ICT Human Capacity Building for Development

This information and communication technology (ICT) case study collection shares the lessons learned by partners in the "Academy of ICT Essentials for Government Leaders" (Academy). The document discusses the experiences of ICT development (ICTD) practitioners who have partnered with the United Nations (UN) Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (UN-APCICT/ESCAP or APCICT) to roll out the Academy, APCICT’s flagship programme, in their own countries, including Afghanistan, Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines, and the Pacific Island Countries.

The APCICT programme includes an ICTD training curriculum consisting of eight standalone yet interrelated modules examining ICTD topics ranging from e-governance to ICTD project funding. The document is intended to detail the participatory strategies that APCICT has adopted in planning and implementing the Academy programme "with the active involvement of government, national and regional training institutions, civil society, UN agencies, the private sector, and ICTD experts and pedagogical specialists.... Investing in strengthening capacities of national partners in rolling out the Academy has resulted in a greater sense of ownership and will to develop high-quality modules and deliver training courses that meet the needs of targeted policymakers." The modules were made available in print format, online through the Virtual Academy (AVA) - an online distance learning platform, and on DVD-ROM.

The document details the programme development, roll-out, and support services, including tailored courses in ICTD and demand-driven training, research, and sharing of best practices through case studies and a "Briefing Notes" series.

Key lessons learned on a regional level and good practices derived from APCICT’s approach to ICT human capacity building for development include:

• Develop needs-based programmes
  
• Adopt a participatory and inclusive approach
• Invest time and resources into identifying and nurturing champions to roll out the Academy at the national level
  
• Promote the incorporation of programmes in national ICT capacity building framework
  
• Localise training materials to suit local context and specific groups
  
• Diversify delivery channels
  
• Establish knowledge sharing platforms and facilitate ongoing dialogue
  
• Promote synergistic partnerships
  
• Maintain rapport with partners
  

Key lessons learned on a national level and good practices derived from national partners in rolling out the Academy programme and incorporating it as part of the national capacity building framework include:

• Capacity building is a continuous process
• Capitalise on existing partnerships and networks
  
• Develop a roster of Academy trainers who can adequately meet demands - by developing in-house capacity of the institutions involved and by outsourcing the delivery of training to a number of accredited training institutions
• Engage private and non-profit training institutions to meet the growing training needs for ICTD
  
• Translate and customise training materials for relevance and understanding, with clear depiction of benefits
  
• Organise a well-publicised launch event and use every opportunity to raise awareness
  
• Use ICTs as tools for communication and outreach
  
• Demonstrate ICTD concepts and issues with case studies and site visits
  
• Promote ICTD as a cross-cutting issue
  
• Put in place mechanisms to regularly assess needs and monitor progress, including capacity- and needs-assessment surveys, standard evaluation forms for participants, and a roundtable discussion at the end of each workshop among partner organisations and other relevant stakeholders
  
• "Piggy-back" relevant events