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AMDIN serves as a regional online center of UNPAN - United Nations Public Administration Network
www.unpan.org

Programmes and projects

Biennial Knowledge Exchange Conferences and Dialogues

Our biennial conferences provide the platforms for Management Development Institute (MDI) officials and other stakeholders to reflect on pressing issues, interpreting current and future trends and exchanging knowledge in the wide ranging topic areas that MDIs need to be familiar with. These events also provide an opportunity for MDIs to network and build value-based partnerships for effective programme delivery and capacity development.

2007 Conference: Midrand, South Africa

First AMDIN Biennial Conference and General Meeting, August 2007

Heads of Institutions Forum

These annual events provide space for the Directors General, Directors, Rectors, Presidents and CEOs to exchange views on the overall management and institutional development of MDIs and related matters. These events offer appropriate platforms for ongoing executive learning and leadership development at the most senior level.

Regional Conferences and Workshops

These geographically concentrated events provide the opportunity to strengthen sub-regional networks and address issues as they are relevant in sub-regions of Africa.

In 2008 AMDIN conducted three regional workshops with the financial support of the UNDP. These workshops provided the opportunity for discussing the needs and expectations of MDIs in the various sub-regions of Africa with respect to the work of AMDIN, and the policy issues the MDIs desire AMDIN to take up continentally. The outcomes of these workshops were captured in a paper presented to the 6th Pan African Conference of Ministers of Public/Civil Service held in Midrand, South Africa in October 2008. In addition to the various regional products, an integrated report was prepared.

2008 West and North Africa: Dakar, Senegal

AMDIN Regional Workshop: West and North Africa, Dakar (Senegal), 2008

2008 East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

AMDIN Regional Workshop: East Africa, Nairobi (Kenya), June 2008

2008 Southern Africa, Mohale Dam, Lesotho

AMDIN Regional Workshop: Southern Africa, Mohale Dam (Lesotho), 2008

Training and Individual Capacity Development

African public sector training institutions face many common challenges. One of these being the capacity challenges within their own ranks. One of the mechanisms employed by AMDIN to address this is training of key categories of staff members in the MDIs, including trainers, curriculum development experts, researchers, consultants, policy advisors, training logistics managers and administrators, as well as the leadership of these institutions.

Training of Trainers

Even before the AMDIN launch conference in 2005 the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) indicated its keenness to sponsor a Training of Trainers programme for public sector training institutions in the AMDIN Network. They did so responding to the overall NEPAD objective of "building the capacity of the state for development". In early 2007 a memorandum of understanding was signed by JICA and the South African Minister for Public Service and Administration to give effect to a five year programme in terms of which training capability across the African continent would be enhanced. Since then, each financial year, a group of 20 - 25 trainers have been trained by Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy (PALAMA), South Africa. This is done on behalf of AMDIN.

Collaboration between African MDIs

Spin-offs of the relationships formed through the network are bi-lateral (and sometimes multilateral) initiatives that develop between African MDIs. These collaborative interactions take different forms. They range from field visits by a staff member/ head of institution to another MDI or limited period faculty exchange prgrammes, to large capacity development and institution building initiatives such as that between PALAMA and the MDIs of Rwanda, Burundi and Southern Sudan.

These kinds of initiatives draw on existing centres of strength or use exposure opportunity to enhance existing capacity, embracing the principle of peer-to-peer learning. Where requested AMDIN gets involved to assist with logistical and programming arrangements or provide advice.

South-South collaborative links are also facilitated. This has particularly paid off with the connection made between Brazil INAP and representatives of the Lusophone African MDIs.

Lobbying and Advocacy

AMDIN enhances the voice of MDIs at the global, continental and sub-regional level. It serves as a vehicle for lobbying continental structures, donors and other stakeholders on the critical challenges and opportunities faced by MDIs.

In order to keep the plight of the African MDIs on the continental agenda, AMDIN interacts with the Conference of African Ministers of Public/ Civil Service. Furthermore, AMDIN has actively participated in the launch of the African Public Sector Human Resource Managers' Network and will collaborate with this structure as part of its strategy to strengthen the human resource development lobby in the African public sector.

From time to time AMDIN undertakes research to improve its understanding of the operational and policy environments of the MDIs in the respective sub-regions. This research has already resulted in conference papers and presentations, publications in academic journals and presentations to key decision-making structures.

Research

AMDIN will facilitate the establishment and work of a number of research groups on topics of relevance to the broad African MDI community. Groups that are currently anticipated include:

Group 1: The future of training and human resource development
Group 2: Public Sector Change in Africa
Group 3: Global and African trends analysis and futures research re public administration and governance

Curriculum Development

In the near future AMDIN will facilitate the development of generic curricula appropriate for the African context. Once these curricula are finalised, they will be available for national customisation. In the interim AMDIN will develop and maintain a database of curriculum and other training material its members are prepared to share with one another.

Improvement of Standards

Since inception, and again during the first AMDIN Biennial conference MDIs emphasised the need for standards improvement if they are to be respected by their user communities. In an effort to support migrate from where they are to meeting standards of excellence, AMDIN will take forward the Standards of Excellence for Public Administration Education and Training Institutions developed and published by UNDESA and the IASIA. A process for the customisation of these to the African context is planned. Once such a framework has been agreed on for African MDIs we will work towards institutionalising periodic self and peer evaluation processes. In preparation of this, a group of MDI leaders will undertake a field trip to study the implementation of self review, peer review (and accreditation) processes for performance improvement. We will also set up collaborative relations with institutions elsewhere in the world that have been undertaking regional and international processes of accreditation and quality control.

AFRICAN MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES' NETWORK
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