The World Bank Institute e-newsletter (WBI News), issued monthly, provides a concise selection of WBI news with related links. Let us know what YOU would find most useful for us to include in upcoming issues of WBI News by sending an email with "Comments" in the subject line to: wbinews@worldbank.org. If you would like to request information, please include "Info Request" in the subject line of your email. In this issue:
Events
Publications
Feature Stories Forum: Improving the Results of Learning for Capacity Building
June 17 - 19, 2009
In June of 2008, experts gathered in Berlin, Germany for a High-Level Retreat on the Effectiveness of International Development Trainingwhere they discussed strategies to make development learning more effective. Now, one year later, delegates and experts met again at a three-day forum to assess progress on this mandate and to explore ways of defining and measuring the results of learning programs for capacity building. The forum is linked to an online communitywhere participants can watch videos and listen to podcasts of the sessions and discuss the issues with experts and practitioners. The forum was presented by the World Bank Institute and InWEnt Capacity Building International.
More information: http://capacitydevelopment.ning.com/ Good Intentions Are No Longer Enough…Are We Making A Difference?– Innovative Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Workshop in Tajikistan
June 17 - 19, 2009
How do World Bank-funded projects fare? What do we want to achieve through our projects and programs? How do we know we are moving successfully toward our goals of making a difference in the lives of people?  Participants in this workshop, which targeted four World Bank project teams, discussed how to apply an innovative monitoring and evaluation methodology.
More information: http://go.worldbank.org/J2PVN4J640 Governance, Transparency, Accountability and Anti-corruption Measures in Education
June 15 - 26, 2009
This two-week course raised awareness among policymakers and practitioners about the need for reform in the education sector to improve efficiency and reduce corruption. In a growing number of countries, financial responsibility and management are being transferred to lower levels of government, local communities, and school providers. This decentralization can make systems more responsive to local needs, but it can also lead to inequalities and inefficiencies.  This program helped participants develop tools to identify and assess corrupt practices, and ultimately to improve transparency, combat corruption, and improve management in the education systems in their countries.
More information: http://go.worldbank.org/MCJDRLEEK0 Fighting Corruption Through Collective Action in Today's Competitive Marketplace– Executive Development Program
June 9 - 11, 2009
Businesses using collective action have competed successfully in sectors and locations at high risk for corruption – without paying bribes. This program featured examples of successful collective action and offered practical guidance for corporate decision-makers doing business in these high-risk situations, and for government officials responsible for policy and management of corruption-free government finance. Participants included private sector executives and attorneys and public sector officials. The program was presented by the World Bank Institute and an alliance of companies, NGOs and other organizations focused on fighting corruption in the marketplace.
More information: http://info.worldbank.org/etools/edp/fightcorrupt.htm Developing Knowledge Economy Strategies to Improve Competitiveness
May 17 - 21, 2009
In the global economy, the application of knowledge is a key source of growth in areas such as entrepreneurship and innovation, research and development, software and product design, and in people’s education and skills levels. But countries often have difficulty sustaining growth because of skills shortages and intensified market rivalries in a globalized economy. The World Bank Institute’s (WBI) Knowledge for Development (K4D) program has designed a learning program that uses concrete case studies, exchange of experiences, and analytical tools to provide opportunities for participants to engage in a process of developing coherent knowledge exchange strategies in their countries. This program was specifically designed to address the challenges facing countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
More information: http://go.worldbank.org/Q2LSVMIPH0 Africa-East Asia Experience Exchange on Special Economic Zones and Competitive Clusters
May 1 – 12, 2009
This program was jointly organized by several World Bank teams and the World Bank Institute with external partners from China, Malaysia, and Singapore. This South-South exchange brought together high-level representatives of Sub-Saharan African governments with Asian counterparts from both the public and private sectors. Twenty-six African senior-level government officials, including ministers and heads of agencies, attended the exchange. The objective was to facilitate the sharing of development experiences on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and their usefulness in promoting trade and investment. The program included one-on-one business networking sessions with the private sector in Asia, and created opportunities for continued interaction and technical exchange.
More information: http://go.worldbank.org/L5U0RJWSL0 Promoting Enterprise-Led Innovation in China
By Chunlin Zhang, Douglas Zhihua Zeng, William Mako, and James Seward
April 2009
This report is the result of a recent World Bank study designed to assist the Chinese government in implementing its strategy of enterprise-led innovation. The report finds that continuous government support for private sector growth is of strategic importance if China is to build up an enterprise-led technological innovation system. Despite remarkable achievements, the World Bank study sees China as a late-comer in technological catch-up, facing a substantial gap from the international technological frontier. To ensure sustainability, Chinese enterprises will have to derive their competitiveness more from innovation. The report was jointly released by the East Asia and Pacific region of the World Bank and the World Bank Institute.
Download the report (pdf): http://siteresources.worldbank.org/CHINAEXTN/Resources/318949-1242182077395/peic_full_report.pdf
More information: http://go.worldbank.org/T7UY5M0TO0 Visit our websiteto see new feature articles on a range of WBI activities and programs, including: Read past newsletters at WBI News Archives Visit the World Bank Institute online at www.worldbank.org/wbi |
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