The need for well designed and implemented capacity development courses will only increase in the future, as new technological tools are making learning and distribution of knowledge more important and more effective than ever.
Knowledge acquisition and sharing play today a central role in organizations seeking a competitive advantage and in countries looking to unlock their economic development potential. New technologies have introduced new methods for learning and made possible the sharing of knowledge on an unprecedented scale.
During an event on ICT and knowledge sharing at UNCTAD XIII, recently held in Doha, Qatar, speakers recognized that UNCTAD’s TrainForTrade programme has been spearheading the organization’s activities in this area. The programme works with UNCTAD’s research and analytical departments to design learning materials and deliver training courses that enhance developing countries’ capacities in a variety of areas relating to trade and development.
The panel discussion brought together experts to share experiences and best practices on the ways quality capacity development courses are designed and implemented so as to maintain a high delivery standard and maximize participant benefits. Development of training platforms based on smart integration of open source components should be encouraged, to facilitate technology sharing and reuse, participants noted. They identified local development and consumption as a pervasive trend, as well as the proliferation of different learning platforms, including e-leaning, m-learning and cloud learning. Panellists and participants acknowledged the need for UNCTAD to strengthen its actions aimed at enhancing developing and transition countries' training capacities in the field of trade and development by using new technological solutions. It was generally recognized that UNCTAD use of ICTs in some of its programmes such as TrainForTrade as a tool to share knowledge increased the number of beneficiaries while reducing cost.
The substantive part of the discussion was divided into two sessions, one on technological solutions and e-learning and the other on M-learning, Cloud-learning, Web 2.0, Web 3.0, and Technology Incubators.
The event was opened by Mr. Petko Draganov, Deputy Secretary-General UNCTAD, and Ms. Anne Miroux, Director, Division on Technology and Logistics and moderated by Ms. Geneviève Féraud, Head Knowledge Sharing Training and Capacity Development Branch.
Panellists at the event were:
• Mr. José Rivera Banuet, Secretary-General of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic System, SELA
• Mr. Robin Blake, Executive Director of ICT and Society Division from ictQATAR
• Mr. Shaik Umar Abdul Salam, Centre Director (Middle East) International Operations, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA)
• Mr. Tom Wambeke, Programme Officer at International Training Centre- International Labour Organization (ITC-ILO)
• Mr. Nader Rida Subaih, Project Manager ictQATAR
• Mr. Stephen Cox, Project Director World Class Learning
• Mr. Claude Lishou, Professor at Dakar University, Senegal
• Mr. Morgan Richomme, Orange Emerginov Concept
• Mr. Atish Gonsalves, Head - Learning Technology Unit –UNHCR
The TrainForTrade Programme is part of the Division on Technology and Logistics, UNCTAD.