Capacity building of 120 young university graduates

The proposed pathway aimed to provide young university graduates with professional training enabling them to meet the requirements of key positions in the management of development projects. Before undertaking the specialised training programmes, all 120 participants completed a training course in project management.

The training was delivered to four (4) groups composed of a maximum of thirty (30) participants, as the various modules required a quasi-individualised approach.

This training, with a duration of one week (five working days), constituted a prerequisite before entering the specialised programmes.

At the end of the common core programme, each group, composed of thirty (30) participants, undertook an intensive three (3)-week training programme in one of the following areas of specialisation:

• Procurement
• Monitoring and evaluation
• Financial and accounting management
• Environmental and social management

All training programmes comprised a theoretical component, delivered through PowerPoint presentations, and a practical component including exercises, case studies and simulations. Priority was given to practical application in order to enable participants to apply the knowledge acquired as soon as they were assigned to their respective positions.

An e-learning platform was made available to participants, allowing them to access training materials, case studies, documentation and supplementary readings at any time.

Project management essentials

• Develop a global perspective on project and programme management.
• Understand the phases of a project and identify one’s role within the project team.
• Share a common project management vocabulary and language.
• Build team cohesion focused on leadership and communication.

Procurement

• Understand the procedures and principles governing procurement in accordance with the World Bank Guidelines (2016) and those of other multilateral donors.
• Develop public procurement documentation.
• Define and plan all activities related to the tendering and request for proposals processes.
• Experience a step-by-step simulation of a procurement process in all its complexity.

Financial and accounting management

• Improve investment decision-making in the public and parapublic sectors.
• Equip participants with the knowledge required for rigorous budgetary and financial management.
• Understand internal control techniques and mechanisms for the prevention of fraud and corruption.

Monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes

• Master the process and steps required to design and operate a results-based monitoring and evaluation system.
• Understand the techniques and tools used to plan, monitor and assess project performance in the short, medium and long term.
• Apply best practices in data collection and performance reporting.

Environmental and social management

• Understand sustainable development challenges and their application to project management, as well as environmental and social management mechanisms and tools.
• Develop terms of reference for studies and assessments related to environmental and social management.
• Define and plan the activities required to monitor the environmental and social performance of projects.
• Apply various environmental and social management tools, including an integrated system dedicated to improving project performance.