2007 Spring Meetings

Session on World Learning Survey to Identify Opportunities for
World Bank – Civil Society Collaboration on Training

Friday, April 13, 2007

The lunch session was led by Meg Kinghorn, Principal Investigator, World Learning.  John Garrison of the Bank’s Civil Society Team began by explaining the genesis and objectives of the needs survey.  

The goal of the session was to seek input from civil society colleagues for a needs assessment study being conducted by World Learning on interest in present World Bank training opportunities for civil society and new courses that might be developed. In particular, this session provided an opportunity for the World Learning research team to better understand civil society’s interests and needs for training from the Bank.

Participants were asked to share their feedback on the following questions;

• Share prior experiences with World Bank trainings, if any;
• Prioritize World Bank training topics of interest for civil society;
• Suggest training topics that civil society could offer to World Bank staff.

Some participants mentioned that they have attended seminars offered by the World Bank Institute (WBI), usually via videoconference. Many responded that the WBI’s trainings are not highly publicized, and therefore they do not have ability to attend. Others criticized the high costs of the training, which is deterrence for civil society participation.

Most participants were interested in the Bank providing training in technical areas.  They also expressed interest in learning more about how the Bank itself operates and its processes. Participants also highlighted the need for greater dialogue between the Bank, national governments and CSOs in the PRS implementation and budget tracking process.  On the other hand, there was little interest expressed the Bank providing training on service delivery topics (e.g. sanitation, HIV/AIDS, etc).  In short, most of the participants expressed interested in the possibility of World Bank training, if it is accessible and cost-friendly.  One participant offered humanitarian disaster response and conservation as a training topic that civil society could offer World Bank staff.

Meg concluded by informing the group of the study’s next steps.  A detailed on-line survey will be be conducted with CSOs globally, complemented by focus group meetings held in eight countries.   (The survey in English, French and Spanish).  She also requested that if anyone had additional questions or comments on the needs assessment, they should send an email to the study team at: WorldBankStudy@WorldLearning.org.

(Prepared by Soniya Mitra/WB, and Meg Kinghorn/WL)

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