original language of the speakers.

Virtual course on effective networks

16/09/12

Dates: 01 October - 14 December 2012
Type of event: Training course (please note that this is a paid course)
Location: Online/worldwide
Organization: The Network University and NetworkingAction
More information: http://networks.netuni.nl/page.php?id=1

"Effective networks" is the topic of three sets of three-week virtual training modules organized in partnership between The Network University and NetworkingAction. The course will cover a variety of networking forms, including networks that comprise as their main “unit” individuals or organizations; single-sector (business-government-civil society) or cross-sector; local, national, regional or global. Participants will learn core concepts and tools to support development of networks’ effectiveness. To register for the course, please click here or send an email to: networks@netuni.nl

Call for trainers: E-learning course on capacity development

09/08/12

LenCD seeks a highly qualified team to design, develop, and deliver a tutored e-learning course on capacity development based on the LenCD Learning Package on Capacity Development. The assigned organization/institution will be expected to undertake the design and development work required to translate the CD Learning Package into an easily accessible and widely applied tutored e-learning course. The assigned organization will also be expected to manage the tutored e-learning course.Complete details on this request for proposals are available from the UNDP procurement website.

3ie call for replication evaluations

29/06/12

3ie has released a Request for Applications for replication research along with an initial Candidate Studies List.  The submission deadline is 11.59 pm GMT, July 31, 2012.  5-10 grants of up to $ 15,000 each will be awarded. The aim of the Replication Programme is to improve the quality of impact evaluation evidence used for policy making by funding and publicizing replication studies of "influential, innovative, and controversial impact evaluations of development programmes."

Event: Shaping the future of capacity-building programmes

21/05/12

Dates: 2-3 July 2012
Type of event: International conference
Location: The Hague, The Netherlands
Organization: Netherlands Organisation for International Cooperation in Higher Education (NUFFIC)
More information: www.nuffic.nl/shapingthefuture

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked Nuffic to organise an international conference aimed at generating specific ideas for the design of new capacity building programmes. The two-day conference, entitled "Shaping the future: new perspectives on Dutch cooperation in post-secondary education and training for sustainable development," will bring together experts, practitioners and stakeholders from the Netherlands and partner countries, as well as representatives of international agencies.

Event: Towards country-led knowledge hubs

21/05/12

Dates: 10-12 July 2012
Type of event: High Level Meeting
Location: Bali, Indonesia
Organization: Government of Indonesia, the World Bank, JICA and UNDP
More information: http://www.southsouth.info/page/bali-high-level-meeting

This meeting will provide a forum for 200 policymakers and practitioners from 40 countries engaged in South-South Knowledge Exchange (SSKE) to learn about Knowledge Hubs and how to strengthen their institutional capacity for SSKE. Participation is by invitation only. Representatives of countries or institutions seeking to develop knowledge hub functions, or who have already implemented such functions, are invited to send an expression of interest no later than 30 May.
 

Pre-Announcement: Training course on local governance and rural decentralization

06/04/12

Dates: 11 - 22 February 2013 ( NB: Applications for NUFFIC scholarships must be submitted before 27 April 2012)
Type of event: Training course
Location: Wageningen, The Netherlands
Organization: Wageningen UR - Centre for Development Innovation and Royal Tropical Institute (KIT)
More information: Download brochure (pdf)

The course is designed for people who are involved with governance processes in a context of rural decentralisation, including government officials, project and programme managers, policy makers, consultants, NGO staff, federations of community organizations or private sector organizations.

Launch event: Online Guide on effective partnerships for humanitarian research and practice

31/03/12

Dates: 17 April 2012
Type of event: Panel Discussion (with live webcast)
Location: London, UK: 15:00-17:00 BST (GMT + 01)
Organization: Overseas Development Organisation (ODA)
More information: http://www.odi.org.uk/events/details.asp?id=2911&title=humanitarian-partnerships-research-academic

In 2011, the Humanitarian Emergency Response Review (HERR) called for humanitarian action to be underpinned by evidence and highlighted the need for more systematic and rigorous applied research. However, in order to build this body of evidence and ensure that practitioners can access and apply it, humanitarians and academics need to work in partnership. But what are the key ingredients to an effective partnership between humanitarians and academics? What are the pitfalls and at what stage does it make sense to introduce certain activities or actors?

This event, hosted by the Humanitarian Practice Network at ODI, will launch a ELRHA-commissioned study report that sought to answer this question. In addition to identifying the obstacles to partnership and how these can be overcome, the report highlights a number of examples where effective partnerships between academics and practitioners have yielded results which have had a direct positive impact on vulnerable communities. The report has also been translated into an Online Guide to Effective Partnerships with an Android Application for use in poor coverage areas.The event will include a panel discussion around the value of partnerships, a presentation from one of the case studies and a demonstration of how to use the Online Guide.

Webinar series: Increasing the effectiveness of networks working on global public challenges (iScale)

18/03/12

Dates: Various: between 28 March and 6 April 2012
Type of event: Webinar
Location: Online/Global (sessions organised by timezone)
Organization: Innovations for Scaling Impact (iScale)
More information: www.scalingimpact.net/content/iscale-webinar-increasing-effectiveness-networks

Since 2008, iScale, has implemented an IDRC-supported project examining the role of multi-stakeholder networks as agents of change in addressing global challenges that has resulted in the development of frameworks that can help networks scale impact by understanding what to measure, for what purpose, when, and how, through the use of approaches that integrate planning, assessment, reporting, and learning. Beginning in late March 2012, iScale will host webinars to discuss this work on how networks working on global public challenges can increase their effectiveness and scale impact. The webinars will be offered in two formats: a condensed session lasting 1.5 hours and an in-depth session lasting approximately 2.5-3 hours. Each session will be conducted three times and in three time zones in an effort to accommodate interested participants from all over the world.

Best Practices, Lessons Learned, and Effective Tools in Knowledge Sharing for Food Security and Agriculture Programmes

16/03/12

Date: 20-22 April 2012
Type of event: Online discussion
Location: Online, global
Organization: USAID Bureau for Food Security
More information: http://agrilinks.kdid.org/groups/agexchange-knowledge-sharing

Capturing, sharing, and applying knowledge is inherent in everything we do. From recognizing an approach that worked well in the field to sharing that approach with a colleague, effective knowledge management enables practitioners to learn from one another to implement more efficient and sustainable programs. This online discussion will bring together a diverse group of donors, food security technical experts, and knowledge management professionals for a three-day online discussion. Good practice, learning, and areas for future collaboration raised during the discussion will be synthesized into a resource document available to the Agrilinks community.

1st Summer Institute on global poverty and inclusive development

10/03/12

Date: 24-25 April 2012
Type of event: Specialized training programme
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Organization: University of Amsterdam
More information: www.gsss.uva.nl/sip

There is an increasing urgency to understand the conditions of poverty, the dynamics of poverty, and the complexities involved in embarking upon more inclusive development trajectories. The Summer Institute on Global Poverty & Inclusive Development contributes to the growing worldwide interest among academics and professionals in the causes of poverty and its alleviation. Classes are taught by Dr. Deepa Narayan, an internationally known expert on poverty and author of Voices of the Poor and Moving out of Poverty in close cooperation with Dr. Nicky Pouw, co- author of Local Governance and Poverty in Developing Nations (with Isa Baud).

Theory of change training workshop

30/01/12

Dates: 5 - 7 March 2010
Type of event: Training workshop (Please note that this is a paid course)
Location: Oxford, UK
Organization: International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC)

This new course provides an opportunity to understand and explore what Theories of Change are; how they complement other planning processes; how they can be applied to organisations and to programmes. The course enables participants to consider the steps they need to take in developing a ToC for their own organisation/programme; and offers an opportunity to experiment with developing elements of a ToC on the course.

Planet under pressure: new knowledge

19/01/12

Dates: 26-29 March 2012
Type of event: International conference
Location: London, UK
Organization: International Council for Science (ICSU) and diverse partners

The research community has a responsibility to provide the knowledge needed to move society towards effective stewardship of the planet and to communicate the urgency of this challenge to society. But science alone is not enough. This conference is intended to be a major opportunity to link global-change science in a two-way engagement with the wide range of other stakeholders working towards global sustainability. It is organised as part of the lead up to the forthcoming UN Conference on Sustainable Development taking place in Brazil in June, commonly known as Rio+20.

Climate change governance: Adaptation and mitigation as institutional change processes

11/01/12

Dates: 30 January - 12 February, 2012
Type of event: Training workshop
Location: Wageningen, the Netherlands
Organization: Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation

The impact on food production, food security and natural resources in developing countries by climate change is likely to be severe. This course offers conceptual frameworks to understand climate change, vulnerability and adaptation and mitigation options that bring together different stakeholders such as policymakers, scientists, communities, citizens, farmers, extension workers, media and businesses.

NB: The application deadline for this course is 15th January (Apply online)

Using case studies in development evaluation: Validity, Generalisation and Learning

28/12/11

Dates: 21-23 May, 2012
Type of event: International workshop
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Organization: Centre for Social Science Development Research University of Copenhagen and the Evaluation Department of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Abstracts are invited for this international workshop, which will focus on methodological and practical considerations when using case studies in evaluations of development. The workshop will be organised in collaboration with the journal Evaluation:the international journal of theory, research and practice. The deadline for submitting abstracts is 15 December 2011 .

Impact Evaluation Conference 2011: Follow live conference updates

08/06/11

Dates: 15-17 June 2011
Type of event: Conference
Location: Cuernavaca, Mexico
Organization: 3iE

The 2011 impact evaluation conference 'Mind the gap: From evidence to policy impact'  will bring together over 400 policymakers, practitioners and researchers from Latin America, Africa and Asia, to take stock of what we have learned from evaluations and the way forward for adopting new approaches.The conference will highlight cases from across the world where impact evaluations have provided evidence to scale up or modify existing development programmes. The conference offers a unique learning space to share ideas and be part of current debates on impact evaluations. All are welcome to participate by following live updates and commenting on the live blogs.
 

INTRAC announces 2011-12 training programme

01/04/11

Dates: Various

Type of event: Training (Please note that this is a paid course)

Location: Oxford, UK

Organization: International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC)

Course overview: INTRAC’s 2011-12 training programme kicks off with a Monitoring and Evaluation course on 9-13 May. This is the first of a series of courses on monitoring and evaluation, advocacy and organizational development being organized in May and June 2011. Please visit the INTRAC website for application details and an overview of the full training calendar.