GDLN in South Asia: Connecting Development Practitioners

1. Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) in South Asia Region

2. What is GDLN? Key words to describe GDLN: • A global Partnership of • Centerslocated in Knowledge Institutions, who use • a blend of ICTs and Learning Methods for • Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing for • Development Outcomes.

3. The Mission To improve development impact by using Distance Learning methods to connect development decision makers and agents of change to a global knowledge exchange

4. Centersare at the heart of the network: Designed from what we know about effective learning: • A mix of ICT/media: • synchronous – videoconf. • asynchronous - • Internet, Web and Print • Group learning (teams) • High interactivity • Structured learning activities • Local facilitation • Learner support

5. Training Courses by • WBI/WB • Training Institutions • Private Sector/ under contract from Development Agencies Global Dialogues • Knowledge Sharing events • Dissemination of research • Consultations • Developing Communities of Practice Many Ways of Using GDLN: An evolving “way of doing business” Meetings & Workshops • World Bank and partner teams • Development programs • Public-Private sector • Project Implementation • Virtual Missions

6. Building the Network of Centers Through Partnering with Knowledge institutions (Universities, Training Institutes, Civil Service Colleges) What are we looking for in partner institutions? They would have the: • Mission and Mandate – to Development Practitioners • Credibility - National recognition/Gov acceptance • Ability - Potential to incorporate methodology/tech • Management – Quality and Drive to innovate • Location – Proximity to clients, government • Infrastructure – quality, suitability for GDLN clients • Connectivity – Internet2/NREN desirable

7. GDLN in South Asia – current Partners • Delhi, India • TERI • Kathmandu, Nepal • PIC • Dhaka, Bangladesh • BRAC University • Kabul, Afghanistan • Ministry of Communications • Colombo, Sri Lanka • Sri Lanka DLC Co., SLIDA

8. Pakistan PERN (Pakistan Education & Research Network) NSPP (National School for Public Policy) LUMS 45Mbps to Europe (GÉANT) Potential new partners in South Asia Internet2 and in-country networks – NRENs • Bhutan • Royal University of Bhutan • Royal Inst. Man. India NICNET:Gov. network, 450 sites ERNET:University network (NREN) Reliance World: 241 sites/105 cities Insts: ASCI, YASHADA, SEWA, XIMB • Maldives • Coll. Further Ed. Sri Lanka LEARN (Lanka Education & Research Net)

9. GDLN points of presence in South Asia - sites you can reach by videoconference Islamabad Unicom As of: March 2007 Kabul Min.of Comm Kathmandu PRSRC/PIC Lahore LUMS/Unicom Karachi Unicom Delhi TERI Dhaka, BRAC University In India NICNET: 35 Gov VC sites in all State capitals & Union Territories GDLN Affiliates Other sites Bangalore TERI National Informatics Centre Andaman & Nicobar Lakshadweep Colombo At SLIDA

10. Potential of GDLN pedagogy/technology: inLearning programs: • Local delivery – to full teams, not just the privileged few • Learning is spread over time, not compacted into a week • Expertise from anywhere – cost effective short interventions • Flexile, customized content, responding to participants needs • Activity based learning – real, not simulated exercises - applied to daily work of teams • Objectives can go beyond learning to real outcomes and implementation goals • Continuing the learning -supporting communities of practice

11. To: Move From: • Deliver Explicit • knowledge in courses Share Tacit knowledge in people’s experience • Learning objectives Performance outcomes Implementing teams • Individual learners GDLN can shift the “training” paradigm From Knowledge Transfer to Knowledge Sharing From:Supply Start with “content” and push to an audience To: Demand Start with client (teams) and pull the “knowledge”

12. What they say about GDLN “I never thought that I would be so satisfied, inspired, and indeed moved with a video conference! Throughout I was thinking what a miracle to connect three continents, eight sites and more than 40 people… I feel it made a real difference to our fellows, got many refocused on projects and reconnected to mentors, reassured them that we were serious about maintaining momentum and keeping our promises…” Nassrine Azimi, Director, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) re the Afghan Fellows program.

13. What they say about GDLN “The IsDB Center has facilitated communications with member countries, allowed us to undertake virtual interviews, thus reducing travel costs significantly, contributed to staff training and development, and helped us with specialized courses for member countries personnel.” Syed M. Quadri Saleem, Manager GDLN Center, Islamic Development Bank(IsDB, Saudi Arabia

14. What they say about GDLN “GDLN has allowed development practitioners to pull, package and transmit their knowledge most efficiently. In that respect, GDLN is also a time-saver and it helps us exchange knowledge with much broader audiences.” Pamela Cox, Vice President, Latin America and the Caribbean, World Bank

15. What they say about GDLN “GDLN has helped build capacity in many different segments of Sri Lanka. For example, many international groups could access people here directly to find out the status and impact of the tsunami” Shalika Subasinghe, Learning and Development Manager, GDLN Center Sri Lanka

16. What they say about GDLN “I am very thankful to the GDLN Center in Ukraine, which gave the local health specialists such a unique opportunity to connect with peers abroad. The global dialogue gave them a chance to exchange experiences and knowledge and in particular communicate with colleagues in South Asia for the first time. Dr. Marina Bylinska, Assistant Professor, National Academy of Public Administration Ukraine

17. For more information… Michael Foley: mfoley@worldbank.org Website: www.gdln.org