WorldWideScience

Sample records for capacity building requirements

  1. Better Building Alliance, Plug and Process Loads in Commercial Buildings: Capacity and Power Requirement Analysis (Brochure)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    2014-09-01

    This brochure addresses gaps in actionable knowledge that can help reduce the plug load capacities designed into buildings. Prospective building occupants and real estate brokers lack accurate references for plug and process load (PPL) capacity requirements, so they often request 5-10 W/ft2 in their lease agreements. This brochure should be used to make these decisions so systems can operate more energy efficiently; upfront capital costs will also decrease. This information can also be used to drive changes in negotiations about PPL energy demands. It should enable brokers and tenants to agree about lower PPL capacities. Owner-occupied buildings will also benefit. Overestimating PPL capacity leads designers to oversize electrical infrastructure and cooling systems.

  2. Computational Chemistry Capacity Building in an Underprivileged ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Bridging the gap with the other continents requires the identification of capacity ... university in South Africa), where computational chemistry research capacity has ... testifies the feasibility of such capacity building also in conditions of limited ...

  3. Building a capacity building manual

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Clinton, DD

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Organizations 2010 Building a capacity building manual Daniel D. Clinton, Jr., P.E., F.NSPE Chair, WFEO Capacity Building Committee Dr Andrew Cleland, FIPENZ, Chief Executive, IPENZ, NZ Eng David Botha, FSAICE, Executive Director, SAICE, SA Dawit... 2010 Tertiary level University curricula Coaches and mentors Facilities EXCeeD Remuneration of Academics Experiential training Outreach to Students Students chapters Young members forum World Federation of Engineering Organizations 2010 Post...

  4. Capacity Building in Land Administration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Enemark, Stig; Williamson, I

    2004-01-01

    Capacity building increasingly seen as a key component of land administration projects in developing and countries in transition undertaken by the international development banks and individual country development assistance agencies. However, the capacity building concept is often used within...... infrastructures for implementing land policies in a sustainable way. Where a project is established to create land administration infrastructures in developing or transition countries, it is critical that capacity building is a mainstream component, not as an add-on, which is often the case. In fact such projects...... should be dealt with as capacity building projects in themselves.    The article introduces a conceptual analytical framework that provides some guidance when dealing with capacity building for land administration in support of a broader land policy agenda....

  5. Competence and Capacity-Building Requirements in Transport and Logistics Market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bazaras Darius

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The article analyses theoretical aspects of the qualitative assessment of logistics and transport specialists’ potential, as well as provides research results on competence and capacity-building process in preparation of logistics and transport specialists. The results enabled to identify problematic areas of graduate integration in the labour market and foresee the possible requirements for professional development. In some cases, internal motivation is related to problematic points or negative view from the environment, as well as poor understanding of knowledge benefits in the person’s practical life. Training and education is objectively at the meeting point between research, technological and organisational systems. In such conditions the objective of the education on logistics is to offer the customers the best possible service in the field of the transfer of knowledge in harmony with the trend in logistics programme development. The main problems and perspectives of logistics education and training process are discussed in this article.

  6. Vedr.: Military capacity building

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Josefine Kühnel; Struwe, Lars Bangert

    2013-01-01

    Military capacity building has increasingly become an integral part of Danish defence. Military capacity is a new way of thinking Danish defence and poses a new set of challenges and opportunities for the Danish military and the Political leadership. On the 12th of december, PhD. Candidate Josefine...... Kühnel Larsen and researcher Lars Bangert Struwe of CMS had organized a seminar in collaboration with Royal Danish Defense Colleg and the East African Security Governance Network. The seminar focused on some of the risks involved in Military capacity building and how these risks are dealt with from...

  7. UN OPEN GIS CAPACITY BUILDING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Albertella

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The UN Open GIS Initiative is to identify and develop, under UN guidance, an Open Source GIS bundle that meets the requirements of UN operations, taking full advantage of the expertise of mission partners (partner nations, technology contributing countries, international organizations, academia, NGO’s, private sector. The project, started in 2016, is composed by 4 working groups. One of the working group is specifically related to Capacity Building, given its importance for the success of the project. UN Open GIS will be based on some existing open source geospatial software (packages and libraries with many extensions specifically developed. The users of the platform will be the UN staff supporting with mapping and GIS the peacekeeping missions. Therefore, they are generally expert of this specific domain, even if they are currently using proprietary software. UN Open GIS Capacity Building is specifically thought for covering this gap, providing them the suitable background about open source geospatial software in general and the education tailored to the solution that has been being developed within the project itself.

  8. Plug and Process Loads Capacity and Power Requirements Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sheppy, M.; Gentile-Polese, L.

    2014-09-01

    This report addresses gaps in actionable knowledge that would help reduce the plug load capacities designed into buildings. Prospective building occupants and real estate brokers lack accurate references for plug and process load (PPL) capacity requirements, so they often request 5-10 W/ft2 in their lease agreements. Limited initial data, however, suggest that actual PPL densities in leased buildings are substantially lower. Overestimating PPL capacity leads designers to oversize electrical infrastructure and cooling systems. Better guidance will enable improved sizing and design of these systems, decrease upfront capital costs, and allow systems to operate more energy efficiently. The main focus of this report is to provide industry with reliable, objective third-party guidance to address the information gap in typical PPL densities for commercial building tenants. This could drive changes in negotiations about PPL energy demands.

  9. Competence building capacity shortage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doorman, Gerard; Wangensteen, Ivar; Bakken, Bjoern

    2005-02-01

    The objective of the project 'Competence Building Capacity Shortage' has been 'to increase knowledge about central approaches aimed at solving the peaking capacity problem in restructured power systems'. With respect to reserve markets, a model was developed in the project to analyze the relations between reserve requirements and prices in the spot and reserve markets respectively. A mathematical model was also developed and implemented, which also includes the balance market, and has a good ability to predict the relations between these markets under various assumptions. With some further development, this model can be used fore realistic analyses of these markets in a Nordic context. It was also concluded that certain system requirements with respect to frequency and time deviation can be relaxed without adverse effects. However, the requirements to system bias, Frequency Activated Operating Reserves and Frequency Activated Contingency Reserves cannot be relaxed, the latter because they must cover the dimensioning fault in the system. On the other hand, Fast Contingency Reserves can be reduced by removing requirements to national balances. Costs can furthermore be reduced by increasingly adapting a Nordic as opposed to national approach. A model for stepwise power flow was developed in the project, which is especially useful to analyze slow power system dynamics. This is relevant when analysing the effects of reserve requirements. A model for the analysis of the capacity balance in Norway and Sweden was also developed. This model is useful for looking at the future balance under various assumptions regarding e.g. weather conditions, demand growth and the development of the generation system. With respect to the present situation, if there is some price flexibility on the demand side and system operators are able to use reserves from the demand side, the probability for load shedding during the peak load hour is close to zero under the weather conditions after

  10. Strengthening our approaches to building capacity

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    CCAA

    and capacity building mandate. A number of ... of CCAA capacity building: participatory action research (PAR) mentoring ... project, to ensure its application in planning, monitoring ... community volunteers who use climate information in emergency response ... has expertise in monitoring and evaluation, and the Department.

  11. Building knowledge development and exchange capacity in Canada: lessons from Youth Excel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, B; Wong, K; Manske, S

    2014-07-01

    Youth Excel was a 3-year pan-Canadian initiative to advance youth health through improving knowledge development and exchange (KDE) capacity. KDE capacity refers to an improvement cycle linking evidence and action. Capacities include local surveillance of youth behaviours; knowledge exchange; skills, resources and a supportive environment to use knowledge; and evaluation. Interviews were conducted with Youth Excel members, including 7 provincial teams and 2 national organizations. Interviews explored participant experiences with building KDE capacity. Local surveillance systems were considered the backbone to KDE capacity, strengthened by co-ordinating surveys within and across jurisdictions and using common indicators and measures. The most effective knowledge exchange included tailored products and opportunities for dialogue and action planning. Evaluation is the least developed KDE component. Building KDE capacity requires frequent dialogue, mutually beneficial partnerships and trust. It also requires attention to language, vision, strategic leadership and funding. Youth Excel reinforces the need for a KDE system to improve youth health that will require new perspectives and sustained commitment from individual champions and relevant organizations.

  12. Higher education and capacity building in Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Higher education has recently been recognised as a key driver for societal growth in the Global South and capacity building of African universities is now widely included in donor policies. The question is; how do capacity-building projects affect African universities, researchers and students? U...... is a valuable resource for researchers and postgraduate students in education, development studies, African studies and human geography, as well as anthropology and history.......? Universities and their scientific knowledges are often seen to have universal qualities; therefore, capacity building may appear straightforward. Higher Education and Capacity Building in Africa contests such universalistic notions. Inspired by ideas about the ‘geography of scientific knowledge’ it explores...

  13. Developing Theory to Guide Building Practitioners' Capacity to Implement Evidence-Based Interventions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leeman, Jennifer; Calancie, Larissa; Kegler, Michelle C; Escoffery, Cam T; Herrmann, Alison K; Thatcher, Esther; Hartman, Marieke A; Fernandez, Maria E

    2017-02-01

    Public health and other community-based practitioners have access to a growing number of evidence-based interventions (EBIs), and yet EBIs continue to be underused. One reason for this underuse is that practitioners often lack the capacity (knowledge, skills, and motivation) to select, adapt, and implement EBIs. Training, technical assistance, and other capacity-building strategies can be effective at increasing EBI adoption and implementation. However, little is known about how to design capacity-building strategies or tailor them to differences in capacity required across varying EBIs and practice contexts. To address this need, we conducted a scoping study of frameworks and theories detailing variations in EBIs or practice contexts and how to tailor capacity-building to address those variations. Using an iterative process, we consolidated constructs and propositions across 24 frameworks and developed a beginning theory to describe salient variations in EBIs (complexity and uncertainty) and practice contexts (decision-making structure, general capacity to innovate, resource and values fit with EBI, and unity vs. polarization of stakeholder support). The theory also includes propositions for tailoring capacity-building strategies to address salient variations. To have wide-reaching and lasting impact, the dissemination of EBIs needs to be coupled with strategies that build practitioners' capacity to adopt and implement a variety of EBIs across diverse practice contexts.

  14. Towards sustainable irrigation and drainage through capacity building

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kay, M.; Terwisscha Van Scheltinga, C.T.H.M.

    2003-01-01

    Capacity building is not something new, it has been a leading issue in development for many years. But despite all the commotion, capacity building remains a concept of enormous generality and vagueness. The calls for capacity building in irrigated agriculture suffer from these same vague

  15. Capacity building for sustainable energy development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rogner, Hans-Holger

    2006-01-01

    Capacity Building for Sustainable Energy Development - Mission: To build capacity in Member States (MS) for comprehensive energy system, economic and environmental analyses to assist in: - making informed policy decisions for sustainable energy development; - assessing the role of nuclear power; - understanding environmental and climate change issues related to energy production and use

  16. Capacity Building in Land Management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Enemark, Stig; Ahene, Rexford

    2003-01-01

    There is a significant need for capacity building in the interdisciplinary area of land management especially in developing countries and countries in transition, to deal with the complex issues of building efficient land information systems and sustainable institutional infrastructures. Capacity...... building in land management is not only a question of establishing a sufficient technological level or sufficient economic resources. It is mainly a question of understanding the interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral nature of land administration systems, and understanding the need for human resource...... and professionals for implementing the new land policy. The curriculum combines the diploma and the bachelor level and it combines the key areas of land surveying, land management and physical planning....

  17. Stakeholder Engagement/Capacity Building Pilot Opportunity FAQ

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the pilot opportunity for stakeholder engagement/capacity building. EPA is offering an opportunity for community stakeholders and ports to participate in a pilot project to test and refine capacity building tools.

  18. Time to reassess capacity-building partnerships

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brooke Lauten

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Since 2001 the Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict has worked with local civil society organisations, child protection networks and grassroots organisations to build capacity to monitor and respond to abuses of children’s rights. Through our capacity-building partnerships, we work to shift the power structure that defines the roles of national and international NGO's in humanitarian programming.

  19. Indicators of sustainable capacity building for health research: analysis of four African case studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bates, Imelda; Taegtmeyer, Miriam; Squire, S Bertel; Ansong, Daniel; Nhlema-Simwaka, Bertha; Baba, Amuda; Theobald, Sally

    2011-03-28

    Despite substantial investment in health capacity building in developing countries, evaluations of capacity building effectiveness are scarce. By analysing projects in Africa that had successfully built sustainable capacity, we aimed to identify evidence that could indicate that capacity building was likely to be sustainable. Four projects were selected as case studies using pre-determined criteria, including the achievement of sustainable capacity. By mapping the capacity building activities in each case study onto a framework previously used for evaluating health research capacity in Ghana, we were able to identify activities that were common to all projects. We used these activities to derive indicators which could be used in other projects to monitor progress towards building sustainable research capacity. Indicators of sustainable capacity building increased in complexity as projects matured and included- early engagement of stakeholders; explicit plans for scale up; strategies for influencing policies; quality assessments (awareness and experiential stages)- improved resources; institutionalisation of activities; innovation (expansion stage)- funding for core activities secured; management and decision-making led by southern partners (consolidation stage).Projects became sustainable after a median of 66 months. The main challenges to achieving sustainability were high turnover of staff and stakeholders, and difficulties in embedding new activities into existing systems, securing funding and influencing policy development. Our indicators of sustainable capacity building need to be tested prospectively in a variety of projects to assess their usefulness. For each project the evidence required to show that indicators have been achieved should evolve with the project and they should be determined prospectively in collaboration with stakeholders.

  20. Analysis of Plug Load Capacities and Power Requirements in Commercial Buildings: Preprint

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sheppy, M.; Torcellini, P.; Gentile-Polese, L.

    2014-08-01

    Plug and process load power requirements are frequently overestimated because designers often use estimates based on 'nameplate' data, or design assumptions are high because information is not available. This generally results in oversized heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems; increased initial construction costs; and increased energy use caused by inefficiencies at low, part-load operation. Rightsizing of chillers in two buildings reduced whole-building energy use by 3%-4%. If an integrated design approach could enable 3% whole-building energy savings in all U.S. office buildings stock, it could save 34 TBtu of site energy per year.

  1. Addressing NCDs through research and capacity building in LMICs: lessons learned from tobacco control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sturke, Rachel; Vorkoper, Susan; Duncan, Kalina; Levintova, Marya; Parascondola, Mark

    2016-01-01

    Confronting the global non-communicable diseases (NCDs) crisis requires a critical mass of scientists who are well versed in regional health problems and understand the cultural, social, economic, and political contexts that influence the effectiveness of interventions. Investments in global NCD research must be accompanied by contributions to local research capacity. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Fogarty International Center have a long-standing commitment to supporting research capacity building and addressing the growing burden of NCDs in low- and middle-income countries. One program in particular, the NIH International Tobacco and Health Research and Capacity Building Program (TOBAC program), offers an important model for conducting research and building research capacity simultaneously. This article describes the lessons learned from this unique funding model and demonstrates how a relatively modest investment can make important contributions to scientific evidence and capacity building that could inform ongoing and future efforts to tackle the global burden of NCDs.

  2. Addressing NCDs through research and capacity building in LMICs: lessons learned from tobacco control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel Sturke

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Confronting the global non-communicable diseases (NCDs crisis requires a critical mass of scientists who are well versed in regional health problems and understand the cultural, social, economic, and political contexts that influence the effectiveness of interventions. Investments in global NCD research must be accompanied by contributions to local research capacity. The National Institutes of Health (NIH and the Fogarty International Center have a long-standing commitment to supporting research capacity building and addressing the growing burden of NCDs in low- and middle-income countries. One program in particular, the NIH International Tobacco and Health Research and Capacity Building Program (TOBAC program, offers an important model for conducting research and building research capacity simultaneously. This article describes the lessons learned from this unique funding model and demonstrates how a relatively modest investment can make important contributions to scientific evidence and capacity building that could inform ongoing and future efforts to tackle the global burden of NCDs.

  3. Biosafety and Biosecurity: A Relative Risk-Based Framework for Safer, More Secure, and Sustainable Laboratory Capacity Building.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dickmann, Petra; Sheeley, Heather; Lightfoot, Nigel

    2015-01-01

    Laboratory capacity building is characterized by a paradox between endemicity and resources: countries with high endemicity of pathogenic agents often have low and intermittent resources (water, electricity) and capacities (laboratories, trained staff, adequate regulations). Meanwhile, countries with low endemicity of pathogenic agents often have high-containment facilities with costly infrastructure and maintenance governed by regulations. The common practice of exporting high biocontainment facilities and standards is not sustainable and concerns about biosafety and biosecurity require careful consideration. A group at Chatham House developed a draft conceptual framework for safer, more secure, and sustainable laboratory capacity building. The draft generic framework is guided by the phrase "LOCAL - PEOPLE - MAKE SENSE" that represents three major principles: capacity building according to local needs (local) with an emphasis on relationship and trust building (people) and continuous outcome and impact measurement (make sense). This draft generic framework can serve as a blueprint for international policy decision-making on improving biosafety and biosecurity in laboratory capacity building, but requires more testing and detailing development.

  4. Biosafety and Biosecurity: A relative risk-based framework for safer, more secure and sustainable laboratory capacity building

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petra eDickmann

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Background: Laboratory capacity building is characterized by a paradox between endemicity and resources: Countries with high endemicity of pathogenic agents often have low and intermittent resources (water, electricity and capacities (laboratories, trained staff, adequate regulations. Meanwhile, countries with low endemicity of pathogenic agents often have high containment facilities with costly infrastructure and maintenance governed by regulations. The common practice of exporting high biocontainment facilities and standards is not sustainable and concerns about biosafety and biosecurity require careful consideration. Methods: A group at Chatham House developed a draft conceptual framework for safer, more secure and sustainable laboratory capacity building. Results: The draft generic framework is guided by the phrase ‘LOCAL – PEOPLE – MAKE SENSE’ that represents three major principles: capacity building according to local needs (local with an emphasis on relationship and trust-building (people and continuous outcome and impact measurement (make sense. Conclusions: This draft generic framework can serve as a blueprint for international policy decision-making on improving biosafety and biosecurity in laboratory capacity building, but requires more testing and detailing development.

  5. Building policy capacities: an interactive approach for linking knowledge to action in health promotion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rütten, Alfred; Gelius, Peter

    2014-09-01

    This article outlines a theoretical framework for an interactive, research-driven approach to building policy capacities in health promotion. First, it illustrates how two important issues in the recent public health debate, capacity building and linking scientific knowledge to policy action, are connected to each other theoretically. It then introduces an international study on an interactive approach to capacity building in health promotion policy. The approach combines the ADEPT model of policy capacities with a co-operative planning process to foster the exchange of knowledge between policy-makers and researchers, thus improving intra- and inter-organizational capacities. A regional-level physical activity promotion project involving governmental and public-law institutions, NGOs and university researchers serves as a case study to illustrate the potential of the approach for capacity building. Analysis and comparison with a similar local-level project indicate that the approach provides an effective means of linking scientific knowledge to policy action and to planning concrete measures for capacity building in health promotion, but that it requires sufficiently long timelines and adequate resources to achieve adequate implementation and sustainability. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  6. Challenges of Radiation Protection Capacity Building in Africa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ntuane, B. I.

    2004-01-01

    Capacity building is a term that is used in reference to required resources which may be human, infrastructural, information or knowledge, competency or financial in nature to enable the achievement of certain objectives. On the African continent the issue of capacity building in RP has always been important towards the development of radiation protection (RP) infrastructure and human competency. Identifiable resources that are of relevance to the cause of capacity building include ? the availability of qualified RP practitioners ? infrastructure which ensures safety of workers, the environment and public ? acceptable control and RP management systems ? legislation accessible to various stakeholders including operators, regulators, government and the public ? financial capacity to sustain material development including enhancement of skills and routine conduct of RP management ? necessitating public involvement which has a spin-off in education and understanding of safety application of nuclear technology and ? proper utilization of communication systems between the various stakeholders within respective countries and between African countries and the rest of the world. It is with the belief that in keeping with the objectives of this congress, it is equally important to raise certain aspects of concern which can guide us to develop a strategy to achieve our goal. Discussion and debate have to ensue as we are all expressing a common concern to see to it that New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is given life in our interest and commitment to provide competency in the safe management of Radioactive waste and ALARA application in routine operations. NEPAD is an adopted strategy by the Africa Union in fostering developmental, economic and technological partnerships between Africa and the rest of the world, particularly the industrialized nations. (Author)

  7. Biosafety capacity building: experiences and challenges from a distance learning approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pertry, Ine; Sabbadini, Silvia; Goormachtig, Sofie; Lokko, Yvonne; Gheysen, Godelieve; Burssens, Sylvia; Mezzetti, Bruno

    2014-01-25

    Biotechnology is revolutionizing industrial and agricultural practice as the number of commercial biotechnology products is increasing each year. Simultaneously, several regulatory approaches are put into place to allow technological advancement while preserving public health and the environment. Developing and/or emerging countries often face major barriers to access biotechnologies and biotechnology derived products as they frequently lack the institutional capacities and professional competence in exercising regulatory oversight. To address this need, intensive biosafety capacity building is required. Different training approaches can be used to train individuals in biosafety ranging from long-term leading to a postgraduate certificate or a Masters degree, to short term courses. In this paper, we discuss the applicability of a different approach to biosafety capacity building based on a distance e-learning system, the UNIDO e-Biosafety program that has been annually organized at the Marche Polytechnic University (MPU) in Italy and Ghent University (UGent) in Belgium since 2006. Even though there are some challenges, we can conclude based on our experience that distance learning in combination with on-campus tuition is amendable for biosafety capacity building. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Innovative Strategies for Building Community Resilience: Lessons from the Frontlines of Climate Change Capacity-Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abrash Walton, A.

    2017-12-01

    There is broad scientific consensus that climate change is occurring; however, there is limited implementation of measures to create resilient local communities (Abrash Walton, Simpson, Rhoades, & Daniels, 2016; Adger, Arnell, & Tompkins, 2005; Glavovic & Smith, 2014; Moser & Ekstrom, 2010; Picketts, Déry, & Curry, 2014). Communities that are considered climate leaders in the United States may have adopted climate change plans, yet few have actually implemented the policies, projects and recommendations in those plans. A range of innovative, education strategies have proven effective in building the capacity of local decision makers to strengthen community resilience. This presentation draws on the results of two years of original research regarding the information and support local decision makers require for effective action. Findings are based on information from four datasets, with more than 600 respondents from 48 U.S. states and 19 other countries working on local adaptation in a range of capacities. These research results can inform priority setting for public policy, budget setting, and action as well as private sector funding and investment. The presentation will focus, in particular, on methods and results of a pioneering Facilitated Community of Practice model (FCoP) for building climate preparedness and community resilience capacity, among local-level decision makers. The FCoP process includes group formation and shared capacity building experience. The process can also support collective objective setting and creation of structures and processes for ongoing sustainable collaboration. Results from two FCoPs - one fully online and the other hybrid - suggest that participants viewed the interpersonal and technical assistance elements of the FCoP as highly valuable. These findings suggest that there is an important need for facilitated networking and other relational aspects of building capacity among those advancing resilience at the local level.

  9. Building policy-making capacity in the Ministry of Health: the Kazakhstan experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chanturidze, Tata; Adams, Orvill; Tokezhanov, Bolat; Naylor, Mike; Richardson, Erica

    2015-01-20

    Recent economic growth in Kazakhstan has been accompanied by slower improvements in population health and this has renewed impetus for health system reform. Strengthening strategic planning and policy-making capacity in the Ministry of Health has been identified as an important priority, particularly as the Ministry of Health is leading the health system reform process. The intervention was informed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) framework for capacity building which views capacity building as an ongoing process embedded in local institutions and practices. In response to local needs extra elements were included in the framework to tailor the capacity building programme according to the existing policy and budget cycles and respective competence requirements, and link it with transparent career development structures of the Ministry of Health. This aspect of the programme was informed by the institutional capability assessment model used by the United Kingdom National Health Service (NHS) which was adapted to examine the specific organizational and individual competences of the Ministry of Health in Kazakhstan. There were clear successes in building capacity for policy making and strategic planning within the Ministry of Health in Kazakhstan, including better planned, more timely and in-depth responses to policy assignments. Embedding career development as a part of this process was more challenging. This case study highlights the importance of strong political will and high level support for capacity building in ensuring the sustainability of programmes. It also shows that capacity-building programmes need to ensure full engagement with all local stakeholders, or where this is not possible, programmes need to be targeted narrowly to those stakeholders who will benefit most, for the greatest impact to be achieved. In sum, high quality tailor-made capacity development programmes should be based on thorough needs assessment of individual and

  10. Canada-Africa Prevention Trials Network : Building African Capacity ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Canada-Africa Prevention Trials Network : Building African Capacity for HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials. The Canada-Africa Prevention Trials Network (CAPT Network) was formed through a capacity building grant from the Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI). The Network comprises eight African centres (four in Uganda, ...

  11. Building African Capacity for HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Canada-Africa Prevention Trials Network : Building African Capacity for HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials. The Canada-Africa Prevention Trials Network (CAPT Network) was formed through a capacity building grant from the Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI). The Network comprises eight African centres (four in Uganda, ...

  12. Impact of MDGs capacity building workshop on teachers ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    To address the issue, Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) sponsored capacity building workshops for primary school teachers. The paper explores the impact of this capacity building workshop on teachers' level of competence and pupils' performance. Sixty teachers were selected purposively for the study and 418 ...

  13. Building Capacity for Protected Area Management in Lao PDR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Madhu; Johnson, Arlyne; Spence, Kelly; Sypasong, Ahnsany; Bynum, Nora; Sterling, Eleanor; Phimminith, Thavy; Praxaysombath, Bounthob

    2014-04-01

    Declining biodiversity in protected areas in Laos is attributed to unsustainable exploitation of natural resources. At a basic level, an important need is to develop capacity in academic and professional training institutions to provide relevant training to conservation professionals. The paper (a) describes the capacity building approach undertaken to achieve this goal, (b) evaluates the effectiveness of the approach in building capacity for implementing conservation and (c) reviews implementation outcomes. Strong linkages between organizations implementing field conservation, professional training institutions, and relevant Government agencies are central to enhancing effectiveness of capacity building initiatives aimed at improving the practice of conservation. Protected area management technical capacity needs will need to directly influence curriculum design to insure both relevance and effectiveness of training in improving protected area management. Sustainability of capacity building initiatives is largely dependent on the level of interest and commitment by host-country institutions within a supportive Government policy framework in addition to engagement of organizations implementing conservation.

  14. Research projects and capacity building | Breen | Water SA

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... by capacity building in the context of research projects. Based on this interpretation, reasonable and unreasonable expectations with respect to the extent to which capacity building can be achieved within a given project duration are discussed. A model is suggested, which would improve understanding and delivery and ...

  15. Capacity Building for HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is funding the Africa HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials Capacity Building Program under the umbrella of the Global Health Research Initiative (GHRI). The aim of the program is to build the capacity of African researchers and institutions to conduct anticipated clinical trials ...

  16. Good collaborative practice: reforming capacity building governance of international health research partnerships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, Claire Leonie; Shaw, David; Sprumont, Dominique; Sankoh, Osman; Tanner, Marcel; Elger, Bernice

    2018-01-08

    In line with the policy objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, this commentary seeks to examine the extent to which provisions of international health research guidance promote capacity building and equitable partnerships in global health research. Our evaluation finds that governance of collaborative research partnerships, and in particular capacity building, in resource-constrained settings is limited but has improved with the implementation guidance of the International Ethical Guidelines for Health-related Research Involving Humans by The Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS) (2016). However, more clarity is needed in national legislation, industry and ethics guidelines, and regulatory provisions to address the structural inequities and power imbalances inherent in international health research partnerships. Most notably, ethical partnership governance is not supported by the principal industry ethics guidelines - the International Conference on Harmonization Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceutical for Human Use (ICH) Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP). Given the strategic value of ICH-GCP guidelines in defining the role and responsibility of global health research partners, we conclude that such governance should stipulate the minimal requirements for creating an equitable environment of inclusion, mutual learning, transparency and accountability. Procedurally, this can be supported by i) shared research agenda setting with local leadership, ii) capacity assessments, and iii) construction of a memorandum of understanding (MoU). Moreover, the requirement of capacity building needs to be coordinated amongst partners to support good collaborative practice and deliver on the public health goals of the research enterprise; improving local conditions of health and reducing global health inequality. In this respect, and in order to develop consistency between sources of research governance, ICH

  17. Sustainability of NGO capacity building in southern Africa: successes and opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphries, Debbie; Gomez, Ligia; Hartwig, Kari

    2011-01-01

    Despite an increase in organizational capacity building efforts by external organizations in low and middle income countries, the documentation of these efforts and their effects on health programs and systems remains limited. This paper reviews key frameworks for considering sustainability of capacity building and applies these frameworks to an evaluation of the sustainability of an AIDS non-governmental organization (NGO) capacity building initiative. From 2004-2007 Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation's Secure the Future(TM) initiative in southern Africa funded a five country program, the NGO Training Institute (NGOTI), to build capacity of NGOs working to address HIV/AIDS. Lessons learned from this project include issues of ownership, the importance of integrating planning for sustainability within capacity-building projects, and the value of identifying primary capacity-building objectives in order to select sustainability strategies that are focused on maintaining program benefits. Sustainability for capacity building projects can be developed by discussing key issues early in the planning process with all primary stakeholders. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Promoting evaluation capacity building in a complex adaptive system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrenz, Frances; Kollmann, Elizabeth Kunz; King, Jean A; Bequette, Marjorie; Pattison, Scott; Nelson, Amy Grack; Cohn, Sarah; Cardiel, Christopher L B; Iacovelli, Stephanie; Eliou, Gayra Ostgaard; Goss, Juli; Causey, Lauren; Sinkey, Anne; Beyer, Marta; Francisco, Melanie

    2018-04-10

    This study provides results from an NSF funded, four year, case study about evaluation capacity building in a complex adaptive system, the Nanoscale Informal Science Education Network (NISE Net). The results of the Complex Adaptive Systems as a Model for Network Evaluations (CASNET) project indicate that complex adaptive system concepts help to explain evaluation capacity building in a network. The NISE Network was found to be a complex learning system that was supportive of evaluation capacity building through feedback loops that provided for information sharing and interaction. Participants in the system had different levels of and sources of evaluation knowledge. To be successful at building capacity, the system needed to have a balance between both centralized and decentralized control, coherence, redundancy, and diversity. Embeddedness of individuals within the system also provided support and moved the capacity of the system forward. Finally, success depended on attention being paid to the control of resources. Implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Upgrading the seismic capacity of existing RC buildings using buckling restrained braces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamdy Abou-Elfath

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Many existing RC buildings do not meet the lateral strength requirements of current seismic codes and are vulnerable to significant damage or collapse in the event of future earthquakes. In the past few decades, buckling-restrained braces have become increasingly popular as a lateral force resisting system because of their capability of improving the strength, the stiffness and the energy absorbing capacity of structures. This study evaluates the seismic upgrading of a 6-story RC-building using single diagonal buckling restrained braces. Seismic evaluation in this study has been carried out by static pushover analysis and time history earthquake analysis. Ten ground motions with different PGA levels are used in the analysis. The mean plus one standard deviation values of the roof-drift ratio, the maximum story drift ratio, the brace ductility factors and the member strain responses are used as the basis for the seismic performance evaluations. The results obtained in this study indicate that strengthening of RC buildings with buckling restrained braces is an efficient technique as it significantly increases the PGA capacity of the RC buildings. The results also indicate the increase in the PGA capacity of the RC building with the increase in the amount of the braces.

  20. Energy modelling and capacity building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    The Planning and Economic Studies Section of the IAEA's Department of Nuclear Energy is focusing on building analytical capacity in MS for energy-environmental-economic assessments and for the elaboration of sustainable energy strategies. It offers a variety of analytical models specifically designed for use in developing countries for (i) evaluating alternative energy strategies; (ii) assessing environmental, economic and financial impacts of energy options; (iii) assessing infrastructure needs; (iv) evaluating regional development possibilities and energy trade; (v) assessing the role of nuclear power in addressing priority issues (climate change, energy security, etc.). These models can be used for analysing energy or electricity systems, and to assess possible implications of different energy, environmental or financial policies that affect the energy sector and energy systems. The models vary in complexity and data requirements, and so can be adapted to the available data, statistics and analytical needs of different countries. These models are constantly updated to reflect changes in the real world and in the concerns that drive energy system choices. They can provide thoughtfully informed choices for policy makers over a broader range of circumstances and interests. For example, they can readily reflect the workings of competitive energy and electricity markets, and cover such topics as external costs. The IAEA further offers training in the use of these models and -just as important- in the interpretation and critical evaluation of results. Training of national teams to develop national competence over the full spectrum of models, is a high priority. The IAEA maintains a broad spectrum of databanks relevant to energy, economic and environmental analysis in MS, and make these data available to analysts in MS for use in their own analytical work. The Reference Technology Data Base (RTDB) and the Reference Data Series (RDS-1) are the major vehicles by which we

  1. Research projects and capacity building

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Breen, CM

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available A World Bank long-term perspective study on Sub-Saharan Africa highlighted the need to build human and institutional capacity in virtually all sectors and countries. In South Africa, establishment of a democratic government in 1994 saw increased...

  2. Development of Capacity Building Training Programs for Nuclear R and D Personnel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Eui Jin; Nam, Youngmi; Hwang, Hyeseon; Jang, Eunsook; Song, Eun Ju

    2016-01-01

    The Nuclear Training and Education Center of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has been operating technical training courses on nuclear engineering, engineering mathematics, management leadership training, out sourced practical training, legal education, etc. Strengthening nuclear R and D capacity is essential for the long-term mission and goals of the institute. Therefore, it requires a comprehensive training program to strengthen the unique capability of the institute that reflects diversity and differentiation. In this regard, the capacity building training program has developed on a modular basis, and the developed training program should be tailored to operate according to the institute needs. The capacity building training program for nuclear R and D personnel was developed to reflect the technology strengths of the institute. The developed training program will be developed into a leading branded education of the institute in the future

  3. Development of Capacity Building Training Programs for Nuclear R and D Personnel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Eui Jin; Nam, Youngmi; Hwang, Hyeseon; Jang, Eunsook; Song, Eun Ju [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-10-15

    The Nuclear Training and Education Center of the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute has been operating technical training courses on nuclear engineering, engineering mathematics, management leadership training, out sourced practical training, legal education, etc. Strengthening nuclear R and D capacity is essential for the long-term mission and goals of the institute. Therefore, it requires a comprehensive training program to strengthen the unique capability of the institute that reflects diversity and differentiation. In this regard, the capacity building training program has developed on a modular basis, and the developed training program should be tailored to operate according to the institute needs. The capacity building training program for nuclear R and D personnel was developed to reflect the technology strengths of the institute. The developed training program will be developed into a leading branded education of the institute in the future.

  4. Effect of capacity building programme of development agencies on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of capacity building programme of development agencies on well being of beneficiaries in Niger Delta, Nigeria. ... available for training. Adequate supervision will also go a long way to ensuring sustainability of the programmes. Key words: capacity building programme, development agencies, well being, beneficiaries ...

  5. Uncertainty in Seismic Capacity of Masonry Buildings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicola Augenti

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Seismic assessment of masonry structures is plagued by both inherent randomness and model uncertainty. The former is referred to as aleatory uncertainty, the latter as epistemic uncertainty because it depends on the knowledge level. Pioneering studies on reinforced concrete buildings have revealed a significant influence of modeling parameters on seismic vulnerability. However, confidence in mechanical properties of existing masonry buildings is much lower than in the case of reinforcing steel and concrete. This paper is aimed at assessing whether and how uncertainty propagates from material properties to seismic capacity of an entire masonry structure. A typical two-story unreinforced masonry building is analyzed. Based on previous statistical characterization of mechanical properties of existing masonry types, the following random variables have been considered in this study: unit weight, uniaxial compressive strength, shear strength at zero confining stress, Young’s modulus, shear modulus, and available ductility in shear. Probability density functions were implemented to generate a significant number of realizations and static pushover analysis of the case-study building was performed for each vector of realizations, load combination and lateral load pattern. Analysis results show a large dispersion in displacement capacity and lower dispersion in spectral acceleration capacity. This can directly affect decision-making because both design and retrofit solutions depend on seismic capacity predictions. Therefore, engineering judgment should always be used when assessing structural safety of existing masonry constructions against design earthquakes, based on a series of seismic analyses under uncertain parameters.

  6. Mapping the Capacity Building Process of a Corporate Social ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The result of data analysis shows that, 75% of the respondents indicated they needed practical capacity building for effective project management and sustainability. The findings support a dire need for participatory evaluation on strategies towards the improvement of capacity building process service delivery. Key Words: ...

  7. Strengthening Equity through Applied Research Capacity Building ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    There exists limited understanding of how e-Health solutions are perceived, designed, implemented and used. ... The Strengthening Equity through Applied Research Capacity Building in e-Health (SEARCH) program will cultivate local research capacity to examine e-health and ... Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

  8. Capacity building in indigenous men's groups and sheds across Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Southcombe, Amie; Cavanagh, Jillian; Bartram, Timothy

    2015-09-01

    This article presents an investigation into capacity building, at the community level, in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Men's Groups and Sheds. As safe men's spaces, Men's Groups and Sheds represent an ever-growing social, and health and well-being community service across Australia. The study is qualitative and employs 'yarning circles' (focus groups), semi-structured interviews and observations to gather data from 15 Groups/Sheds involving 45 men from urban, regional and remote communities. We found that capacity building is primarily about securing relationships between Group Leaders/Shed Co-ordinators and Government services. Capacity building establishes links to services such as Centrelink, Medicare, Department of Housing, Probation and Control, and positive outcomes such as Indigenous men securing housing and Centrelink payments. Capacity building results in better health outcomes and, educates and empowers men to improve their social, cultural, emotional and economic well-being. It helps men to better connect with family and community. The current research paves the way for countries worldwide to explore the conceptual and empirical approach of capacity building applicable to other Indigenous [and non-Indigenous] Men's Groups/Sheds. We recommend feasibilities studies, on approaches to capacity building in Indigenous Groups/Sheds, be carried out within urban, regional and remote regions across the country. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Dilemmas and paradoxes of capacity building in African higher education

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Lene Møller; Jensen, Stig; Adriansen, Hanne Kirstine

    2015-01-01

    This chapter discusses and reflects on the dilemmas and paradoxes of capacity building in African higher education by drawing on the findings of the case-based chapters in the book. The collection confirms the importance of using geography of knowledge as an approach for understanding how capacity...... building influences and affects African academics, institutions and degree programmes. The chapters also illustrate how reflexivity and positionality can be important tools for highlighting the power relations inherent in capacity building. In this chapter we discuss the three interwoven dilemmas...... neo-imperial effects of internationalisation. We finally argue that capacity building programmes can be a means to assist African universities to ‘find their own feet’ if they are based on long terms partnerships, a close understanding of historical, political and geographical context, and not least...

  10. Building Capacity in Ethical Review

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Douglas-Jones, Rachel

    2017-01-01

    review to ensure the protection of human subjects participating in research. Drawing on fieldwork with the Forum for Ethical Review Committees in the Asian and Western Pacific Region, I explore two distinct forms taken by capacity building within that organization to support and train members of ethics...... review committees. The first, with an emphasis on standards and measurability, takes as its priority international accountability for clinical trial research. e second explores how the organization goes about persuading trainees to see and do ‘ethics’ differently. is distinction between forms of capacity...

  11. Performance-based methodology for assessing seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibin, Lin; Lili, Xie; Maosheng, Gong; Ming, Li

    2010-06-01

    This paper presents a performance-based methodology for the assessment of seismic vulnerability and capacity of buildings. The vulnerability assessment methodology is based on the HAZUS methodology and the improved capacitydemand-diagram method. The spectral displacement ( S d ) of performance points on a capacity curve is used to estimate the damage level of a building. The relationship between S d and peak ground acceleration (PGA) is established, and then a new vulnerability function is expressed in terms of PGA. Furthermore, the expected value of the seismic capacity index (SCev) is provided to estimate the seismic capacity of buildings based on the probability distribution of damage levels and the corresponding seismic capacity index. The results indicate that the proposed vulnerability methodology is able to assess seismic damage of a large number of building stock directly and quickly following an earthquake. The SCev provides an effective index to measure the seismic capacity of buildings and illustrate the relationship between the seismic capacity of buildings and seismic action. The estimated result is compared with damage surveys of the cities of Dujiangyan and Jiangyou in the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, revealing that the methodology is acceptable for seismic risk assessment and decision making. The primary reasons for discrepancies between the estimated results and the damage surveys are discussed.

  12. Motivators, enablers, and barriers to building allied health research capacity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pager, Susan; Holden, Libby; Golenko, Xanthe

    2012-01-01

    Purpose A sound, scientific base of high quality research is needed to inform service planning and decision making and enable improved policy and practice. However, some areas of health practice, particularly many of the allied health areas, are generally considered to have a low evidence base. In order to successfully build research capacity in allied health, a clearer understanding is required of what assists and encourages research as well as the barriers and challenges. Participants and methods This study used written surveys to collect data relating to motivators, enablers, and barriers to research capacity building. Respondents were asked to answer questions relating to them as individuals and other questions relating to their team. Allied health professionals were recruited from multidisciplinary primary health care teams in Queensland Health. Eighty-five participants from ten healthcare teams completed a written version of the research capacity and culture survey. Results The results of this study indicate that individual allied health professionals are more likely to report being motivated to do research by intrinsic factors such as a strong interest in research. Barriers they identified to research are more likely to be extrinsic factors such as workload and lack of time. Allied health professionals identified some additional factors that impact on their research capacity than those reported in the literature, such as a desire to keep at the “cutting edge” and a lack of exposure to research. Some of the factors influencing individuals to do research were different to those influencing teams. These results are discussed with reference to organizational behavior and theories of motivation. Conclusion Supporting already motivated allied health professional individuals and teams to conduct research by increased skills training, infrastructure, and quarantined time is likely to produce better outcomes for research capacity building investment. PMID

  13. Task 9. Deployment of photovoltaic technologies: co-operation with developing countries. PV for rural electrification in developing countries - A guide to capacity building requirements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bates, J.; Gunning, R. [IT Power Ltd, The Manor house, Chineham (United Kingdom); Stapleton, G. [Global Sustainable Energy Solutions Pty Ltd, GSES, Ulladulla 2539 (Australia)

    2003-03-15

    This report for the International Energy Agency (IEA) made by Task 9 of the Photovoltaic Power Systems (PVPS) programme takes a look at the topic of 'capacity building' in rural electrification projects. Capacity building is defined here as the development of an organisation's or individual's core knowledge, skills and capabilities in order to build and enhance the organisation's effectiveness and sustainability. This document identifies capacity building measures that should be undertaken as an integral component of a PV-based rural electrification implementation programme. Capacity building is to be facilitated through the provision of technical support activities, training, specific technical assistance and resource networking. The assessment of existing knowledge and the identification of training needs are discussed and training needs and their implementation by governmental and commercial players is discussed. Eleven case studies complete the report.

  14. Forecast Mekong 2012: Building scientific capacity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefanov, James E.

    2012-01-01

    In 2009, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton joined the Foreign Ministers of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam in launching the Lower Mekong Initiative to enhance U.S. engagement with the countries of the Lower Mekong River Basin in the areas of environment, health, education, and infrastructure. The U.S. Geological Survey Forecast Mekong supports the Lower Mekong Initiative through a variety of activities. The principal objectives of Forecast Mekong include the following: * Build scientific capacity in the Lower Mekong Basin and promote cooperation and collaboration among scientists working in the region. * Provide data, information, and scientific models to help resource managers there make informed decisions. * Produce forecasting and visualization tools to support basin planning, including climate change adaptation. The focus of this product is Forecast Mekong accomplishments and current activities related to the development of scientific capacity at organizations and institutions in the region. Building on accomplishments in 2010 and 2011, Forecast Mekong continues to enhance scientific capacity in the Lower Mekong Basin with a suite of activities in 2012.

  15. New Orleans Capacity Building Pilot Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    A series of meetings involving the Port of New Orleans and near-port community organizations were convened for a community capacity building pilot project. Technical assistance is being provided by EPA to support effective engagement.

  16. Rethinking capacity building for knowledge mobilisation: developing multilevel capabilities in healthcare organisations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kislov, Roman; Waterman, Heather; Harvey, Gill; Boaden, Ruth

    2014-11-15

    Knowledge mobilisation in healthcare organisations is often carried out through relatively short-term projects dependent on limited funding, which raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of implementation and improvement. It is becoming increasingly recognised that the translation of research evidence into practice has to be supported by developing the internal capacity of healthcare organisations to engage with and apply research. This process can be supported by external knowledge mobilisation initiatives represented, for instance, by professional associations, collaborative research partnerships and implementation networks. This conceptual paper uses empirical and theoretical literature on organisational learning and dynamic capabilities to enhance our understanding of intentional capacity building for knowledge mobilisation in healthcare organisations. The discussion is structured around the following three themes: (1) defining and classifying capacity building for knowledge mobilisation; (2) mechanisms of capability development in organisational context; and (3) individual, group and organisational levels of capability development. Capacity building is presented as a practice-based process of developing multiple skills, or capabilities, belonging to different knowledge domains and levels of complexity. It requires an integration of acquisitive learning, through which healthcare organisations acquire knowledge and skills from knowledge mobilisation experts, and experience-based learning, through which healthcare organisations adapt, absorb and modify their knowledge and capabilities through repeated practice. Although the starting point for capability development may be individual-, team- or organisation-centred, facilitation of the transitions between individual, group and organisational levels of learning within healthcare organisations will be needed. Any initiative designed to build capacity for knowledge mobilisation should consider the

  17. Partnerships for Building S&T Capacity in Africa: The African ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2011-01-12

    Jan 12, 2011 ... Brain drain and capacity building in Africa. “In 25 years, Africa will be empty of brains.” That dire warning, from Dr Lalla Ben Barka of the UN. View moreBrain drain and capacity building in Africa ...

  18. Higher Education and Capacity Building in Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    ? Universities and their scientific knowledges are often seen to have universal qualities; therefore, capacity building may appear straightforward. Higher Education and Capacity Building in Africa contests such universalistic notions. Inspired by ideas about the ‘geography of scientific knowledge’ it explores...... what role specific places and relationships have in knowledge production, and analyses how cultural experiences are included and excluded in teaching and research. Thus, the different chapters show how what constitutes legitimate scientific knowledge is negotiated and contested. In doing so...... is a valuable resource for researchers and postgraduate students in education, development studies, African studies and human geography, as well as anthropology and history....

  19. Evaluating the Cost of Line Capacity Limitations in Aggregations of Commercial Buildings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ziras, Charalampos; Delikaraoglou, Stefanos; Kazempour, Jalal

    2017-01-01

    -ahead optimization strategy to assess the cost of imposing capacity limitations in the total consumption of individual buildings, as well as aggregations of buildings. We show that such capacity limitations lead to an increase for the buildings operational costs, which can be interpreted as the value...... of these limitations. Based on such calculations, the aggregator can value capacity-limitation services to the distribution system operator. Moreover, the value of aggregation is also highlighted, since it leads to lower costs than imposing the same total capacity limitation on individual buildings....

  20. COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING FOR REVITALIZATION AND SUSTAINABLE REDEVELOPMENT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Downing, Melinda; Rosenthall, John; Hudson, Michelle

    2003-02-27

    Capacity building programs help poor and disadvantaged communities to improve their ability to participate in the environmental decision-making processes. They encourage citizen involvement, and provide the tools that enable them to do so. Capacity building enables communities that would otherwise be excluded to participate in the process, leading to better, and more just decisions. The Department of Energy (DOE) continues to be committed to promoting environmental justice and involving its stakeholders more directly in the planning and decision-making process for environmental cleanup. DOE's Environmental Management Program (EM) is in full support of this commitment. Through its environmental justice project, EM provides communities with the capacity to effectively contribute to a complex technical decision-making process by furnishing access to computers, the Internet, training and technical assistance. DOE's Dr. Samuel P. Massie Chairs of Excellence Program (Massie Chairs) function as technical advisors to many of these community projects. The Massie Chairs consist of nationally and internationally recognized engineers and scientists from nine Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and one Hispanic Serving Institution (HIS). This paper will discuss capacity building initiatives in various jurisdictions.

  1. Community Capacity Building for Health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martha Traverso-Yepez

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available There is a great deal of literature examining the benefits and relevance of community participation and community capacity building in health promotion and disease prevention endeavors. Academic literature embracing principles and commitment to community participation in health promotion practices often neglects the complexities involved and the flexibility required to work within this approach. This article addresses some of these challenges through a case study of two projects funded by Provincial Wellness Grants in Newfoundland and Labrador, a province in Canada with a strong tradition of community ties and support systems. In addition to addressing the unique circumstances of the community groups, this research allowed the authors to examine the situational context and power relations involved in the provision of services as well as the particular forms of subjectivity and citizenship that the institutional practices support. Recognizing this complex interdependency is an important step in creating more effective intervention practices.

  2. Aging characteristics of containment building and sensitivity on ultimate pressure capacity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Jeong Moon; Choun, Young Sun; Choi, In Kil; Ha, Jae Joo

    1998-03-01

    For the reliable safety assessment of the containment building, structural and material conditions can be investigated in detail and pertinent assessment technologies have to be established. Also, an understanding on the aging-related degradations for the construction materials is required to predict long-term structural safety of the containment building. For the development of reliable aging prediction models, an extensive data base system related to aging properties of the containment building has to be prepared. The objectives of this research are to develop aging models representing long-term degradation of materials and a structural performance assessment program for containment building considering aging-related degradation. According to the results of sensitivity analysis, as the mechanical properties of the constituent materials degrade, the ultimate pressure capacity of containment building may decrease and severe damage may occur around the mid-level of the containment wall. (author). 28 refs., 11 tabs., 36 figs

  3. Patronage or Partnership: Local Capacity Building in Humanitarian ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Much has been written about the need to build local capacities in emergency and ... In reality, strengthening local capacity is easier said than done, and there are ... Fund—managed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)—are ...

  4. Rehabilitation medicine summit: building research capacity Executive Summary

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kemp John D

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The general objective of the "Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity" was to advance and promote research in medical rehabilitation by making recommendations to expand research capacity. The five elements of research capacity that guided the discussions were: 1 researchers; 2 research culture, environment, and infrastructure; 3 funding; 4 partnerships; and 5 metrics. The 100 participants included representatives of professional organizations, consumer groups, academic departments, researchers, governmental funding agencies, and the private sector. The small group discussions and plenary sessions generated an array of problems, possible solutions, and recommended actions. A post-Summit, multi-organizational initiative is called to pursue the agendas outlined in this report (see Additional File 1. Additional File 1 A table outlining the Final Action Plan of the Rehabilitation Medicine Summit: Building Research Capacity held on April 28–29, 2005 in Washington, DC. Click here for file

  5. Country ownership and capacity building: the next buzzwords in health systems strengthening or a truly new approach to development?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Goldberg Jessica

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background During the last decade, donor governments and international agencies have increasingly emphasized the importance of building the capacity of indigenous health care organizations as part of strengthening health systems and ensuring sustainability. In 2009, the U.S. Global Health Initiative made country ownership and capacity building keystones of U.S. health development assistance, and yet there is still a lack of consensus on how to define either of these terms, or how to implement “country owned capacity building”. Discussion Concepts around capacity building have been well developed in the for-profit business sector, but remain less well defined in the non-profit and social sectors in low and middle-income countries. Historically, capacity building in developing countries has been externally driven, related to project implementation, and often resulted in disempowerment of local organizations rather than local ownership. Despite the expenditure of millions of dollars, there is no consensus on how to conduct capacity building, nor have there been rigorous evaluations of capacity building efforts. To shift to a new paradigm of country owned capacity building, donor assistance needs to be inclusive in the planning process and create true partnerships to conduct organizational assessments, analyze challenges to organizational success, prioritize addressing challenges, and implement appropriate activities to build new capacity in overcoming challenges. Before further investments are made, a solid evidence base should be established concerning what works and what doesn’t work to build capacity. Summary Country-owned capacity building is a relatively new concept that requires further theoretical exploration. Documents such as The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness detail the principles of country ownership to which partner and donor countries should commit, but do not identify the specific mechanisms to carry out these

  6. Economics for the Environment: Research Capacity Building in ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Economics for the Environment: Research Capacity Building in South Asia. This project will enhance environmental economics research capacity in South Asia through a program of research grants, training, and networking. It provides funds to the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics ...

  7. Building Capacity for the Continuous Improvement of Health-Promoting Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoyle, Tena B.; Samek, Beverly B.; Valois, Robert F.

    2008-01-01

    Background: There has been much educational verbosity over the past decade related to building capacity for effective schools. However, there seems to be a scarcity of clarification about what is meant by school capacity building or how to accomplish and sustain this process. This article describes the preexisting conditions and ongoing processes…

  8. Science, Technology and Innovation as Social Goods for Development: Rethinking Research Capacity Building from Sen's Capabilities Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mormina, Maru

    2018-03-01

    Science and technology are key to economic and social development, yet the capacity for scientific innovation remains globally unequally distributed. Although a priority for development cooperation, building or developing research capacity is often reduced in practice to promoting knowledge transfers, for example through North-South partnerships. Research capacity building/development tends to focus on developing scientists' technical competencies through training, without parallel investments to develop and sustain the socioeconomic and political structures that facilitate knowledge creation. This, the paper argues, significantly contributes to the scientific divide between developed and developing countries more than any skills shortage. Using Charles Taylor's concept of irreducibly social goods, the paper extends Sen's Capabilities Approach beyond its traditional focus on individual entitlements to present a view of scientific knowledge as a social good and the capability to produce it as a social capability. Expanding this capability requires going beyond current fragmented approaches to research capacity building to holistically strengthen the different social, political and economic structures that make up a nation's innovation system. This has implications for the interpretation of human rights instruments beyond their current focus on access to knowledge and for focusing science policy and global research partnerships to design approaches to capacity building/development beyond individual training/skills building.

  9. The capacity building of disaster management in Bojonegoro regency

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isbandono, P.; Prastyawan, A.; Gamaputra, G.

    2018-01-01

    East Java is a disaster-prone area. Head of the National Disaster Management Agency, Syamsul Maarif (2012) states that “East Java is a disaster supermarket area. Referring to Act Number 24 Year 2007 Concerning Disaster Management, disaster prevention activities are a series of activities undertaken as an effort to eliminate and/or reduce the threat of disaster (Article 1, paragraph 6).The disaster mitigation is a series of efforts to reduce disaster risk, through physical development and awareness and capacity building in the face of disaster (Article 1, paragraph 9). In 2009, the Provincial Government of East Java has been established Regional Disaster Management Agency and complete it through Local Regulation of East Java Province Number 3 Year 2010. This research was conducted in Bojonegoro. This study described the capacity building disaster handling and used descriptive research with qualitative approach. It focused on the capacity building for community preparedness in the face of. This study showed the vulnerability of regions and populations to threats flood and drought in could be physical, social and/or economical. The aims of the capacity building for the individuals and organizations are to be used effectively and efficiently in order to achieve the goals of the individuals and organizations.

  10. Why study higher education and capacity building in Africa?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Adriansen, Hanne Kirstine; Madsen, Lene Møller; Jensen, Stig

    2015-01-01

    innovative approach to higher education and capacity building, namely by studying this through ‘geographies of knowledge’. This is an interdisciplinary field that pays attention to the ways scientific knowledge is produced and consumed with a special focus on geography. By using a geographical approach...... for exploring the current and future development of teaching and knowledge production in Africa, we want to explore how scientific knowledge is negotiated and contested in parallel to societal changes in general and capacity building in particular, and thus how scientific knowledge becomes local. Then we...... position the book and its authors before the structure of the book is presented together with a short presentation of the case-based chapters, organised in three parts. These are Part I: Capacity building of African universities – asymmetrical power relations? Part II: Researching and teaching climate...

  11. Case studies of capacity building for biodiversity monitoring: Chapter 13

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmeller, Dirk S.; Arvanitidis, Christos; Böhm, Monika; Brummitt, Neil; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Costello, Mark J.; Ding, Hui; Gill, Michael J.; Haase, Peter; Juillard, Romain; García-Moreno, Jaime; Pettorelli, Nathalie; Peng, Cui; Riginos, Corinna; Schmiedel, Ute; Simaika, John P.; Waterman, Carly; Wu, Jun; Xu, Haigen; Belnap, Jayne; Walters, Michele; Scholes, Robert J.

    2017-01-01

    Monitoring the status and trends of species is critical to their conservation and management. However, the current state of biodiversity monitoring is insufficient to detect such for most species and habitats, other than in a few localised areas. One of the biggest obstacles to adequate monitoring is the lack of local capacity to carry out such programs. Thus, building the capacity to do such monitoring is imperative. We here highlight different biodiversity monitoring efforts to illustrate how capacity building efforts are being conducted at different geographic scales and under a range of resource, literacy, and training constraints. Accordingly, we include examples of monitoring efforts from within countries (Kenya, France, and China), within regions (Central America and the Arctic) and larger capacity building programs including EDGE (Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered) of Existence and the National Red List Alliance.

  12. Building research capacity to inform practical policymaking | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2017-08-17

    Aug 17, 2017 ... IDRC is committed to supporting cutting-edge research led by developing country experts to create lasting change. Building strong partnerships with regional researchers and organizations through research support and capacity building is integral to the success of this approach. The African Economic ...

  13. Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate Change in the Indus Basin ... Eleven world-class research teams set to improve livestock vaccine development ... Building resilience through socially equitable climate action.

  14. CAPACITY BUILDING PROCESS IN ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR A THAI COMMUNITY.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaithui, Suthat; Sithisarankul, Pornchai; Hengpraprom, Sarunya

    2017-03-01

    This research aimed at exploring the development of the capacitybuilding process in environmental and health impact assessment, including the consideration of subsequent, capacity-building achievements. Data were gathered through questionnaires, participatory observations, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and capacity building checklist forms. These data were analyzed using content analysis, descriptive statistics, and inferential statistics. Our study used the components of the final draft for capacity-building processes consisting of ten steps that were formulated by synthesis from each respective process. Additionally, the evaluation of capacity building levels was performed using 10-item evaluation criteria for nine communities. The results indicated that the communities performed well under these criteria. Finally, exploration of the factors influencing capacity building in environmental and health impact assessment indicated that the learning of community members by knowledge exchange via activities and study visits were the most influential factors of the capacity building processes in environmental and health impact assessment. The final revised version of capacitybuilding process in environmental and health impact assessment could serve as a basis for the consideration of interventions in similar areas, so that they increased capacity in environmental and health impact assessments.

  15. Capacity building for HIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriel Gulis PhD

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available

    Background: To integrate health impact assessment (HIA into existing decision-making processes requires not only methods and procedures but also well-trained experts, aware policy makers and appropriate institutions. Capacity building is the assistance which is provided to entities, which have a need to develop a certain skill or competence, or for general upgrading of performance ability. If a new technique is planned to be introduced there is a need for capacity building with no respect to levels (local, regional, national, international or sectors (health, environment, finance, social care, education, etc.. As such, HIA is a new technique for most of the new Member States and accession countries of the European Union.

    Methods: To equip individuals with the understanding and skills needed to launch a HIA or be aware of the availability of this methodology and to access information, knowledge and training, we focused on the organization of workshops in participating countries. The workshops served also as pilot events to test a “curriculum” for HIA; a set of basic topics and presentations had been developed to be tested during workshops. In spite of classical in-class workshops we aimed to organize e-learning events as a way to over come the “busyness” problem of decision makers.

    Results: Throughout March – October 2006 we organized and ran 7 workshops in Denmark, Turkey, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Slovak Republic and Hungary. Participants came from the public health sector (141, non-public health decision makers (113 and public health students (100. A concise curriculum was developed and tested during these workshops. Participants developed a basic understanding of HIA, skills to develop and use their own screening tools as well as scoping.Within the workshop in Denmark we tested an online, real-time Internet based training method; participants highly welcomed this

  16. (LIRNEasia) : Building Capacity in ICT Policy

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Learning Initiatives for Network Economies in Asia (LIRNEasia) : Building Capacity in ICT Policy. It is now generally accepted that affordable, effective telecommunication services play an integral role in development. Although there has been strong growth in connectivity in Asia, those who have benefited most are the urban ...

  17. 76 FR 56780 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; Capacity Building for Sustainable...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-14

    ... Information Collection: Comment Request; Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program: Notice of... public comments on the subject proposal. The Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program... also lists the following information: Title of Proposal: Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities...

  18. Requirements for existing buildings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Kirsten Engelund; Wittchen, Kim Bjarne

    This report collects energy performance requirements for existing buildings in European member states by June 2012.......This report collects energy performance requirements for existing buildings in European member states by June 2012....

  19. Community Capacity Building for Physical Activity Promotion among Older Adults-A Literature Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ubert, Tobias; Forberger, Sarah; Gansefort, Dirk; Zeeb, Hajo; Brand, Tilman

    2017-09-13

    Community-based interventions to promote physical activity (PA) among older adults are of high interest in health promotion since they promise to be effective strategies to reach this population group. Community capacity building, that is, the local promotion of knowledge, skills, commitment, structures, and leadership, is among the recommended core strategies. However, little guidance is provided on how to achieve a high degree of community capacity. This study aims to identify practical strategies to enhance community capacities for PA promotion among older adults (50 years or older) and to evaluate their success. A literature review was conducted using scientific databases (PsycInfo and Web of Sciences) and grey literature (national and international project databases), and 14 studies (16 articles) were identified. Five groups of capacity building strategies emerged from the literature: (1) building community coalitions and networks, (2) training of professionals, (3) training of laypersons, (4) strengthening competence and awareness in the target population, and (5) allocation of financial resources. All studies used more than one strategy. Coalition building and strengthening competence and awareness were most frequently used. Feasibility and acceptability of the capacity building strategies were demonstrated. However, intervention effects on PA behavior and other relevant outcomes were inconsistent. The one study that systematically compared different capacity building approaches did not find any evidence for beneficial effects of intensified capacity building. More rigorous research evaluating the efficacy of specific strategies to enhance community capacities for PA promotion is needed.

  20. ITS professional capacity building: setting strategic direction 2010-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-03-18

    This document describes the strategy that the ITS Professional Capacity Building (PCB) Program is pursuing to create a 21st century learning environment and build an ITS professional that leads the world in the innovative use of ITS technologies. The...

  1. A Guidebook for capacity building in the engineering environment

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Clinton, D

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available and promoting this understanding, the Committee will at the World Engineers’ Week 2010 launch the first edition of a capacity building guidebook. The guidebook sets out suggested approaches to the building of human resources and capability, an essential...

  2. Making Capacity Building Meaningful: A Framework for Strategic Action

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robins, Lisa

    2008-11-01

    This paper aims to give practical meaning to ‘capacity building’ through (a) identifying a suite of practical measures, such as mentoring or best practice guidelines, that have been shown to or are considered to build human, social, institutional, and economic capital; (b) placing these measures within a broader systems framework; and (c) exploring stakeholder feedback on specific measures to inform framework implementation. The 29 measures described provide actors, whether government or nongovernment, with a suite of practical investment choices for building capacity. These measures are then clustered into eight groups according to their primary purpose and placed within a systems framework. The framework provides a tool for actors with responsibilities for or an interest in capacity building to inform more holistic and strategic targeting of effort and investment. Stakeholder feedback gathered through surveys and workshops is subsequently reported to further inform implementation of specific measures within the framework’s eight groupings. The framework presented may be built upon through the identification and inclusion of further capacity building measures. The research is conducted within the context of decentralized governance arrangements for natural resource management (NRM), with specific focus on Australia’s recently formalized 56 NRM regions and their community-based governing boards as an informative arena of learning. Application of the framework is explored in the Australian setting through the identification and comparison of measures supported and most preferred by four major stakeholder groups, namely board members, regional NRM organization staff, policy/research interests, and Indigenous interests. The research also examines stakeholder perceptions of capacity issues, and whether these issues are likely to be addressed through implementing their preferred measures.

  3. Capacity Building in the IAEA’s Technical Cooperation Programme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Acuna, Oscar

    2014-01-01

    Good Practice on Capacity Building - The UNDP/UNDG Approach: Key Steps: 1. Engage stakeholders on capacity development: - in broader national, sectoral, thematic or programme-based development plans, strategies and priorities; - consult all relevant actors and secure the support; - ensure appropriate team composition. 2. Assess capacity assets and needs: - point of entry; - core issues; - the nature of capacity. 3. Formulate a Capacity Development Response: - a capacity development response; - indicators of progress for a capacity development response; - budgeting a capacity development response. 4. Implement the Capacity Development Response: - capacity development strategies in programming; - monitoring from inputs to outputs; - managing implementation through national systems and process; - continuous link with national development. 5. Evaluate Capacity Development focusing on the Outputs Impacts

  4. Communicative Planning As Institutional Capacity Building: From Discourse/Network To Opportunity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Delik Hudalah

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The paper redefines the ideas about communicative planning as not only participatory and democratic practice but also capacity building oriented toward the improvement of governance styles and consciousness. So far capacity building has focused on the exploitation of social resources internal to actors. These internal resources include knowledge (argumentation, debate, discourse formation etc and relational (network, coalition, alliance etc building. The paper argues that in dealing with very complex planning problems characterized by fragmented and uncertain institutional systems, the internal resources need to be coupled with the exploration of resources external to actors, namely the political opportunity structure and moment of opportunity. The analysis implies that the performance of communicative decision-making process as capacity building can be assessed in three aspects: strategic and inclusive actors’ involvement, the building of actors’ awareness on neglected but important planning issues and agendas, and consistency and deliberation in realizing and delivering agreed planning ideas, frameworks and decisions.

  5. Some Underexamined Aspects of Evaluation Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leviton, Laura C.

    2014-01-01

    Evaluation capacity building (ECB) has progressed as a concept since it was the conference theme of the American Evaluation Association in the year 2000. This commentary poses some questions about underexamined issues in ECB about organizations, evaluators, and funders.

  6. Public Affairs Capacity Building: A Soft Tool for Combatant Commanders

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Salata, Jason P

    2008-01-01

    Public affairs capacity building is a valuable soft component of the Combatant Commander's Theater Campaign Plan that builds habitual relationships, fosters transparency, and enhances the ability to shape the AOR...

  7. Challenges of human resource capacity building assistance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Noro, Naoko

    2013-01-01

    At the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington DC in 2010, Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security (ISCN) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency was established based on Japan's National Statement which expressed Japan's strong commitment to contribute to the strengthening of nuclear security in Asian region. ISCN began its activities from JFY 2011. One of the main activities of ISCN is human resource capacity building support. Since JFY 2011, ISCN has offered various nuclear security training courses, seminars and workshops and total number of the participants to the ISCN's event reached more than 700. For the past three years, ISCN has been facing variety of challenges of nuclear security human resource assistance. This paper will briefly illustrate ISCN's achievement in the past years and introduce challenges and measures of ISCN in nuclear security human resource capacity building assistance. (author)

  8. Building midwifery educator capacity in teaching in low and lower-middle income countries. A review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Florence; Homer, Caroline; Dawson, Angela

    2016-02-01

    to midwifery is required. these findings provide insight into strategies that can be used by individuals, faculties and institutions providing development assistance to build midwifery educator capacity in LMIC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Designing capacity-building in e-learning expertise: Challenges and strategies

    OpenAIRE

    Aczel, J. C.; Peake, S. R.; Hardy, P.

    2008-01-01

    This research study looks at how organizations in developing countries perceive the challenge of building capacity in e-learning expertise. Data was collected on six such organizations, and a range of perceived rationales and constraints were identified. The paper hypothesizes a four-part framework to define the e-learning capacity gaps that these circumstances appear to represent: the 'instructional design capacity gap', the 'production capacity gap', the 'tutorial capacity gap' and the 'com...

  10. Building Capacity for Actionable Science and Decision Making in Alaska

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timm, K.; Kettle, N.; Buxbaum, T. M.; Trainor, S.; Walsh, J. E.; York, A.

    2017-12-01

    Investigations of the processes for developing actionable science and supporting partnerships between researchers and practitioners has received increasing attention over the past decade. These studies highlight the importance of leveraging existing relationships and trust, supporting iterative interactions, and dedicating sufficient financial and human capital to the development of usable climate science. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of how to build capacity for more effective partnerships. To meet these ends, the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy (ACCAP) is developing a series of trainings for scientists and practitioners to build capacity for producing actionable science. This process includes three phases: scoping and development, training, and evaluation. This presentation reports on the scoping and development phase of the project, which draws on an extensive web-based search of past and present capacity building and training activities, document analysis, and surveys of trainers. A synthesis of successful formats (e.g., training, placements, etc.), curriculum topics (e.g., climate science, interpersonal communication), and approaches to recruitment and curriculum development will be outlined. We then outline our approach for co-developing trainings in three different sectors, which engages other boundary organizations to leverage trust and exiting network connections to tailor the training activities. Through this effort we ultimately seek to understand how the processes and outcomes for co-developing trainings in actionable science vary across sectors and their implications for building capacity.

  11. Capacity-building for the radiation protection dividend

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hilton, J.; Moussaid, M.; Birky, B.

    2010-01-01

    In 2001 IAEA launched the Strategic Approach to Education and Training in Radiation and Waste Safety: Strategic Plan 2001-2010. The Vision was: A sustainable education and training system is in place in Member States compatible with the requirements of the BSS and other relevant radiation safety standards to contribute to an adequate radiation and waste safety infrastructure. The 2001 objectives were presented as follows: To put in place an appropriate education and training programme as a mechanism for the implementation of the BSS and other relevant safety standards. To encourage appropriate knowledge and understanding to promote and sustain safe working practices. To promote the continuous exchange of information between member states as an essential mechanism for establishing and maintaining safety. 4 The twelve points for strengthening and sustaining Education and Training in Radiation are: 1. Capacity-building - needs and vision 2. Health, safety and environment (HSE) state of the art 3. Current state 4. A networked community 5. Infrastructure and support 6. The competency-based approach 7. Achieving Competency training content, resources and instruments 8. Capacity - Competency outcomes, certification, accreditation, performance indicators and scorecards 9. Capability - on-demand delivery 10. Professional development. 11.Stake holders and risk communications 12. Mandate The draft Consultation Paper was available

  12. The Role of Leadership in Facilitating Organisational Learning and Collective Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piranfar, Hosein

    2007-01-01

    The paper examines the role of leadership in facilitating collective learning and capacity building by utilising ideas from the fields of evolutionary learning, operations strategy, quality, project and risk management. Two contrasting cases are chosen to show how success and failure can depend upon collective capacity building through…

  13. 2009 Capacity Building For Library and Information Centre

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    discussed the features of digitized/virtual library and information centre and the need for capacity building especially in .... electronic library, virtual reality, digital library, community library .... architecture of the existing information system and ...

  14. Capacity-building for health research in developing countries: a manager's approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franklin White

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Research may be viewed as rigorous inquiry to advance knowledge and improve practices. An international commission has argued that strengthening research capacity is one of the most powerful, cost-effective, and sustainable means of advancing health and development. However, the global effort to promote research in developing countries has been mostly policy driven, and largely at the initiative of donor agencies based in developed countries. This policy approach, although essential, both contrasts with and is complementary to that of research managers, who must build capacity "from the ground up" in a variety of health service settings within countries and with differing mandates, resources, and constraints. In health organizations the concept of research is broad, and practices vary widely. However, building research capacity is not altogether different from building other kinds of organizational capacity, and it involves two major dimensions: strategic and operational. In organizations in the health field, if reference to research is not in the mission statement, then developing a relevant research capacity is made vastly more difficult. Research capacities that take years to develop can be easily damaged through inadequate support, poor management, or other negative influences associated with both internal and external environments. This paper draws from key international research policy documents and observations on the behavior of research and donor agencies in relation to developing countries. It examines capacity-building primarily as a challenge for research managers, realities underlying operational effectiveness and efficiency, approaches to resource mobilization, and the need for marketing the research enterprise. Selected examples from South Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean are presented.

  15. International cryospheric science capacity building and its role in policy and management

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, A. M.; Armstrong, R. L.; Armstrong, B. R.; Barrett, A. P.; Brodzik, M. J.; Fetterer, F. M.; Fluri, J. L.; Hill, A. F.; Kayastha, R. B.; Khalsa, S. J. S.; Khan, A. L.; Miller, H. A.; Minbaeva, C.; Racoviteanu, A.; Raup, B. H.; Rittger, K.

    2017-12-01

    The USAID-funded Contribution to High Asia Runoff from Ice and Snow (CHARIS) project has operated since 2012 with dual goals of research and capacity building. The scientific goal is to quantify snowmelt and ice melt and is tackled in tandem with capacity building activities for partner institutions in eight countries across High Asia. We held project workshops covering topics such as snow and glacier melt modeling, remote sensing of snow and ice, hydrochemistry-based hydrograph separation, and data management. CHARIS also facilitated the start of the first glacier mass balance program in Afghanistan, the first water chemistry laboratory in Bhutan, and supported eight students from four countries in earning Masters of Science by Research in Glaciology degrees from Kathmandu University. Capacity building outcomes are tracked through surveys and interviews with project partners. This feedback, both quantitative and qualitative, improves our understanding of how skills fostered by CHARIS are translated into different workplace contexts and in different political settings. Through this feedback, we document how CHARIS collaborations promote analytical skill development and provide the benefit of improved communication among colleagues across borders in a region where resource management requires a trans-boundary approach. Additionally, we are gathering feedback from partners on ways their hydrology and glaciology research is translated to the policy and management realms. Partners anecdotally report a range of policy relationships, especially with respect to management strategies for water intensive developments such as hydropower and mining. Here we present findings from these surveys, which will guide future development-oriented, science-driven resource management projects. Such endeavors must be tailored to large regional differences in expertise, capacities, policy settings, and research infrastructures, and CHARIS demonstrates ways this can be done effectively.

  16. Effect of capacity building on organizational performance of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Effect of capacity building on organizational performance of multipurpose ... is need for re-orientation and sensitization of members and the employees of the ... assist by making cooperative extension services compulsory and accessible to all ...

  17. EIA models and capacity building in Viet Nam: an analysis of development aid programs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doberstein, Brent

    2004-01-01

    There has been a decided lack of empirical research examining development aid agencies as 'agents of change' in environmental impact assessment (EIA) systems in developing countries, particularly research examining the model of environmental planning practice promoted by aid agencies as part of capacity building. This paper briefly traces a conceptual framework of EIA, then introduces the concept of 'EIA capacity building'. Using Viet Nam as a case study, the paper then outlines the empirical results of the research, focusing on the extent to which aid agency capacity-building programs promoted a Technical vs. Planning Model of EIA and on the coherence of capacity-building efforts across all aid programs. A discussion follows, where research results are interpreted within the Vietnamese context, and implications of research results are identified for three main groups of actors. The paper concludes by calling for development aid agencies to reconceptualise EIA capacity building as an opportunity to transform developing countries' development planning processes

  18. Assessment of capacity-building activities for forest measurement, reporting, and verification, 2011–15

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peneva-Reed, Elitsa I.; Romijn, J. Erika

    2018-05-31

    This report was written as a collaborative effort between the U.S. Geological Survey, SilvaCarbon, and Wageningen University with funding provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the European Space Agency, respectively, to address a pressing need for enhanced result-based monitoring and evaluation of delivered capacity-building activities. For this report, the capacity-building activities delivered by capacity-building providers (referred to as “providers” hereafter) during 2011–15 (the study period) to support countries in building measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) were assessed and evaluated.Summarizing capacity-building activities and outcomes across multiple providers was challenging. Many of the providers did not have information readily available, which precluded them from participating in this study despite the usefulness of their information. This issue led to a key proposed future action: Capacity-building providers could establish a central repository within the Global Forestry Observation Initiative (GFOI; http://www.gfoi.org/) where data from past, current, and future activities of all capacity-building providers could be stored. The repository could be maintained in a manner to continually learn from previous lessons.Although various providers monitored and evaluated the success of their capacity-building activities, such evaluations only assessed the success of immediate outcomes and not the overarching outcomes and impacts of activities implemented by multiple providers. Good monitoring and evaluation should continuously monitor and periodically evaluate all factors affecting the outcomes of a provided capacity-building activity.The absence of a methodology to produce quantitative evidence of a causal link between multiple capacity-building activities delivered and successful outcomes left only a plausible association. A previous

  19. 76 FR 71996 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Capacity Building for Sustainable...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-11-21

    ... Proposed Information Collection to OMB; Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program AGENCY... proposal. The Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program (Program), through a Notice of Funding...: Title of Proposal: Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program OMB Approval Number: 2501-0026...

  20. Patronage or partnership: Local capacity building in humanitarian ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    2011-02-09

    Feb 9, 2011 ... "People are dying like flies," says an understandably emotional ... chapter looks at health care, and the Guatemala chapter deals with gender issues. ... So it's important to think through what we mean by capacity building when ...

  1. Building leadership capacity in advanced nurse practitioners - the role of organisational management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Naomi

    2017-01-01

    To highlight the organisation-level management's role in building leadership capacity in advanced nurse practitioners and the need for appropriate supports to increase their becoming leaders. Little is published about the role of organisation-level management in building leadership capacity and in developing the next generation of nurse leaders. In times of economic constraint, organisations need to focus their efforts on targeted leadership initiatives. Advanced nurse practitioners are ideally positioned to act as leaders both within and beyond the health care organisation. From the available research evidence, several support structures and mechanisms are identified as enablers for advanced nurse practitioners to enact their leadership role. Health care organisations need to include building leadership capacity as a priority in their strategic plan and take action to build-up the level of advanced nurse practitioner leadership. Nurse executives have a vital role in influencing the organisation's strategic plan and making a business case for prioritising leadership capacity building within advanced nurse practitioners. A challenge for nurse executives faced with competing service and leadership development demands, involves strategic decision-making regarding whether the advanced nurse practitioner's role is limited to service delivery or its potential in leading health care reforms is realised. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. 77 FR 10543 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program for...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-22

    ... Awards for the Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program for Fiscal Year 2011 AGENCY: Office... INFORMATION: The Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities Program identifies intermediary organizations... announces the allocation total of $5.65 million for Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities grants, of...

  3. Policy Capacity Meets Politics: Comment on "Health Reform Requires Policy Capacity".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fafard, Patrick

    2015-07-22

    It is difficult to disagree with the general argument that successful health reform requires a significant degree of policy capacity or that all players in the policy game need to move beyond self-interested advocacy. However, an overly broad definition of policy capacity is a problem. More important perhaps, health reform inevitably requires not just policy capacity but political leadership and compromise. © 2015 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

  4. Capacity building program: Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate Global Trade

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koech, H K [Program Manager CBP/DHS Office Number 363-6109 Cell Number 0722-774-912, Office Location: Ground Floor U.S. Embassy Nairobi (Kenya)

    2010-07-01

    Effective implementation of capacity building program in Kenya will result in maximum protection against terrorist activity/counter terrorism worldwide due to countries meeting the requirements of the program via safety and security measures at land borders, seaports, and airports. It will also result in enforcement of illegal trade pertaining to terrorist financing, money laundering, trade fraud, strategic cases including weapons of mass destruction, child pornography, intellectual property rights, document fraud, alien smuggling, drug smuggling, and general smuggling. It will also facilitate legitimate commerce.

  5. Capacity building program: Framework of Standards to secure and facilitate Global Trade

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koech, H.K.

    2010-01-01

    Effective implementation of capacity building program in Kenya will result in maximum protection against terrorist activity/counter terrorism worldwide due to countries meeting the requirements of the program via safety and security measures at land borders, seaports, and airports. It will also result in enforcement of illegal trade pertaining to terrorist financing, money laundering, trade fraud, strategic cases including weapons of mass destruction, child pornography, intellectual property rights, document fraud, alien smuggling, drug smuggling, and general smuggling. It will also facilitate legitimate commerce.

  6. Building hospital capacity planning mechanisms in Poland: The impact of 2016/2017 regulatory changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dubas-Jakóbczyk, Katarzyna; Sowada, Christoph; Domagała, Alicja; Więckowska, Barbara

    2018-02-07

    Capacity planning is a crucial component of modern health care governance. The aim of this paper is to analyze the requirements that need to be met to build effective hospital capacity planning mechanisms in Poland. In this context, the recent regulatory changes strongly influencing hospital sector functioning, including introduction of health care needs maps, capital investment assessment, and hospital network regulations, are analyzed. Some possible ways forward, based on review of international experiences in hospital capacity planning, are discussed. Applied methods include literature review and analysis of statistical data as well as desk analysis of key national regulations related to hospital sector. Results indicate that at the system level, the process of capacity planning involves 4 elements: capital investment in facilities, equipment, and technology; service delivery; allocation of staff; and financial resources. For hospital capacity planning to be effective, the strategic decision at the macrolevel must be complemented by appropriate management of individual hospitals. The major challenge of building hospital capacity planning mechanism in Poland is imbedding it into the overall health system strategy. Because of the lack of such a strategy, the practical implementation of the ad hoc changes, which have been introduced, shows some inconsistencies. The regulations implemented between 2016 and 2017 provided a basis for hospital capacity planning, yet still need evaluation and adjustments. Also, including a mechanism for human resources planning is of crucial importance. The regulations should provide incentives for reducing oversized hospital infrastructure with simultaneous development of the long-term and coordinated care models. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. 24 CFR 570.205 - Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. 570.205 Section 570.205..., urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. (a) Planning... known or suspected environmental contamination. (5) [Reserved] (6) Policy—planning—management—capacity...

  8. Parametric Study on the Dynamic Heat Storage Capacity of Building Elements

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Artmann, Nikolai; Manz, H.; Heiselberg, Per

    2007-01-01

    as their interrelation. The potential of increasing thermal mass by using phase change materials (PCM) was estimated assuming increased thermal capacity. The results show a significant impact of the heat transfer coefficient on heat storage capacity, especially for thick, thermally heavy elements. The storage capacity...... of onedimensional heat conduction in a slab with convective boundary condition was applied to quantify the dynamic heat storage capacity of a particular building element. The impact of different parameters, such as slab thickness, material properties and the heat transfer coefficient was investigated, as well......In modern, extensively glazed office buildings, due to high solar and internal loads and increased comfort expectations, air conditioning systems are often used even in moderate and cold climates. Particularly in this case, passive cooling by night-time ventilation seems to offer considerable...

  9. Talent Development and Capacity Building in Small Nations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hjort, Mette

    2016-01-01

    In a small-nation film and media ecology, cogent thinking about capacity building is of critical importance. In the context of Danish documentary filmmaking, twinning has emerged as a promising model. Twinning engages Danish filmmakers with a world beyond Denmark, thereby counteracting certain...

  10. Strategic approach to building research capacity in inter-professional education and collaboration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suter, Esther; Lait, Jana; Macdonald, Laura; Wener, Pamela; Law, Rebecca; Khalili, Hossein; McCarthy, Patricia L

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe the process used to initiate research capacity building in a community of practice (CoP) focused on the research and evaluation of inter-professional education and collaboration. This CoP, composed of members from across Canada, is a committee of the Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative (CIHC), a national collaborative that aims to advance inter-professional education and collaboration in healthcare. The committee mapped recommendations that emerged from a number of CIHC reports onto a research capacity building framework. The expertise of the diverse members in conjunction with this unique mapping process allowed the committee to identify its long-term research and evaluation objectives and strategies. This resulted in the formation of three working groups, each tasked with activities that contribute to the committee's overall goal of building research capacity in inter-professional education and collaboration. A framework provides a structured approach to identifying research and evaluation priorities and objectives. Furthermore, the process of applying the framework engages the committee members in determining the course of action. The process can be easily transferred to other areas in need of research capacity building.

  11. The oil industry experience. Technology cooperation and capacity building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1995-01-01

    Technology cooperation is defined as a process of constructive interaction with local, national and international partners to select and apply appropriate technology systems to achieve environmentally sound forms of economic development. Capacity building is the process of constructive interaction between countries and the private sector designed to develop the capability and skills to achieve environmentally sound forms of economic development through the use of modern technologies and management systems, a competent workforce and appropriate laws and regulations. Twelve case histories are presented which demonstrate the efforts of the oil industry to work in partnership with governments, contractors, suppliers and communities in technology cooperation and capacity building to achieve the goals of Agenda 21 which emerged as an action plan from the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. (UK)

  12. Capacity Building for Sustainable Marine Research in the Asia-Pacific Region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Liuming; Avril, Bernard; Zhang, Jing

    2013-01-01

    An international workshop on capacity building (CB) for marine research in the Asia-Pacific region (http://www.imber.info/index.php/Science/Working-Groups/Capacity-Building/2012-CB-Workshop) was held at the East China Normal University (ECNU), in Shanghai, China. The workshop brought together about 20 marine researchers and CB experts from 14 countries to discuss CB experiences, assess regional CB needs, and consider recommendations to improve regional CB, which would be of interest to other groups and other geographical regions.

  13. Building the Capacity of the HIV Prevention Workforce

    Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

    2010-07-29

    This podcast provides an overview of CDC's HIV prevention capacity building efforts with community-based organizations and health departments.  Created: 7/29/2010 by National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention.   Date Released: 7/29/2010.

  14. Project Mapping to Build Capacity and Demonstrate Impact in the Earth Sciences

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemmings, S. N.; Searby, N. D.; Murphy, K. J.; Mataya, C. J.; Crepps, G.; Clayton, A.; Stevens, C. L.

    2017-12-01

    Diverse organizations are increasingly using project mapping to communicate location-based information about their activities. NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD), through the Earth Science Data Systems and Applied Sciences' Capacity Building Program (CBP), has created a geographic information system of all ESD projects to support internal program management for the agency. The CBP's NASA DEVELOP program has built an interactive mapping tool to support capacity building for the program's varied constituents. This presentation will explore the types of programmatic opportunities provided by a geographic approach to management, communication, and strategic planning. We will also discuss the various external benefits that mapping supports and that build capacity in the Earth sciences. These include activities such as project matching (location-focused synergies), portfolio planning, inter- and intra-organizational collaboration, science diplomacy, and basic impact analysis.

  15. Research Equity: A Capacity Building Workshop of Research Methodology for Medical Health Professionals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashok Kumar Bhardwaj

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Research is a cornerstone for knowledge generation, which in turns requires capacity building for its tools and techniques. Despite having a vast infrastructure in India the research in medical science has been carried out in limited and focused institutions. In order to build the capacity in carrying out research activities a five-day planning workshop was conducted at state run medical college. Total 22 medical faculty members participated in the workshop with average public health experience of 12 years (range: 5–25 years. The knowledge was assessed objectively by multiple-choice questionnaire. The mean score increased from 6.7 to 7.9 from pre- to posttest. About seventy-percent participants showed improvement, whereas 21.0% showed deterioration in the knowledge and the rest showed the same score. Apart from knowledge skills also showed improvement as total 12 research projects were generated and eight were approved for funding by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR, New Delhi. It can be concluded that a supportive environment for research can be built with the technical assistance.

  16. Designing Capacity-Building in E-Learning Expertise: Challenges and Strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aczel, J. C.; Peake, S. R.; Hardy, P.

    2008-01-01

    This research study looks at how organizations in developing countries perceive the challenge of building capacity in e-learning expertise. Data was collected on six such organizations, and a range of perceived rationales and constraints were identified. The paper hypothesizes a four-part framework to define the e-learning capacity gaps that these…

  17. Capacity building in emerging space nations: Experiences, challenges and benefits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jason, Susan; da Silva Curiel, Alex; Liddle, Doug; Chizea, Francis; Leloglu, Ugur Murat; Helvaci, Mustafa; Bekhti, Mohammed; Benachir, Djouad; Boland, Lee; Gomes, Luis; Sweeting, Martin

    2010-09-01

    This paper focuses on ways in which space is being used to build capacity in science and technology in order to: Offer increasing support for national and global solutions to current and emerging problems including: how to improve food security; resource management; understanding the impacts of climate change and how to deal with them; improving disaster mitigation, management and response. Support sustainable economic development. We present some of the experiences, lessons learned and benefits gained in capacity building projects undertaken by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. and our partners from developing and mature space nations. We focus on the Turkish, Algerian and Nigerian know-how and technology transfer programmes which form part of the first Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) in orbit. From the lessons learned on Surrey's know-how and technology transfer partnership programmes, it is clear that space technology needs to be implemented responsibly as part of a long-term capacity building plan to be a sustainable one. It needs to be supported with appropriate policy and legal frameworks, institutional development, including community participation, human resources development and strengthening of managerial systems. In taking this on board, DMC has resulted in a strong international partnership combining national objectives, humanitarian aid and commerce. The benefits include: Ownership of space-based and supporting ground assets with low capital expenditure that is in line with national budgets of developing nations. Ownership of data and control over data acquisition. More for the money via collaborative consortium. Space related capacity building in organisations and nations with the goal of sustainable development. Opportunities for international collaboration, including disaster management and relief.

  18. By, with, and through: the theory and practice of special operations capacity-building

    OpenAIRE

    Heisler, Anthony F.

    2014-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited This thesis presents a theory of how U.S. special operations forces (USSOF) build partner capacity. Building partner capacity (BPC) is a cornerstone of America’s post-9/11 security strategy and a signature mission of USSOF. However, USSOF lacks a theory that articulates how capacity is built or the keys to its success. This thesis explores BPC from the top down, through national security documents, doctrine, and case studies. It identi...

  19. African Health Economics and Policy Research Capacity Building ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    African Health Economics and Policy Research Capacity Building and Dissemination. As African countries move toward universal health coverage, it is clear there is a shortage of African experts with applied research skills in health financing such as fiscal space analysis, needs-based resource allocation methods, and ...

  20. The role of leadership in facilitating Organisational Learning and collective capacity building

    OpenAIRE

    Piranfar, Hosein

    2007-01-01

    The paper examines the role of leadership in facilitating collective learning and capacity building by utilising ideas from the fields of evolutionary learning, operations strategy, quality, project and risk management. Two contrasting cases are chosen to show how success and failure can depend upon collective capacity building through participative leadership and Organisational Learning (OL). The bulk of the literature surveyed concerns evolutionary OL in particular those that involve leader...

  1. Measuring organizational flexibility in community pharmacy: Building the capacity to implement cognitive pharmaceutical services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feletto, Eleonora; Wilson, Laura Kate; Roberts, Alison Sarah; Benrimoj, Shalom Isaac

    2011-03-01

    Community pharmacy is undergoing transformation with increasing pressure to build its capacity to deliver cognitive pharmaceutical services ("services"). The theoretical framework of organizational flexibility (OF) may be used to assess the capacity of community pharmacy to implement change programs and guide capacity-building initiatives. To test the applicability of an existing scale measuring OF to the industry of community pharmacy in Australia. A mail survey was used to test a preexisting scale measuring OF amended from 28 items to 20 items testing 3 underlying factors of operational, structural, and strategic flexibility in the Australian community pharmacy context. The sample was 2006 randomly-stratified community pharmacies. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the 1-factor models for each underlying construct and the full measurement model. Responses were received from a total of 395 (19.7%) community pharmacies. The 1-factor models of operational, structural, and strategic flexibility fit the data with appropriate respecification. Overall, the favorable fit of the individual factor constructs suggested that the multiple-factor measurement model should be tested. However, this model did not yield an interpretable response. Operational flexibility covaried negatively to the other factors, whereas structural and strategic flexibility shared covariance. Despite this, the results highlighting the individual factor fit suggest the constructs have application to pharmacy. The individual OF constructs were useful in the development and initial testing of a scale adapted for community pharmacy. When further developed and validated, the scale could be used to identify group of pharmacies that require individualized assistance to build capacity and integrate services and other new endeavors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Moroccan Coastal Management : Building Capacity to Adapt to ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Impacts from rising sea levels, coastal flooding and storm surges are becoming a challenging policy issue for planners, local authorities and stakeholders in areas such as Morocco's northeastern coast. This project will support capacity building and the development of tools and methods to underpin preparation for and ...

  3. Building Capacity for Better Results: Strategies for Financing and Sustaining the Organizational Capacity of Youth-Serving Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silloway, Torey

    2010-01-01

    Most nonprofit leaders understand the importance of building strong organizational capacity, but finding ways to support and strengthen this capacity often poses significant challenges. Nonprofit leaders may hesitate to divert money from direct services when funds are needed to support operations. Some experts in the field also note what they…

  4. Building Capacity for Feminist Research in Africa : Gender, Sexuality ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Building Capacity for Feminist Research in Africa : Gender, Sexuality and Politics ... feminist work and gender theory, but be relatively new to issues of sexuality. ... long-term climate action to reduce social inequality, promote greater gender ...

  5. Community capacity building and sustainability: outcomes of community-based participatory research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hacker, Karen; Tendulkar, Shalini A; Rideout, Catlin; Bhuiya, Nazmim; Trinh-Shevrin, Chau; Savage, Clara P; Grullon, Milagro; Strelnick, Hal; Leung, Carolyn; DiGirolamo, Ann

    2012-01-01

    For communities, the value of community-based participatory research (CBPR) is often manifested in the outcomes of increased capacity and sustainable adoption of evidence-based practices for social change. Educational opportunities that promote discourse between community and academic partners can help to advance CBPR and better define these outcomes. This paper describes a community-academic conference to develop shared definitions of community capacity building and sustainability related to CBPR and to identify obstacles and facilitators to both. "Taking It to the Curbside: Engaging Communities to Create Sustainable Change for Health" was planned by five Clinical Translational Science Institutes and four community organizations. After a keynote presentation, breakout groups of community and academic members met to define community capacity building and sustainability, and to identify facilitators and barriers to achieving both. Groups were facilitated by researcher-community partner teams and conversations were recorded and transcribed. Qualitative analysis for thematic content was conducted by a subset of the planning committee. Important findings included learning that (1) the concepts of capacity and sustainability were considered interconnected; (2) partnership was perceived as both a facilitator and an outcome of CBPR; (3) sustainability was linked to "transfer of knowledge" from one generation to another within a community; and (4) capacity and sustainability were enhanced when goals were shared and health outcomes were achieved. Community capacity building and sustainability are key outcomes of CBPR for communities. Co-learning opportunities that engage and mutually educate both community members and academics can be useful strategies for identifying meaningful strategies to achieve these outcomes.

  6. Assessment of capacity building needs among motor vehicle ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The motor vehicle mechanics trainers' are affected by the developments in the modern automobile technology (MAT) that brought about the use of auto scan tools for diagnosis and repair of modern vehicles in Nigeria. This study examined the capacity building needs among motor vehicle mechanics trainers in the use of ...

  7. Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Building Research Capacity to Understand and Adapt to Climate Change in the Indus Basin ... Site internet ... L'honorable Chrystia Freeland, ministre du Commerce international, a annoncé le lancement d'un nouveau projet financé par le ...

  8. Building administrative capacities in developing countries: Swat teams or beat cops?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    S. Tankha (Sunil)

    2009-01-01

    textabstractAfter reading Professor Ali Farazmand's essay "Building Administrative Capacity in the Age of Rapid Globalization: A Modest Prescription for the Twenty-First Century," one is reminded that the list of capacities we need to develop is long, the tasks are diverse, and the challenges are

  9. 24 CFR 1003.205 - Eligible planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. 1003.205 Section 1003.205... planning, urban environmental design and policy-planning-management-capacity building activities. (a... plans, general environmental studies, and strategies and action programs to implement plans, including...

  10. In What Ways Has US Security Cooperation Programs Been Effective in Helping Kenya to Build Partnership Capacity to Counter Transnational Terrorism?

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Henneke, Jason C

    2007-01-01

    .... In addition to host-nation capacity building, the cooperation of all agencies within the U.S. Government (USG) is required for a coordinated and effective approach to the Global War on Terrorism...

  11. Building midwifery educator capacity using international partnerships: Findings from a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, Florence; Dawson, Angela; Homer, Caroline S E

    2017-07-01

    Midwifery educators play a critical role in strengthening the midwifery workforce globally, including in low and lower-middle income countries (LMIC) to ensure that midwives are adequately prepared to deliver quality midwifery care. The most effective approach to building midwifery educator capacity is not always clear. The aim of this study was to determine how one capacity building approach in Papua New Guinea (PNG) used international partnerships to improve teaching and learning. A qualitative exploratory case study design was used to explore the perspectives of 26 midwifery educators working in midwifery education institutions in PNG. Seven themes were identified which provide insights into the factors that enable and constrain midwifery educator capacity building. The study provides insights into strategies which may aid institutions and individuals better plan and implement international midwifery partnerships to strengthen context-specific knowledge and skills in teaching. Further research is necessary to assess how these findings can be transferred to other contexts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Public Affairs Capacity Building: A Soft Tool for Combatant Commanders

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Salata, Jason P

    2008-01-01

    .... This paper examines the soft power application of public affairs capacity building, and the resultant cultivation of a public affairs social network through the lens of social network theory (nodes and ties...

  13. Building Capacity in the Public Utility Sectors of Basra, Iraq

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Trainor, Tim; Henderson, Dale

    2007-01-01

    ... in provincial reconstruction efforts. Specifically, the mission was to assist in building the capacity of the public sector utility leadership in project prioritization, project planning and project management in order to enhance...

  14. Building the capacity of agricultural extension personnel for effective ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper strongly recommends immediate recruitment of new hands as well as full implementation of a well-designed capacity building programme so as to ensure a sustainable extension service delivery system where extension personnel can operate in the expected commercial (agriculture-driven) economy. Keywords: ...

  15. Role of cooperation activities for capacity building of Romanian Regulatory Authority (CNCAN)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biro, L.; Ciurea-Ercau, C.

    2010-01-01

    With a slow but active nuclear development program of sector since 1980, Romanian regulatory authority had to permanently adapt to the changes in national and international environment in order ensure continuously increase of capacity building and effectiveness, commensurate with the growing nuclear sector. Limited human resources available at the national level put the Romanian Regulatory Authority in the position of building the Technical Support Organization as part of its on organization. International cooperation played an important role in capacity building of Romanian regulatory body and providing necessary assistance in performing regulatory activities or support in development of regulatory framework. Fellowships and technical visits, workshops and training courses provided through IAEA TC at national or regional level, technical assistance provided by European Commission (EC) through PHARE Projects, all provided valuable contribution in assuring training of regulatory staff and development of proper regulatory framework in Romania. Therefore, Romanian Regulatory Authority is putting a strong accent on strengthening and promoting international cooperation through IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme, Molls between regulatory bodies, as one of the key elements in supporting capacity building of regulatory authorities in countries having small or embarking on nuclear power program. Building networks between training centers and research facilities and establishments of regional training centers represent one of the future viable options in preserving knowledge in nuclear field. (author)

  16. Nuclear Capacity Building through Research Reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2017-01-01

    Four Instruments: •The IAEA has recently developed a specific scheme of services for Nuclear Capacity Building in support of the Member States cooperating research reactors (RR) willing to use RRs as a primary facility to develop nuclear competences as a supporting step to embark into a national nuclear programme. •The scheme is composed of four complementary instruments, each of them being targeted to specific objective and audience: Distance Training: Internet Reactor Laboratory (IRL); Basic Training: Regional Research Reactor Schools; Intermediate Training: East European Research Reactor Initiative (EERRI); Group Fellowship Course Advanced Training: International Centres based on Research Reactors (ICERR)

  17. Challenges and opportunities in building health research capacity in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Capacity building is considered a priority for health research institutions in developing countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. However, in many countries including Tanzania, much emphasis has been directed towards human resources for health with the total exclusion of human resources for ...

  18. Building Capacity for Feminist Research in Africa : Gender, Sexuality ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Building Capacity for Feminist Research in Africa : Gender, Sexuality and Politics. Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in African scholarship on the importance of understanding sexualities and on connecting this understanding to more relevant policy prescriptions so that African women can enjoy their ...

  19. CapaSIDS : Capacity Building and Knowledge on Sustainable ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    CapaSIDS : Capacity Building and Knowledge on Sustainable Responses to Climate Change in Small Island States. Tourism is the main economic sector in ... Gouvernance axée sur la collaboration : gestion des risques associés aux inondations et à l'élévation du niveau de la mer au Cap. La ville du Cap doit relever un ...

  20. Role of institutional entrepreneurship in building adaptive capacity in community-based healthcare organisations: realist review protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyengar, Sweatha; Katz, Aaron; Durham, Jo

    2016-03-24

    Over the past 3 decades, there has been a substantial shift to the marketisation of government-funded health services. For organisations traditionally buffered from the competitive pressures of for-profit enterprises, such as community-based organisations, this means developing the capacity to adapt to competitive tendering processes, shifting client expectations, and increasing demands for greater accountability. Drawing on ideas of institutional entrepreneurship, we believe that attempts to build adaptive capacity require the transformation of existing institutional arrangements. Key in this may be identifying and fostering institutional entrepreneurs--actors who take the lead in being the impetus for, and giving direction to, structural change. This study focuses on the strategies used by institutional entrepreneurs to build adaptive capacity in the community-based healthcare sector. The research will use an adapted rapid realist review. The review will find underlying theories that explain the circumstances surrounding the implementation of capacity-building strategies that shape organisational response and generate outcomes by activating causal mechanisms. An early scoping of the literature, and consultations with key stakeholders, will be undertaken to identify an initial programme theory. We will search for relevant journal articles and grey literature. Data will be extracted based on contextual factors, mechanisms and outcomes, and their configurations. The analysis will seek patterns and regularities in these configurations and will focus on confirming, refuting or refining our programme theory. The study does not involve primary research and, therefore, does not require formal ethical approval. However, ethical standards of utility, usefulness, feasibility, propriety, accuracy and accountability will be followed. The results will be written up according to the Realist and Meta-Review Evidence Synthesis: Evolving Standards guidelines. Once completed

  1. Theories, models and frameworks used in capacity building interventions relevant to public health: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergeron, Kim; Abdi, Samiya; DeCorby, Kara; Mensah, Gloria; Rempel, Benjamin; Manson, Heather

    2017-11-28

    There is limited research on capacity building interventions that include theoretical foundations. The purpose of this systematic review is to identify underlying theories, models and frameworks used to support capacity building interventions relevant to public health practice. The aim is to inform and improve capacity building practices and services offered by public health organizations. Four search strategies were used: 1) electronic database searching; 2) reference lists of included papers; 3) key informant consultation; and 4) grey literature searching. Inclusion and exclusion criteria are outlined with included papers focusing on capacity building, learning plans, professional development plans in combination with tools, resources, processes, procedures, steps, model, framework, guideline, described in a public health or healthcare setting, or non-government, government, or community organizations as they relate to healthcare, and explicitly or implicitly mention a theory, model and/or framework that grounds the type of capacity building approach developed. Quality assessment were performed on all included articles. Data analysis included a process for synthesizing, analyzing and presenting descriptive summaries, categorizing theoretical foundations according to which theory, model and/or framework was used and whether or not the theory, model or framework was implied or explicitly identified. Nineteen articles were included in this review. A total of 28 theories, models and frameworks were identified. Of this number, two theories (Diffusion of Innovations and Transformational Learning), two models (Ecological and Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation) and one framework (Bloom's Taxonomy of Learning) were identified as the most frequently cited. This review identifies specific theories, models and frameworks to support capacity building interventions relevant to public health organizations. It provides public health practitioners

  2. Building international collaborative capacity: contributions of community psychologists to a European network.

    Science.gov (United States)

    García-Ramírez, Manuel; Paloma, Virginia; Suarez-Balcazar, Yolanda; Balcazar, Fabricio

    2009-09-01

    Europe is in the process of building a more participative, just, and inclusive European Union. The European Social Fund, which is an initiative developed to actively promote multinational partnerships that address pressing social issues, is a good example of the European transformation. This article describes the steps taken to develop and evaluate the activities of an international network promoting collaborative capacity among regional partners involved in the prevention of labor discrimination toward immigrants in three European countries-Spain, Belgium, and Italy. An international team of community psychologists proposed an empowering approach to assess the collaborative capacity of the network. This approach consisted of three steps: (1) establishing a collaborative relationship among partners, (2) building collaborative capacity, and (3) evaluating the collaborative capacity of the network. We conclude with lessons learned from the process and provide recommendations for addressing the challenges inherent in international collaboration processes.

  3. Building Capacity in Community-Based Participatory Research Partnerships Through a Focus on Process and Multiculturalism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Bryant, Angela R; Walker, Deborah J; Blumenthal, Connie; Council, Barbara; Courtney, Dana; Adimora, Ada

    2015-01-01

    In health research, investigators and funders are emphasizing the importance of collaboration between communities and academic institutions to achieve health equity. Although the principles underlying community-academic partnered research have been well-articulated, the processes by which partnerships integrate these principles when working across cultural differences are not as well described. We present how Project GRACE (Growing, Reaching, Advocating for Change and Empowerment) integrated participatory research principles with the process of building individual and partnership capacity. We worked with Vigorous Interventions In Ongoing Natural Settings (VISIONS) Inc., a process consultant and training organization, to develop a capacity building model. We present the conceptual framework and multicultural process of change (MPOC) that was used to build individual and partnership capacity to address health disparities. The process and capacity building model provides a common language, approach, and toolset to understand differences and the dynamics of inequity. These tools can be used by other partnerships in the conduct of research to achieve health equity.

  4. Building adaptive capacity to climate change in tropical coastal communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cinner, Joshua E.; Adger, W. Neil; Allison, Edward H.; Barnes, Michele L.; Brown, Katrina; Cohen, Philippa J.; Gelcich, Stefan; Hicks, Christina C.; Hughes, Terry P.; Lau, Jacqueline; Marshall, Nadine A.; Morrison, Tiffany H.

    2018-01-01

    To minimize the impacts of climate change on human wellbeing, governments, development agencies, and civil society organizations have made substantial investments in improving people's capacity to adapt to change. Yet to date, these investments have tended to focus on a very narrow understanding of adaptive capacity. Here, we propose an approach to build adaptive capacity across five domains: the assets that people can draw upon in times of need; the flexibility to change strategies; the ability to organize and act collectively; learning to recognize and respond to change; and the agency to determine whether to change or not.

  5. Using Successorship to Build Leadership Capacity in Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furtek, Diane

    2012-01-01

    Professionals in higher education face many challenges. Chief among them are increasing leadership and organizational effectiveness. A variety of approaches can be used to build competencies to increase leadership that results in organizational effectiveness. For the purposes of this article, leadership is "the capacity to influence others by…

  6. Science Teachers' Perception of ICT Capacity Building Workshop in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Nneka Umera-Okeke

    of ICT technologies in instructional delivery to adequately enhance ICT ... analysis, creation of data bank, storage of management of educational data, .... teachers face the challenges of learning new skills which will help them to maintain ... a big opportunity needs to be created using capacity building workshop as the.

  7. Evidence-informed capacity building for setting health priorities in low- and middle-income countries: A framework and recommendations for further research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ryan; Ruiz, Francis; Culyer, Anthony J; Chalkidou, Kalipso; Hofman, Karen J

    2017-01-01

    Priority-setting in health is risky and challenging, particularly in resource-constrained settings. It is not simply a narrow technical exercise, and involves the mobilisation of a wide range of capacities among stakeholders - not only the technical capacity to "do" research in economic evaluations. Using the Individuals, Nodes, Networks and Environment (INNE) framework, we identify those stakeholders, whose capacity needs will vary along the evidence-to-policy continuum. Policymakers and healthcare managers require the capacity to commission and use relevant evidence (including evidence of clinical and cost-effectiveness, and of social values); academics need to understand and respond to decision-makers' needs to produce relevant research. The health system at all levels will need institutional capacity building to incentivise routine generation and use of evidence. Knowledge brokers, including priority-setting agencies (such as England's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and Health Interventions and Technology Assessment Program, Thailand) and the media can play an important role in facilitating engagement and knowledge transfer between the various actors. Especially at the outset but at every step, it is critical that patients and the public understand that trade-offs are inherent in priority-setting, and careful efforts should be made to engage them, and to hear their views throughout the process. There is thus no single approach to capacity building; rather a spectrum of activities that recognises the roles and skills of all stakeholders. A range of methods, including formal and informal training, networking and engagement, and support through collaboration on projects, should be flexibly employed (and tailored to specific needs of each country) to support institutionalisation of evidence-informed priority-setting. Finally, capacity building should be a two-way process; those who build capacity should also attend to their own capacity

  8. Comparing nurse managers and nurses' perceptions of nurses' self-leadership during capacity building.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jooste, Karien; Cairns, Lindi

    2014-05-01

    This paper compares the perceptions of nurse managers and nurses about self-leadership of professional nurses while taking ownership of capacity building during unit management. The Nursing Strategy for South Africa states that the competency of nurses is dependent upon factors that lead to capacity building. A quantitative design was followed by conducting a survey. The target population included nurse managers and professional nurses working at an academic public hospital in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The findings indicate shortcomings in relation to advising professional nurses about self-direction while taking ownership of their daily pressures and stresses associated with unit management. Professional nurses should develop their confidence by focusing on their self-leadership strengths when managing a unit. Recommendations are made to promote self-leadership while taking ownership of nurses during capacity building of unit management. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Principles, components and appropriateness of capacity building

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Wall, K

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available stream_source_info Wall10_2010.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 279838 Content-Encoding ISO-8859-1 stream_name Wall10_2010.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Winds..., the motivation and inspiration of people to improve their lives.? ? A less complex statement of unknown origin is that: ?Capacity building is the process of assisting people to develop the technical and decision making skills to address their own needs...

  10. Utilization of information communication technology (ICT) - Based training / learning for capacity building in radiation protection framework

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oluyemi, I.O.D.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Radiation protection is the science of protecting people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation, which includes both particle radiation and high energy electromagnetic radiation. It includes occupational radiation protection, which is the protection of workers; medical radiation protection, which is the protection of patients; and public radiation protection, which is about protection of individual members of the public, and of the population as a whole. ICT has made possible the development of e-learning and several Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs) which can support a wide range of capacity building requirements, ranging from under-graduate and post-graduate programmes, continuing professional development courses, right through to short subject specific and research courses, thereby eliminating the problems of conventional forms of training / learning, some of which are: limited access, cost effectiveness and language / cultural barriers. This paper focuses on the utilization of these ICT-based training / learning for capacity building in radiation protection framework and concludes with suggestions on implementation strategies. (author)

  11. Building school-wide capacity for improvement: the role of leadership, school organizational conditions, and teacher factors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Thoonen, E.E.J.; Sleegers, P.J.C.; Oort, F.J.; Peetsma, T.T.D.

    2012-01-01

    Education policies for greater accountability of schools assume that schools are capable of building their capacity for continuous improvement. While policy-makers, scholars, and practitioners acknowledge the importance of building school-wide capacity for continuous improvement, empirical evidence

  12. Building school-wide capacity for improvement: the role of leadership, school organizational conditions and teacher factors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Thoonen, E.E.J.; Thoonen, E.E.J.; Sleegers, P.J.C.; Oort, F.J.; Peetsma, T.T.D.

    2012-01-01

    Education policies for greater accountability of schools assume that schools are capable of building their capacity for continuous improvement. While policy-makers, scholars, and practitioners acknowledge the importance of building school-wide capacity for continuous improvement, empirical evidence

  13. Evaluating the engagement of universities in capacity building for sustainable development in local communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiel, Chris; Leal Filho, Walter; do Paço, Arminda; Brandli, Luciana

    2016-02-01

    Universities have the potential to play a leading role in enabling communities to develop more sustainable ways of living and working however, sustainable communities may only emerge with facilitation, community learning and continual efforts to build their capacities. Elements of programme planning and evaluation on the one hand, and capacity building on the other, are needed. The latter entails approaches and processes that may contribute to community empowerment; universities may either lead such approaches, or be key partners in an endeavour to empower communities to address the challenges posed by the need for sustainable development. Although capacity building and the promotion of sustainable development locally, are on the agenda for universities who take seriously regional engagement, very little is published that illustrates or describes the various forms of activities that take place. Further, there is a paucity of studies that have evaluated the work performed by universities in building capacity for sustainable development at the local level. This paper is an attempt to address this need, and entails an empirical study based on a sample of universities in the United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal and Brazil. The paper examines the extent to which capacity building for sustainable development is being undertaken, suggests the forms that this might take and evaluates some of the benefits for local communities. The paper concludes by reinforcing that universities have a critical role to play in community development; that role has to prioritise the sustainability agenda. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Testing a Web-Based, Trained-Peer Model to Build Capacity for Evidence-Based Practices in Community Mental Health Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    German, Ramaris E; Adler, Abby; Frankel, Sarah A; Stirman, Shannon Wiltsey; Pinedo, Paola; Evans, Arthur C; Beck, Aaron T; Creed, Torrey A

    2018-03-01

    Use of expert-led workshops plus consultation has been established as an effective strategy for training community mental health (CMH) clinicians in evidence-based practices (EBPs). Because of high rates of staff turnover, this strategy inadequately addresses the need to maintain capacity to deliver EBPs. This study examined knowledge, competency, and retention outcomes of a two-phase model developed to build capacity for an EBP in CMH programs. In the first phase, an initial training cohort in each CMH program participated in in-person workshops followed by expert-led consultation (in-person, expert-led [IPEL] phase) (N=214 clinicians). After this cohort completed training, new staff members participated in Web-based training (in place of in-person workshops), followed by peer-led consultation with the initial cohort (Web-based, trained-peer [WBTP] phase) (N=148). Tests of noninferiority assessed whether WBTP was not inferior to IPEL at increasing clinician cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) competency, as measured by the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale. WBTP was not inferior to IPEL at developing clinician competency. Hierarchical linear models showed no significant differences in CBT knowledge acquisition between the two phases. Survival analyses indicated that WBTP trainees were less likely than IPEL trainees to complete training. In terms of time required from experts, WBTP required 8% of the resources of IPEL. After an initial investment to build in-house CBT expertise, CMH programs were able to use a WBTP model to broaden their own capacity for high-fidelity CBT. IPEL followed by WBTP offers an effective alternative to build EBP capacity in CMH programs, rather than reliance on external experts.

  15. CAPACITY BUILDING OF TEACHERS THROUGH DISTANCE MODE USING TELECONFERENCEING AS AN INNOVATIVE TOOL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manas RANJAN PANIGRAHI

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA is a national programme to the goals of Universalization of Elementary Education in India. Distance Education Programme (DEP plays a major role in providing technical support to the states in building capacity among institutions and people at national, state, district and sub-district levels to design, develop, produce and deliver distance learning inputs and materials in a recurrent manner. Rajasthan Council of Primary Education, Jaipur and DEP-SSA, IGNOU, New Delhi has organized 07 content based teleconferences during the period January, 2005 to October, 2005 for the capacity building of elementary school teachers. The main Objective of the study was to find out the effectiveness of the capacity building of teachers through distance mode using teleconferencing as an innovative tool. Method: the researcher was used survey method under descriptive research for investigating the impact of teleconference programmes organized on different topics and areas. Sample: The sample consists of 4775 elementary school teachers as participants from the different learning ends of the Rajasthan were selected for the study. Tools: The DEP-SSA, IGNOU developed structured opinionnaire/feedback format to know the effectiveness of teleconference programme. Data analysis: The collected data were tabulated and analyzed with the percentage techniques and it is presented in table. Finding: Most of the teacher respondents agreed on the positive contribution of teleconferencing towards capacity building of teachers.

  16. Hackathons as A Capacity Building Tool for Environmental Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bye, B. L.; Mildorf, T.; Charvat, K.; Berre, A. J.

    2017-12-01

    Today's society requires easy, reliable and quick access to environmental information published by various organizations and initiatives. The environment questions require many activities that produce various sorts of data; by authorities through operation of instruments such as satellites, and through informal local and community activities producing videos, photos or oral stories. The collected information can contribute to up-to-date data. Volunteered geographic information (VGI) is the harnessing of tools to create, assemble, and disseminate geographic data provided voluntarily by individuals. Under the INSPIRE (Infrastructure for spatial information in Europe) umbrella, a number of EU projects co-organize hackathons - the INSPIRE Hack. The INSPIRE Hack focuses on methods where citizens are able to contribute to different environmental and societal issues through smart phones and other sensors. The INSPIRE Hack supports creativity, innovation, technical capabilities and knowledge sharing by combining open data, VGI, and data from citizens observatories or other citizen science activities. This presentation offer a capacity building perspective on the INSPIRE hackathons, the co-design aspects and the argility with respect to the accelerating technological and social innovations, and effective up-take in societal use. Starting in Europe, the concept can be broadened to encompass all continents.

  17. BigData as a Driver for Capacity Building in Astrophysics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shastri, Prajval

    2015-08-01

    Exciting public interest in astrophysics acquires new significance in the era of Big Data. Since Big Data involves advanced technologies of both software and hardware, astrophysics with Big Data has the potential to inspire young minds with diverse inclinations - i.e., not just those attracted to physics but also those pursuing engineering careers. Digital technologies have become steadily cheaper, which can enable expansion of the Big Data user pool considerably, especially to communities that may not yet be in the astrophysics mainstream, but have high potential because of access to thesetechnologies. For success, however, capacity building at the early stages becomes key. The development of on-line pedagogical resources in astrophysics, astrostatistics, data-mining and data visualisation that are designed around the big facilities of the future can be an important effort that drives such capacity building, especially if facilitated by the IAU.

  18. Building the capacity of policy-makers and planners to strengthen mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roxanne Keynejad

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the interventions required to build the capacity of mental health policy-makers and planners in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs. We conducted a systematic review with the primary aim of identifying and synthesizing the evidence base for building the capacity of policy-makers and planners to strengthen mental health systems in LMICs. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, Web of Knowledge, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, LILACS, ScieELO, Google Scholar and Cochrane databases for studies reporting evidence, experience or evaluation of capacity-building of policy-makers, service planners or managers in mental health system strengthening in LMICs. Reports in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French or German were included. Additional papers were identified by hand-searching references and contacting experts and key informants. Database searches yielded 2922 abstracts and 28 additional papers were identified. Following screening, 409 full papers were reviewed, of which 14 fulfilled inclusion criteria for the review. Data were extracted from all included papers and synthesized into a narrative review. Results Only a small number of mental health system-related capacity-building interventions for policy-makers and planners in LMICs were described. Most models of capacity-building combined brief training with longer term mentorship, dialogue and/or the establishment of networks of support. However, rigorous research and evaluation methods were largely absent, with studies being of low quality, limiting the potential to separate mental health system strengthening outcomes from the effects of associated contextual factors. Conclusions This review demonstrates the need for partnership approaches to building the capacity of mental health policy-makers and planners in LMICs, assessed rigorously against pre-specified conceptual frameworks and hypotheses, utilising longitudinal evaluation and mixed

  19. Capacity Building on the Use of Earth Observation for Bridging the Gaps between Science and Policy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thapa, R. B.; Bajracharya, B.

    2017-12-01

    Although the geospatial technologies and Earth observation (EO) data are getting more accessible, lack of skilled human resources and institutional capacities are the major hurdles in the effective applications in Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region. Designing efficient and cost effective capacity building (CB) programs fitting needs by different users on the use of EO information for decision making will provide options in bridging the gaps in the region. This paper presents the strategies adopted by SERVIR-HKH as an attempt to strengthen the capacity of governments and development stakeholders in the region. SERVIR-HKH hub plays vital role in CB on EO applications by bringing together the leading scientists from the Globe and the key national institutions and stakeholders in the region. We conducted country consultation workshops in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Nepal to identify national priorities, requirements and the capacity of the institutions to utilize EO information in decision making. The need assessments were focused on four thematic areas of SERVIR where capacity gaps in utilization of EO data in policy decisions were identified in thirteen key service areas. Geospatial capacities in GIT infrastructure, data, and human resources were varied. Linking EO information to policy decision is mostly lacking. Geospatial data sharing provision among the institutions in the region is poor. We developed a capacity building strategy for HKH region which bridges the gaps in a coordinated manner through customized training programs, institutional strengthening, coordination and regional cooperation. Using the strategy, we conducted training on FEWS NET remote sensing products for agro-climatological analysis, which focused on technical interpretation and analysis of the remote sensing and modeled products, eg, CHIRPS, RFE2, CHIRTS, GFS, NDVI, GeoCLIM and GeoGLAM. Scientists from USGS FEWS NET program delivered the training to mid-level managers and decision

  20. A Catalyst-for-Change Approach to Evaluation Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia-Iriarte, Edurne; Suarez-Balcazar, Yolanda; Taylor-Ritzler, Tina; Luna, Maria

    2011-01-01

    Evaluation capacity building (ECB) has become a popular approach for helping community-based organizations (CBOs) to meet their funders' demands for accountability. This case study reports the ECB process with one staff member using a catalyst-for-change approach. The authors analyzed the role of the catalyst in diffusing evaluation knowledge and…

  1. Sustainable School Improvement: Suburban Elementary Principals' Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Alison J.

    2017-01-01

    The increase of intense pressures to ensure long-term education reforms have created a challenge for school leaders as they direct and nurture the abilities of others. The purpose of this research was to understand and describe suburban elementary principals' practices and perceptions as change leaders related to capacity building through the…

  2. Experiments in engagement: Designing public engagement with science and technology for capacity building.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Selin, Cynthia; Rawlings, Kelly Campbell; de Ridder-Vignone, Kathryn; Sadowski, Jathan; Altamirano Allende, Carlo; Gano, Gretchen; Davies, Sarah R; Guston, David H

    2017-08-01

    Public engagement with science and technology is now widely used in science policy and communication. Touted as a means of enhancing democratic discussion of science and technology, analysis of public engagement with science and technology has shown that it is often weakly tied to scientific governance. In this article, we suggest that the notion of capacity building might be a way of reframing the democratic potential of public engagement with science and technology activities. Drawing on literatures from public policy and administration, we outline how public engagement with science and technology might build citizen capacity, before using the notion of capacity building to develop five principles for the design of public engagement with science and technology. We demonstrate the use of these principles through a discussion of the development and realization of the pilot for a large-scale public engagement with science and technology activity, the Futurescape City Tours, which was carried out in Arizona in 2012.

  3. School Mental Health: The Impact of State and Local Capacity-Building Training

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephan, Sharon; Paternite, Carl; Grimm, Lindsey; Hurwitz, Laura

    2014-01-01

    Despite a growing number of collaborative partnerships between schools and community-based organizations to expand school mental health (SMH) service capacity in the United States, there have been relatively few systematic initiatives focused on key strategies for large-scale SMH capacity building with state and local education systems. Based on a…

  4. Capacity building for health inequality monitoring in Indonesia: enhancing the equity orientation of country health information system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseinpoor, Ahmad Reza; Nambiar, Devaki; Tawilah, Jihane; Schlotheuber, Anne; Briot, Benedicte; Bateman, Massee; Davey, Tamzyn; Kusumawardani, Nunik; Myint, Theingi; Nuryetty, Mariet Tetty; Prasetyo, Sabarinah; Suparmi; Floranita, Rustini

    Inequalities in health represent a major problem in many countries, including Indonesia. Addressing health inequality is a central component of the Sustainable Development Goals and a priority of the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO provides technical support for health inequality monitoring among its member states. Following a capacity-building workshop in the WHO South-East Asia Region in 2014, Indonesia expressed interest in incorporating health-inequality monitoring into its national health information system. This article details the capacity-building process for national health inequality monitoring in Indonesia, discusses successes and challenges, and how this process may be adapted and implemented in other countries/settings. We outline key capacity-building activities undertaken between April 2016 and December 2017 in Indonesia and present the four key outcomes of this process. The capacity-building process entailed a series of workshops, meetings, activities, and processes undertaken between April 2016 and December 2017. At each stage, a range of stakeholders with access to the relevant data and capacity for data analysis, interpretation and reporting was engaged with, under the stewardship of state agencies. Key steps to strengthening health inequality monitoring included capacity building in (1) identification of the health topics/areas of interest, (2) mapping data sources and identifying gaps, (3) conducting equity analyses using raw datasets, and (4) interpreting and reporting inequality results. As a result, Indonesia developed its first national report on the state of health inequality. A number of peer-reviewed manuscripts on various aspects of health inequality in Indonesia have also been developed. The capacity-building process undertaken in Indonesia is designed to be adaptable to other contexts. Capacity building for health inequality monitoring among countries is a critical step for strengthening equity-oriented national health

  5. Skills, systems and supports: An Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (Apunipima) approach to building health promotion evaluation capacity of staff.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nichols, Nina; McFarlane, Kathryn; Gibson, Priscilla; Millard, Fiona; Packer, Andrew; McDonald, Malcolm

    2018-04-01

    Building the health promotion evaluation capacity of a workforce requires more than a focus on individual skills and confidence. We must also consider the organisational systems and supports that enable staff to embed learnings into practice. This paper describes the processes used to build health promotion evaluation capacity of staff in an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Service (ACCHS). To build health promotion evaluation capacity three approaches were used: (i) workshops and mentoring; (ii) strengthening systems to support program reporting; and (iii) recruitment of staff with skills and experience. Pre- and post-questionnaires determined levels of individual skills and confidence, updated systems were assessed for adequacy to support new health promotion practices and surveys captured the usefulness of workshops and mentoring. There was increased participant skills and confidence. Participants completed program impact evaluation reports and results were successfully presented at national conferences. The health promotion team was then able to update in-house systems to support new health promotion practices. Ongoing collaboration with experienced in-house researchers provided basic research training and professional mentoring. Building health promotion evaluation capacity of staff in an ACCHS can be achieved by providing individual skill development, strengthening organisational systems and utilising professional support. SO WHAT?: Health promotion practitioners have an ongoing professional obligation to improve the quality of routine practice and embrace new initiatives. This report outlines a process of building evaluation capacity that promotes quality reporting of program impacts and outcomes, reflects on ways to enhance program strengths, and communicates these findings internally and to outside professional bodies. This is particularly significant for ACCHSs responsible for addressing the high burden of preventable disease in Aboriginal and

  6. Sexual Health Promotion Programme: Participants' Perspectives on Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keogh, Brian; Daly, Louise; Sharek, Danika; De Vries, Jan; McCann, Edward; Higgins, Agnes

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate a Health Service Executive (HSE) Foundation Programme in Sexual Health Promotion (FPSHP) with a specific emphasis on capacity building. Design: A mixed-method design using both quantitative and qualitative methods was used to collect the data. Setting: The FPSHP was delivered to staff working in…

  7. The Principal's Roles in Building Capacity for Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Sara Griffiths

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative dissertation explores how the principal's leadership roles build capacity for change and how chaos theory contributes to this understanding. The roles studied include distributive leadership, moral leadership, social justice leadership, democratic leadership, and instructional leadership. The tenets of chaos theory examined…

  8. Capacity Building in Open Medical Record System (OpenMRS) in ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Capacity Building in Open Medical Record System (OpenMRS) in Rwanda ... Partners in Health (PIH), an international nongovernmental organization, has demonstrated the usefulness of ... Journal articles ... will fund social science, population and public health, and health systems research relevant to the emerging crisis.

  9. Sustainable capacity building among immigrant communities: the raising sexually healthy children program in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narushima, Miya; Wong, Josephine Pui-Hing; Li, Anda; Sutdhibhasilp, Noulmook

    2014-03-01

    The Raising Sexually Healthy Children (RSHC) program is a peer-to-peer leadership training program for immigrant parents in Toronto, Canada. It was established in 1998 with the goal of promoting family sex education and parent-child communication. This evaluative study examined the developmental processes and outcomes of the RSHC program to identify the strengths, challenges and insights that can be used to improve the program. It employed a multi-case study approach to compare the RSHC programs delivered in the Chinese, Portuguese and Tamil communities. Data collection methods included focus groups, individual interviews and document analysis. The cross-case analysis identified both common and unique capacity building processes and outcomes in the three communities. In this paper, we report factors that have enhanced and hindered sustainable capacity building at the individual, group/organizational and community levels, and the strategies used by these communities to address challenges common to immigrant families. We will discuss the ecological and synergetic, but time-consuming processes of capacity building, which contributed to the sustainability of RSHC as an empowering health promotion program for immigrant communities. We conclude the paper by noting the implications of using a capacity building approach to promote family health in ethno-racial-linguistic minority communities.

  10. Building capacity for Health Impact Assessment: Training outcomes from the United States

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schuchter, Joseph [Berkeley, CA (United States); Rutt, Candace, E-mail: awr8@cdc.gov [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, 4770 Buford Highway MS/F-77, Atlanta, GA 30341 (United States); Satariano, William A. [University of California Berkeley, School of Public Health, Division of Community Health and Human Development, Berkeley, CA (United States); Seto, Edmund [University of Washington, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Seattle, WA (United States)

    2015-01-15

    Background: Despite the continued growth of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in the US, there is little research on HIA capacity-building. A comprehensive study of longer-term training outcomes may reveal opportunities for improving capacity building activities and HIA practice. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with HIA trainees in the United States to assess their outcomes and needs. Using a training evaluation framework, we measured outcomes across a spectrum of reaction, learning, behavior and results. Results: From 2006 to 2012, four organizations trained over 2200 people in at least 75 in-person HIA trainings in 29 states. We interviewed 48 trainees, selected both randomly and purposefully. The mean duration between training and interview was 3.4 years. Trainees reported that their training objectives were met, especially when relevant case-studies were used. They established new collaborations at the trainings and maintained them. Training appeared to catalyze more holistic thinking and practice, including a range of HIA-related activities. Many trainees disseminated what they learned and engaged in components of HIA, even without dedicated funding. Going forward, trainees need assistance with quantitative methods, project management, community engagement, framing recommendations, and evaluation. Conclusions: The research revealed opportunities for a range of HIA stakeholders to refine and coordinate training resources, apply a competency framework and leverage complimentary workforce development efforts, and sensitize and build the capacity of communities. - Highlights: • We interviewed HIA trainees in the United States to assess longer-term outcomes. • Training appeared to catalyze a range of beneficial partnerships and activities. • Trainees reported outstanding needs for specific skills and competencies. • There are various opportunities to improve training and capacity-building.

  11. Building capacity for Health Impact Assessment: Training outcomes from the United States

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schuchter, Joseph; Rutt, Candace; Satariano, William A.; Seto, Edmund

    2015-01-01

    Background: Despite the continued growth of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in the US, there is little research on HIA capacity-building. A comprehensive study of longer-term training outcomes may reveal opportunities for improving capacity building activities and HIA practice. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with HIA trainees in the United States to assess their outcomes and needs. Using a training evaluation framework, we measured outcomes across a spectrum of reaction, learning, behavior and results. Results: From 2006 to 2012, four organizations trained over 2200 people in at least 75 in-person HIA trainings in 29 states. We interviewed 48 trainees, selected both randomly and purposefully. The mean duration between training and interview was 3.4 years. Trainees reported that their training objectives were met, especially when relevant case-studies were used. They established new collaborations at the trainings and maintained them. Training appeared to catalyze more holistic thinking and practice, including a range of HIA-related activities. Many trainees disseminated what they learned and engaged in components of HIA, even without dedicated funding. Going forward, trainees need assistance with quantitative methods, project management, community engagement, framing recommendations, and evaluation. Conclusions: The research revealed opportunities for a range of HIA stakeholders to refine and coordinate training resources, apply a competency framework and leverage complimentary workforce development efforts, and sensitize and build the capacity of communities. - Highlights: • We interviewed HIA trainees in the United States to assess longer-term outcomes. • Training appeared to catalyze a range of beneficial partnerships and activities. • Trainees reported outstanding needs for specific skills and competencies. • There are various opportunities to improve training and capacity-building

  12. Towards high-reliability organising in healthcare: a strategy for building organisational capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aboumatar, Hanan J; Weaver, Sallie J; Rees, Dianne; Rosen, Michael A; Sawyer, Melinda D; Pronovost, Peter J

    2017-08-01

    In a high-reliability organisation (HRO), safety and quality (SQ) is an organisational priority, and all workforce members are engaged, continuously learning and improving their work. To build organisational capacity for SQ work, we have developed a role-tailored capacity-building framework that we are currently employing at the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality as part of an organisational strategy towards HRO. This framework considers organisation-wide competencies for SQ that includes all staff and faculty and is integrated into a broader organisation-wide operating management system for improving quality. In this framework, achieving safe, high-quality care is connected to healthcare workforce preparedness. Capacity-building efforts are tailored to the needs of distinct groups within the workforce that fall within three categories: (1) front-line providers and staff, (2) managers and local improvement personnel and (3) SQ leaders and experts. In this paper we describe this framework, our implementation efforts to date, challenges met and lessons learnt. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  13. Veterinary public health capacity-building in India: a grim reflection of the developing world's underpreparedness to address zoonotic risks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakkar, Manish; Abbas, Syed Shahid; Kumar, Ashok; Hussain, Mohammad Akhtar; Sharma, Kavya; Bhatt, Purvi Mehta; Zodpey, Sanjay

    2013-01-01

    Veterinary public health (VPH) is ideally suited to promote convergence between human, animal and environmental sectors. Recent zoonotic and emerging infectious disease events have given rise to increasing calls for efforts to build global VPH capacities. However, even with their greater vulnerability to such events, including their economic and livelihood impacts, the response from low-and middle-income countries such as India has been suboptimal, thereby elevating global health risks. Addressing risks effectively at the human-animal interface in these countries will require a clear vision, consistent policies, strategic approach and sustained political commitment to reform and refine the current VPH capacity-building efforts. Only then can the discipline serve its goal of disease prevention, poverty alleviation and support for sustainable livelihoods through improvements in human and animal health.

  14. Harnessing the power of South-South partnerships to build capacity ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    and opportunities for South-South partnerships and learning is a potential ... programmes on IPV prevention and transforming men and masculinities show promise in building capacity and sharing expertise through North-South initiatives ( ... violence prevention aids researchers from LMICs to lead, fund, develop, test and ...

  15. Building partner capacity: the science behind the art

    OpenAIRE

    Hoover, Zachary T.; Self, James L.; Yu, David S.

    2016-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited Building Partner Capacity (BPC) is a key mission for special operations forces (SOF), yet there is a lack of consensus on which variables most significantly impact BPC success. This thesis uses quantitative and qualitative methods to explore the effects of cultural, economic, and support conditions on the outcome of BPC programs. It first constructs and analyzes a quantitative model that uses several preexisting conflict datasets. It t...

  16. Building research and evaluation capacity in population health: the NSW Health approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Barry; Stickney, Beth; Milat, Andrew; Campbell, Danielle; Thackway, Sarah

    2016-02-01

    Issue addressed An organisational culture that values and uses research and evaluation (R&E) evidence to inform policy and practice is fundamental to improving health outcomes. The 2016 NSW Government Program Evaluation Guidelines recommend investment in training and development to improve evaluation capacity. The purpose of this paper is to outline the approaches taken by the NSW Ministry of Health to develop R&E capacity and assess these against existing models of practice. Method The Ministry of Health's Centre for Epidemiology and Evidence (CEE) takes an evidence-based approach to building R&E capacity in population health. Strategies are informed by: the NSW Population Health Research Strategy, R&E communities of practice across the Ministry and health Pillar agencies and a review of the published evidence on evaluation capacity building (ECB). An internal survey is conducted biennially to monitor research activity within the Ministry's Population and Public Health Division. One representative from each of the six centres that make up the Division coordinates completion of the survey by relevant staff members for their centre. Results The review identified several ECB success factors including: implementing a tailored multifaceted approach; an organisational commitment to R&E; and offering experiential training and ongoing technical support to the workforce. The survey of research activity found that the Division funded a mix of research assets, research funding schemes, research centres and commissioned R&E projects. CEE provides technical advice and support services for staff involved in R&E and in 2015, 22 program evaluations were supported. R&E capacity building also includes a series of guides to assist policy makers, practitioners and researchers to commission, undertake and use policy-relevant R&E. Staff training includes workshops on critical appraisal, program logic and evaluation methods. From January 2013 to June 2014 divisional staff published 84

  17. Leading the Small Rural School in Iceland and Australia: Building Leadership Capacity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wildy, Helen; Siguräardóttir, Sigríäur Margrét; Faulkner, Robert

    2014-01-01

    This study builds on a set of Australian case studies exploring the impact of Place on the work of principals and of the importance of Place in the preparation and development of principals. The project compares the ways that principals in Iceland and Australia build leadership capacity in small rural schools. Leaders of small schools in both…

  18. TanZamBo Capacity Building for HIV Prevention Research Network ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    This grant will support the development of HIV/AIDS prevention trial expertise in Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia using existing collaborations between Africa, Canada and the United States. The Botswana-Tanzania-Zambia Capacity Building Network (TanZamBo) is composed of two African institutions with fairly well ...

  19. Capacity building for sustainable aquaculture and fisheries development in Myanmar

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Steins, N.A.; Bosma, R.H.; Taal, K.; Bolman, B.C.; Bink, E.; Dop, van H.; Dekker, A.; Numan, J.; Spek, van der G.; Pijl, van der W.

    2015-01-01

    This report presents the results of a Dutch public-private capacity building (Knowledge to Knowledge or K2K) mission for fostering sustainable aquaculture and fisheries development in Myanmar. The objectives of the K2K mission were to: 1) analyse Myanmar’s aquaculture and fisheries knowledge

  20. Coaching Leadership: Building Educational Leadership Capacity through Partnership. Second Edition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Jan

    2016-01-01

    "Coaching Leadership" is about building leadership capacity in individuals, and in institutions, through enhancing professional relationships. It is based on the importance of maximising potential, and harnessing the ongoing commitment and energy needed to meet personal and professional goals. This book is for anyone interested in…

  1. Intermediate Collaborative Adaptive Management Strategies Build Stakeholder Capacity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martha C. Monroe

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Efforts to implement collaborative adaptive management (CAM often suffer from challenges, such as an unwillingness of managers to share power, unresolved conflicts between stakeholders, and lack of capacity among stakeholders. Some aspects considered essential to CAM, e.g., trust and stakeholder capacity, may be more usefully viewed as goals for intermediate strategies rather than a set of initial conditions. From this perspective, intermediate steps that focus on social learning and building experience could overcome commonly cited barriers to CAM. An exploration of Springs Basin Working Groups, organized around major clusters of freshwater springs in north Florida, provides a case study of how these intermediate steps enable participants to become more reasonable and engaged. This strategy may be easily implemented by agencies beginning a CAM process.

  2. Networking for knowledge capacity building of procurement professionals in Ghana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kissi Ernest

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The role of public procurement professionals in achieving value for money in public procurement activities is widely acknowledged around the globe. This has inspired the organisation of training programmes and workshops for procurement professionals, particularly those in developing countries in order to hone their knowledge and skills for proper management of government projects. This paper sought to explore the opportunities in networking for knowledge capacity building of procurement professionals in Ghana. The study adopted quantitative research methods for both data collection and analysis. The paper revealed that professional networking can offer procurement professionals the opportunity to acquire new knowledge from external professionals, know global trends about procurement practice, and obtain new information from other institutions about procurement. It is recommended that a platform that can support a network of procurement professionals in Ghana should be developed in order to ensure effective interaction and communication among procurement professionals for their capacity building.

  3. The role of extension in building capacity and resilience in Australian rural industries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hunt, Warren

    2014-01-01

    This thesis investigates the evolution of Australian agricultural extension services since the 19th Century and how it has transitioned over time. It defines the concepts of capacity and resilience building in an Australian rural context, and provides two case studies that explain how capacity and

  4. Building capacity for HIV/AIDS prevention among Asian Pacific Islander organizations: the experience of a culturally appropriate capacity-building program in Southern California.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takahashi, Lois M; Candelario, Jury; Young, Tim; Mediano, Elizabeth

    2007-01-01

    This article has two goals: (1) to outline a conceptual model for culturally appropriate HIV prevention capacity building; (2) to present the experiences from a 3-year program provided by Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team to Asian Pacific Islander (API) organizations in southern California. The participating organizations were of two types: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) social organizations and social service agencies not targeting LGBTQ. These organizations were selected for participation because of their commitment to HIV/AIDS issues in API communities. An organizational survey and staff observations were used to explore changes in capacity. The organizations were mostly small, targeted diverse populations, served a large geographic area (southern California as a region), and were knowledgeable about HIV. Organizations became more viable (more capacity in human resources, financial, external relations, and strategic management), but also more unstable (large growth in paid staff and board members), and showed more capacity in HIV knowledge environments (especially less stigma and more sensitivity to diverse populations). The results suggest that capacity can expand over a short period of time, but as capacity increases, organizational viability/stability and HIV knowledge environments change, meaning that different types of technical assistance would be needed for sustainability.

  5. Capacity building for tropical coastal ecosystems management using a dynamic teaching model

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lindberg, Annika Büchert; Nielsen, Thomas; Macintosh, Donald

    2008-01-01

    This learning opportunity illustrates effective capacity building through a dynamic teaching model that involves you and gives you personal experiences. The teaching model is easy to adapt to local environments and the learning opportunity is relevant to everyone working in coastal natural resource...... in combining knowledge and methods and applying these in a real life situation. Objectives: The participants will apply the acquired knowledge of ecosystems and project management tools when describing ecosystem services and when planning a project The participants will act as different stakeholders during...... the role play and hereby gain experience from a situation mimicking real life project situation.; The participants will experience how dynamic teaching can improve capacity building....

  6. Building Capacity to Use NASA Earth Observations in the Water Resource Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Childs-Gleason, L. M.; Ross, K. W.; Crepps, G.; Clayton, A.; Ruiz, M. L.; Rogers, L.; Allsbrook, K. N.

    2017-12-01

    The NASA DEVELOP National Program builds capacity to use and apply NASA Earth observations to address environmental concerns around the globe. The DEVELOP model builds capacity in both participants (students, recent graduates, and early and transitioning career professionals) who conduct the projects and partners (decision and policy makers) who are recipients of project methodologies and results. Projects focus on a spectrum of thematic topics, including water resource management which made up 30% of the DEVELOP FY2017 portfolio. During this period, DEVELOP conducted water-focused feasibility studies in collaboration with 22 partners across 13 U.S. states and five countries. This presentation will provide an overview of needs identified, DEVELOP's response, data sources, challenges, and lessons learned.

  7. Sustainable School Capacity Building--One Step Back, Two Steps Forward?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinham, Stephen; Crowther, Frank

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to serve as an introduction to and overview of this special issue of the "Journal of Educational Administration" entitled "Building organisational capacity in school education". The co-editors have solicited contributions from authors in Wales, Australia, Canada, the USA, England, Hong Kong and New…

  8. A framework to evaluate research capacity building in health care

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cooke Jo

    2005-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Building research capacity in health services has been recognised internationally as important in order to produce a sound evidence base for decision-making in policy and practice. Activities to increase research capacity for, within, and by practice include initiatives to support individuals and teams, organisations and networks. Little has been discussed or concluded about how to measure the effectiveness of research capacity building (RCB Discussion This article attempts to develop the debate on measuring RCB. It highlights that traditional outcomes of publications in peer reviewed journals and successful grant applications may be important outcomes to measure, but they may not address all the relevant issues to highlight progress, especially amongst novice researchers. They do not capture factors that contribute to developing an environment to support capacity development, or on measuring the usefulness or the 'social impact' of research, or on professional outcomes. The paper suggests a framework for planning change and measuring progress, based on six principles of RCB, which have been generated through the analysis of the literature, policy documents, empirical studies, and the experience of one Research and Development Support Unit in the UK. These principles are that RCB should: develop skills and confidence, support linkages and partnerships, ensure the research is 'close to practice', develop appropriate dissemination, invest in infrastructure, and build elements of sustainability and continuity. It is suggested that each principle operates at individual, team, organisation and supra-organisational levels. Some criteria for measuring progress are also given. Summary This paper highlights the need to identify ways of measuring RCB. It points out the limitations of current measurements that exist in the literature, and proposes a framework for measuring progress, which may form the basis of comparison of RCB

  9. Disseminating online tools for building capacity among community practitioners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holt, Christina M; Fawcett, Stephen B; Schultz, Jerry A; Jones, Jami A; Berkowitz, Bill; Wolff, Thomas J; Francisco, Vincent T; Rabinowitz, Philip W

    2013-01-01

    To prepare the workforce for building healthier communities, we need to assure capabilities of a diverse and geographically distributed community of practitioners. Although the Internet is used extensively to disseminate practice information, less is known about the relative impact of various strategies for promoting its use. This empirical case study examines implementation of dissemination strategies and their association with increased user sessions in the online Community Tool Box (CTB), a widely used resource for community building. Dissemination activities included social media efforts, eNewsletters, search engine optimization efforts, partnering with other Web sites, and implementing a global Out of the Box Prize. Results suggest that increased user sessions were associated with search optimization and "mashups" delivering CTB content through partners' Web sites. The report concludes with a discussion of challenges and opportunities in promoting widespread use of capacity-building tools among those working to improve their communities.

  10. Building capacity in VA to provide emergency gynecology services for women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordasco, Kristina M; Huynh, Alexis K; Zephyrin, Laurie; Hamilton, Alison B; Lau-Herzberg, Amy E; Kessler, Chad S; Yano, Elizabeth M

    2015-04-01

    Visits to Veterans Administration (VA) emergency departments (EDs) are increasingly being made by women. A 2011 national inventory of VA emergency services for women revealed that many EDs have gaps in their resources and processes for gynecologic emergency care. To guide VA in addressing these gaps, we sought to understand factors acting as facilitators and/or barriers to improving VA ED capacity for, and quality of, emergency gynecology care. Semistructured interviews with VA emergency and women's health key informants. ED directors/providers (n=14), ED nurse managers (n=13), and Women Veteran Program Managers (n=13) in 13 VA facilities. Leadership, staff, space, demand, funding, policies, and community were noted as important factors influencing VA EDs building capacity and improving emergency gynecologic care for women Veterans. These factors are intertwined and cross multiple organizational levels so that each ED's capacity is a reflection not only of its own factors, but also those of its local medical center and non-VA community context as well as VA regional and national trends and policies. Policies and quality improvement initiatives aimed at building VA's emergency gynecologic services for women need to be multifactorial and aimed at multiple organizational levels. Policies need to be flexible to account for wide variations across EDs and their medical center and community contexts. Approaches that build and encourage local leadership engagement, such as evidence-based quality improvement methodology, are likely to be most effective.

  11. PENGARUH CAPACITY BUILDING PADA PEMAHAMAN PRINSIP GOOD GOVERNANCE DALAM MENINGKATKAN KINERJA APARATUR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Darwanis Darwanis

    2015-01-01

    staffs’performance and the application of good governance local state financial effectivity at Kabupaten Bireuen. The result were also indicated that partially capacity building unaffected the financial effectivity.

  12. Building Capacity for Evidence-Based Public Health: Reconciling the Pulls of Practice and the Push of Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brownson, Ross C; Fielding, Jonathan E; Green, Lawrence W

    2018-04-01

    Timely implementation of principles of evidence-based public health (EBPH) is critical for bridging the gap between discovery of new knowledge and its application. Public health organizations need sufficient capacity (the availability of resources, structures, and workforce to plan, deliver, and evaluate the preventive dose of an evidence-based intervention) to move science to practice. We review principles of EBPH, the importance of capacity building to advance evidence-based approaches, promising approaches for capacity building, and future areas for research and practice. Although there is general agreement among practitioners and scientists on the importance of EBPH, there is less clarity on the definition of evidence, how to find it, and how, when, and where to use it. Capacity for EBPH is needed among both individuals and organizations. Capacity can be strengthened via training, use of tools, technical assistance, assessment and feedback, peer networking, and incentives. Modest investments in EBPH capacity building will foster more effective public health practice.

  13. IEA Energy Training Capacity-building Programme

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2009-07-01

    The IEA has carried out training activities in energy-related areas from its origins as an agency, with the Emergency Response Exercises (ERE), designed to prepare member countries for oil supply disruption through a set of specially prepared drills simulating crisis conditions. The globalisation of world energy markets in recent years and the wider engagement of the IEA beyond its members have expanded this role, as demand for training instruction has increased. In response, the IEA has created the Energy Training and Capacity-Building Programme, which, through seminars and workshops, secondments and internships, will offer training in the methods and standards that make IEA work in a wide range of energy-related areas, including statistics, the international standard for objective policy recommendations.

  14. Capacity Building for School Development: Current Problems and Future Challenges

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Dora; Lee, Moosung

    2016-01-01

    This article offers a theoretical discussion on the current problems and future challenges of school capacity building in early childhood education (ECE), aiming to highlight some key areas for future research. In recent years, there has been a notable policy shift from monitoring quality through inspection to improving quality through school…

  15. Building Capacity in Health Systems and Policy Analysis in sub ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Building Capacity in Health Systems and Policy Analysis in sub-Saharan Africa. Since 2005, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has been financing the master's program in health and population at the Institut supérieure des sciences de la population (ISSP), Université de Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. However, after ...

  16. Building capacity for energy and electricity planning for sustainable development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-09-01

    The IAEA, through its Planning and Economic Studies Section (PESS), assists Member States to build their capacities to perform analyses for developing alternative strategies for sustainable energy development, evaluate the energy-economic-environmental implications and assess the potential contribution of nuclear energy in securing affordable and clean supplies of energy

  17. The Theory Question in Research Capacity Building in Education: Towards an Agenda for Research and Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biesta, Gert; Allan, Julie; Edwards, Richard

    2011-01-01

    The question of capacity building in education has predominantly been approached with regard to the methods and methodologies of educational research. Far less attention has been given to capacity building in relation to theory. In many ways the latter is as pressing an issue as the former, given that good research depends on a combination of high…

  18. Capacity building efforts and perceptions for wildlife surveillance to detect zoonotic pathogens: comparing stakeholder perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwind, Jessica S; Goldstein, Tracey; Thomas, Kate; Mazet, Jonna A K; Smith, Woutrina A

    2014-07-04

    The capacity to conduct zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife is critical for the recognition and identification of emerging health threats. The PREDICT project, a component of United States Agency for International Development's Emerging Pandemic Threats program, has introduced capacity building efforts to increase zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife in global 'hot spot' regions where zoonotic disease emergence is likely to occur. Understanding priorities, challenges, and opportunities from the perspectives of the stakeholders is a key component of any successful capacity building program. A survey was administered to wildlife officials and to PREDICT-implementing in-country project scientists in 16 participating countries in order to identify similarities and differences in perspectives between the groups regarding capacity needs for zoonotic pathogen surveillance in wildlife. Both stakeholder groups identified some human-animal interfaces (i.e. areas of high contact between wildlife and humans with the potential risk for disease transmission), such as hunting and markets, as important for ongoing targeting of wildlife surveillance. Similarly, findings regarding challenges across stakeholder groups showed some agreement in that a lack of sustainable funding across regions was the greatest challenge for conducting wildlife surveillance for zoonotic pathogens (wildlife officials: 96% and project scientists: 81%). However, the opportunity for improving zoonotic pathogen surveillance capacity identified most frequently by wildlife officials as important was increasing communication or coordination among agencies, sectors, or regions (100% of wildlife officials), whereas the most frequent opportunities identified as important by project scientists were increasing human capacity, increasing laboratory capacity, and the growing interest or awareness regarding wildlife disease or surveillance programs (all identified by 69% of project scientists). A One

  19. Building Capacity For Innovation Through R&D Consortia in Health Projects: From Network Interaction to Systemic Transformation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ria Hardiyati

    2017-12-01

    The research capacity in the area of vaccines has been long started from individual research conducted by researcher. It has been continued into organization research, and then developed into building innovation capacity through R&D consortia. However, in areas of stem cell there is still lack of evidence but it directly leaps to build innovation capacity through R&D consortia. Therefore further empirical evidence is needed to support the continuous trajectory.

  20. FHWA Research and Technology Evaluation: Public-Private Partnership Capacity Building Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-02-01

    This report details the evaluation of the Federal Highway Administrations Office of Innovative Program Delivery Public-Private Partnership (P3) Capacity Building Program (P3 Program). The evaluators focused on the P3 Programs P3 Toolkit as an e...

  1. Key Strategies for Building Research Capacity of University Faculty Members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huenneke, Laura F; Stearns, Diane M; Martinez, Jesse D; Laurila, Kelly

    2017-12-01

    Universities are under pressure to increase external research funding, and some federal agencies offer programs to expand research capacity in certain kinds of institutions. However, conflicts within faculty roles and other aspects of university operations influence the effectiveness of particular strategies for increasing research activity. We review conventional approaches to increasing research, focusing on outcomes for individual faculty members and use one federally-funded effort to build cancer-related research capacity at a public university as an example to explore the impact of various strategies on research outcomes. We close with hypotheses that should be tested in future formal studies.

  2. Building Sustainable Capacity with University Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harris, J. M.

    2013-05-01

    Universities can play an important role in building scientific and technical capacity by providing educational opportunities for local and regional populations in developing countries. These opportunities may be short term or long term through for example faculty exchanges, student exchanges, and collaborative teaching and research activities. As the demand for talented graduates expands in developing countries, local universities face competition for students, lecturers, and professors from the same industries and communities they serve. This competition is in many ways counterproductive to building the sustainable human resource that is needed to support local development, management, and governance. Such competition is particularly evident for top science and engineering students in energy rich countries. University partnerships, e.g., in particular those between universities in OECD countries and universities in developing countries, have an important role to play in bridging the gap between today's lack of capacity and a sustainable human resource for the future. Such university partnerships, however, face many challenges, some of which can be traced to organizational and cultural differences In this presentation, I will discuss how university partnerships are formed, some of the benefits to partners, and some pitfalls to avoid during implementation of university partnerships. The examples are taken from Stanford partnerships that involve geoscience and engineering, and will include representative goals and content of the example partnerships. These partnerships I'll describe are actually trilateral, with partners from two or more universities and a private company or government agency. I conclude the presentation with a brief discussion on multiculturalism, perhaps the most important consideration when planning a partnership between diverse organizations. Organizers of partnerships must recognize the fact that multiculturalism and diversity are assets that

  3. Development of human resource capacity building assistance for nuclear security

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Yo; Noro, Naoko

    2014-01-01

    The Integrated Support Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Nuclear Security (ISCN) of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has been providing nuclear security human resource development projects targeting at nuclear emerging countries in Asia in cooperation with the authorities concerned including the Sandia National Laboratory (SNL) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). In the aftermath of the attacks of Sept. 11, the threat of terrorism was internationally recognized and thus the human resource capacity building is underway as an urgent task. In order to responding to emerging threats, the human resource capacity building that ISCN has implemented thus far needs to be multilaterally analyzed in order to develop more effective training programs. This paper studies ISCN's future direction by analyzing its achievements, as well as introduces the collaborative relationships with SNL that contributes to the reflection and maintenance of international trends for the contents of nuclear security training, the nuclear security enhancement support with which Japan is to provide nuclear emerging countries in Asia, and the achievements of the nuclear security training program that ISCN implemented. (author)

  4. Achieving Health SDG 3 in Africa through NGO Capacity Building - Insights from the Gates Foundation Investment in Partnership in Advocacy for Child and Family Health (PACFaH) Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Judith-Ann

    2016-09-01

    As global impact investors gear up to support roll out of the Sustainable Development Goals in the developing world, African CSOs are urged to ensure that governments shift health funding sources away from aid and loans to innovative domestic funding sources which prioritize health. To do so, African CSOs require support to build their capacity for policy and budget advocacy. Governments and development partners have failed to invest in long term capacity building projects for indigenous NGOs and instead support INGOs to push the health advocacy agenda forward. In Nigeria, the Gates foundation has risen to the challenge of building capacity of indigenous NGOs for social accountability in child and family health. The 3 year pilot project - Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health Project (PACFaH) mainstreams capacity building as an effective implementation strategy for 8 indigenous NGOs to deliver on - policy; budgetary; legislative; and administrative advocacy in four issue areas: 1) family planning; 2) nutrition; 3) routine immunization; and 4) reduction of under-5 deaths from diarrhea and pneumonia. This paper documents the achievements of the eight advocacy NGOs in PACFaH, at midterm and notes that while there have been challenges, working through capacity building as an implementation strategy has enabled the local groups in the delivery of evidence based advocacy.

  5. Investing in nursing research in practice settings: a blueprint for building capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeffs, Lianne; Smith, Orla; Beswick, Susan; Maoine, Maria; Ferris, Ella

    2013-12-01

    Engaging clinical nurses in practice-based research is a cornerstone of professional nursing practice and a critical element in the delivery of high-quality patient care. Practising staff nurses are well suited to identify the phenomena and issues that are clinically relevant and appropriate for research. In response to the need to invest in and build capacity in nursing research, hospitals have developed creative approaches to spark interest in nursing research and to equip clinical nurses with research competencies. This paper outlines a Canadian hospital's efforts to build research capacity as a key strategy to foster efficacious, safe and cost-effective patient care practices. Within a multi-pronged framework, several strategies are described that collectively resulted in enhanced research and knowledge translation productivity aimed at improving the delivery of safe and high-quality patient care.

  6. Earth Sciences' Capacity Building In Developing Countries through International Programmes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eder, W.

    2007-12-01

    Within the framework of "traditional" programmes, like the joint UNESCO-IUGS "International Geoscience Programme" (IGCP), the "International Continental Scientific Drilling Program" (ICDP), the "Integrated Ocean Drilling Program" (IODP) or the "International Lithosphere Programme" (ILP) numerous opportunities are provided to strengthen postgraduate geo-scientific education of representatives from developing countries. Recently established new initiatives, such as the "International Year of Planet Earth" (IYPE) or UNESCO's Global Network of Geoparks complement these in addition as important components to UNESCO's 'Education for All' programme, notably the youth, as well as to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005 - 2014). The "International Year of Planet Earth" is a joint initiative of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and UNESCO. The central aims and ambitions of the Year, proclaimed for 2008 by the UN General Assembly, are to demonstrate the great potential of the Earth sciences in building a safer, healthier and wealthier society, and to encourage more widespread and effective application of this potential by targeting politicians and other decision-makers, educational systems, and the general public. Promotion of international collaboration, as well as capacity building and training of students of developing countries in all fields of Earth Sciences seem to be the most appropriate way to meet also the challenges of the IYPE. Another opportunity to improve the international recognition of Earth Scinces, also in developing countries, is the use of Geoparks as a promotional tool for education and popularization of Earth Sciences. Geoparks, notably those included in the European and/or Global Geoparks Networks, provide an international platform of cooperation and exchange between experts and practitioners in geological heritage matters, and are as such excellent instruments in highlighting Earth sciences. The

  7. Development, implementation and evaluation of a clinical research engagement and leadership capacity building program in a large Australian health care service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misso, Marie L; Ilic, Dragan; Haines, Terry P; Hutchinson, Alison M; East, Christine E; Teede, Helena J

    2016-01-14

    Health professionals need to be integrated more effectively in clinical research to ensure that research addresses clinical needs and provides practical solutions at the coal face of care. In light of limited evidence on how best to achieve this, evaluation of strategies to introduce, adapt and sustain evidence-based practices across different populations and settings is required. This project aims to address this gap through the co-design, development, implementation, evaluation, refinement and ultimately scale-up of a clinical research engagement and leadership capacity building program in a clinical setting with little to no co-ordinated approach to clinical research engagement and education. The protocol is based on principles of research capacity building and on a six-step framework, which have previously led to successful implementation and long-term sustainability. A mixed methods study design will be used. Methods will include: (1) a review of the literature about strategies that engage health professionals in research through capacity building and/or education in research methods; (2) a review of existing local research education and support elements; (3) a needs assessment in the local clinical setting, including an online cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews; (4) co-design and development of an educational and support program; (5) implementation of the program in the clinical environment; and (6) pre- and post-implementation evaluation and ultimately program scale-up. The evaluation focuses on research activity and knowledge, attitudes and preferences about clinical research, evidence-based practice and leadership and post implementation, about their satisfaction with the program. The investigators will evaluate the feasibility and effect of the program according to capacity building measures and will revise where appropriate prior to scale-up. It is anticipated that this clinical research engagement and leadership capacity building

  8. A Disability and Health Institutional Research Capacity Building and Infrastructure Model Evaluation: A Tribal College-Based Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Corey L.; Manyibe, Edward O.; Sanders, Perry; Aref, Fariborz; Washington, Andre L.; Robertson, Cherjuan Y.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this multimethod study was to evaluate the institutional research capacity building and infrastructure model (IRCBIM), an emerging innovative and integrated approach designed to build, strengthen, and sustain adequate disability and health research capacity (i.e., research infrastructure and investigators' research skills)…

  9. A model for Southern Mediterranean research institute self-assessment: a SWOT analysis-based approach to promote capacity building at Theodor Bilharz Research Institute in Cairo (Egypt).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghinolfi, Davide; El Baz, Hanan G; Borgonovi, Elio; Radwan, Amr; Laurence, Ola; Sayed, Hanan A; De Simone, Paolo; Abdelwadoud, Moaz; Stefani, Alessandro; Botros, Sanaa S; Filipponi, Franco

    2014-01-01

    THEBERA is a project funded by the European Union (EU), as an ERA-WIDE FP7 project, aiming to strengthen the Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI) capacities. A SWOT (strength/weakness/opportunities/threats) analysis of human, structural and organisational existing resources was performed in light of an extensive analysis of liver disease research and clinical management in Egypt, for a full understanding of TBRI needs. Strength and weakness features were identified and analysed, so were actions to be implemented and targets to be accomplished, to develop a business plan gathering the required critical mass (political, scientific, industrial, social) to select investment priorities, to sacrifice non-strategic areas of research, to promote national and international connections and industrial innovations, to update diagnostics and research device technologies and clinical management processes at European levels, to implement fundraising activities, to organise and properly assess training activities for young researchers, physicians, nurses, and technicians. Research institute self assessment is a priority need for sustainable capacity building and for future build-up of a competent health care research institute. Sustainable capacity building strategies must be designed on needs assessment, involving salient requirements: clear strategy, leverage of administrative capacities, industrial support and connections, systematised training programmes and enhancement of mobility of health care staff implemented within ill-defined boundaries and continuously re-evaluated with multiple feedback loops in order to build a complex, adaptable and reliable system based on value. Copyright © 2014 Arab Journal of Gastroenterology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Capacity building in the IAEA Action Plan on Nuclear Safety

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caruso, Gustavo

    2014-01-01

    Conclusion and Future Challenges: • Momentum on Nuclear Safety; • To continue strengthening, developing, maintaining and implementing capacity building programmes, including education, training and exercises at the national, regional and international levels; • To ensure sufficient and competent human resources necessary to assume responsibility for safety; • To incorporate lessons learned from the accident based on the IEMs and IAEA Fukushima Report

  11. Pre-capacity building in loosely-coupled collaborations: Setting the stage for future initiatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheryl A. Hyde

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This article examines the benefits and limitations of ‘loosely-coupled’ research collaborations between university faculty and 12 grassroots community-based organisations (CBOs. The authors assert that community-based research projects that develop the knowledge base within CBOs, and can be described as ‘pre-capacity building’ work, can be an important stepping stone to the subsequent development of more formal and strategic capacity-building partnership ventures. However, such projects must be approached carefully with a clear understanding of the ‘threshold dimensions’ that must be met before proceeding with any collaboration. Written as a cautionary tale, the authors identify some of the problems that arise when the threshold stage is poorly executed, and more generally speak to the dangers of initiating even loosely-coupled collaborations in the absence of an explicit and well-established campus commitment to and support for community engagement and partnerships. Keywords: Community capacity-building, community-university partnerships, community research, collaboration

  12. 20 CFR 628.325 - Incentive grants, capacity building, and technical assistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... capacity building and technical assistance efforts aimed at improving the competencies of the personnel who... developed with funds under this section are made available to be shared with other States, SDA's and the... contributing to the National Network. (2) All shared costs shall be allocated among the contributing funding...

  13. Building district-level capacity for continuous improvement in maternal and newborn health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stover, Kim Ethier; Tesfaye, Solomon; Frew, Aynalem Hailemichael; Mohammed, Hajira; Barry, Danika; Alamineh, Lamesgin; Teshome, Abebe; Hepburn, Kenneth; Sibley, Lynn M

    2014-01-01

    The Maternal and Newborn Health in Ethiopia Partnership (MaNHEP) adapted a collaborative improvement strategy to develop woreda (district) leadership capacity to support and facilitate continuous improvement of community maternal and neonatal health (CMNH) and to provide a model for other woredas, dubbed "lead" woredas. Community-level quality improvement (QI) teams tested solutions to improve CMNH care supported by monthly coaching and regular meetings to share experiences. This study examines the extent of the capacity built to support continuous improvement in CMNH care. Surveys and in-depth interviews assessed the extent to which MaNHEP developed improvement capacity. A survey questionnaire evaluated woreda culture, leadership support, motivation, and capacity for improvement activities. Interviews focused on respondents' understanding and perceived value of the MaNHEP improvement approach. Bivariate analyses and multivariate linear regression models were used to analyze the survey data. Interview transcripts were organized by region, cadre, and key themes. Respondents reported significant positive changes in many areas of woreda culture and leadership, including involving a cross-section of community stakeholders (increased from 3.0 to 4.6 on 5-point Likert scale), using improvement data for decision making (2.8-4.4), using locally developed and tested solutions to improve CMNH care (2.5-4.3), demonstrating a commitment to improve the health of women and newborns (2.6-4.2), and creating a supportive environment for coaches and QI teams to improve CMNH (2.6-4.0). The mean scores for capacity were 3.7 and higher, reflecting respondents' agreement that they had gained capacity in improvement skills. Interview respondents universally recognized the capacity built in the woredas. The themes of community empowerment and focused improvement emerged strongly from the interviews. MaNHEP was able to build capacity for continuous improvement and develop lead woredas. The

  14. Building Healthy Northern Communities Through Strengthening Capacity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glen Schmidt

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This study examines and evaluates the effects of one-time funding on capacity building of health and social welfare organizations in a remote and northern section of British Columbia Canada. The Province of British Columbia awarded a two million dollar grant (Canadian to the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC. Organizations applied for funds through a competitive process that was managed by the School of Social Work at UNBC. Twenty-five different community organizations and agencies received funding for a period of eighteen months. The organizations and agencies delivered a range of services and activities located in remote First Nations communities as well as the natural resource-based single industry towns of northern BC.

  15. Health research capacity building in Georgia: a case-based needs assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Squires, A; Chitashvili, T; Djibuti, M; Ridge, L; Chyun, D

    2017-06-01

    Research capacity building in the health sciences in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has typically focused on bench-science capacity, but research examining health service delivery and health workforce is equally necessary to determine the best ways to deliver care. The Republic of Georgia, formerly a part of the Soviet Union, has multiple issues within its healthcare system that would benefit from expended research capacity, but the current research environment needs to be explored prior to examining research-focused activities. The purpose of this project was to conduct a needs assessment focused on developing research capacity in the Republic of Georgia with an emphasis on workforce and network development. A case study approach guided by a needs assessment format. We conducted in-country, informal, semi-structured interviews in English with key informants and focus groups with faculty, students, and representatives of local non-governmental organizations. Purposive and snowball sampling approaches were used to recruit participants, with key informant interviews scheduled prior to arrival in country. Documents relevant to research capacity building were also included. Interview results were coded via content analysis. Final results were organized into a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threat) analysis format, with the report shared with participants. There is widespread interest among students and faculty in Georgia around building research capacity. Lack of funding was identified by many informants as a barrier to research. Many critical research skills, such as proposal development, qualitative research skills, and statistical analysis, were reported as very limited. Participants expressed concerns about the ethics of research, with some suggesting that research is undertaken to punish or 'expose' subjects. However, students and faculty are highly motivated to improve their skills, are open to a variety of learning modalities, and have

  16. The Capacity Building programmes of GITEWS – visions, goals, lessons learned, and re-iterated needs and demands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Schlurmann

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available It was envisioned that the framework of the German-Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System (GITEWS should achieve an integral architecture and overarching technical design of an end-to-end tsunami early warning system (TEWS. In order to achieve this ambitious goal on a national and local level, a tailored set of capacity building measures has been started and implemented. The programme was meant and designed to meet requirements and urgent needs considering awareness raising campaigns, technical trainings and higher level education programs. These components have been integrated as complementary modules in order to ensure facilitating the early warning system to be operated, maintained and improved, and that institutions and people in coastal areas will respond adequately and timely in case of future tsunamis. Remarkable progress has been accomplished as well as programs and campaigns are being implemented in regard to a sustainable capacity development conducted by national institutions in Indonesia. Yet, local administrative and preparedness efforts on the Indonesian coastlines are still underdeveloped. This stems from the fact of missing links towards sustainable coastal zone management schemes on a broad local level. Yet, the demand and urgent need for an adequate and integrated disaster risk reduction and management addressing also other hazards in the region of interest is (still substantial. Given the tragic loss of life and severe damages resulting from the December 2004 tsunami and recent series of severe earthquakes, the need for urgent mitigating action in the imperilled coastal regions of Sumatra and Java remains extremely high. The conceptual Capacity Building framework, its anticipated goals in the beginning of the project and, lately, the finally achieved objectives are promising. A significant contribution for mainstreaming scientific approaches and transfer methodological disaster risk reduction attempts towards other regions

  17. Reorienting health services in the Northern Territory of Australia: a conceptual model for building health promotion capacity in the workforce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Judd, Jenni; Keleher, Helen

    2013-06-01

    Reorienting work practices to include health promotion and prevention is complex and requires specific strategies and interventions. This paper presents original research that used 'real-world' practice to demonstrate that knowledge gathered from practice is relevant for the development of practice-based evidence. The paper shows how practitioners can inform and influence improvements in health promotion practice. Practitioner-informed evidence necessarily incorporates qualitative research to capture the richness of their reflective experiences. Using a participatory action research (PAR) approach, the research question asked 'what are the core dimensions of building health promotion capacity in a primary health care workforce in a real-world setting?' PAR is a method in which the researcher operates in full collaboration with members of the organisation being studied for the purposes of achieving some kind of change, in this case to increase the amount of health promotion and prevention practice within this community health setting. The PAR process involved six reflection and action cycles over two years. Data collection processes included: survey; in-depth interviews; a training intervention; observations of practice; workplace diaries; and two nominal groups. The listen/reflect/act process enabled lessons from practice to inform future capacity-building processes. This research strengthened and supported the development of health promotion to inform 'better health' practices through respectful change processes based on research, practitioner-informed evidence, and capacity-building strategies. A conceptual model for building health promotion capacity in the primary health care workforce was informed by the PAR processes and recognised the importance of the determinants approach. Practitioner-informed evidence is the missing link in the evidence debate and provides the links between evidence and its translation to practice. New models of health promotion service

  18. Capacity Building for Women in African Countries: A Case Study of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Capacity Building for Women in African Countries: A Case Study of Sierra Leone. ... In the case of women this has further inured from histories of discrimination most of which stems from socio-cultural factors and forces. Ongoing ... The paper is informed by conceptual analysis of existing literature and official documentation.

  19. The COSPAR Capacity Building Workshops: growing and expanding : Growing and expanding

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gabriel, Carlos; Willmore, Peter; Mendez, Mariano; Santolik, Ondrej; Pierre-Philippe Mathieu, .; Smith, Randall

    The COSPAR Capacity Building Workshops Program, inaugurated with a first workshop in X-ray astronomy in 2001 in Brazil, has not only grown considerably over the last 11 years, but has also broadened its scope, and now includes very diverse areas of space science. We will review the history of the

  20. ANALYSIS OF SUFFICIENCY OF THE BEARING CAPACITY OF BUILDING STRUCTURES OF OPERATING SITES OF MAIN BUILDINGS OF THERMAL POWER PLANTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alekseeva Ekaterina Leonidovna

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Upon examination of eleven main buildings of power plants, analysis of defects and damages of building structures was performed. Thereafter, the damageability of principal bearing structures of main buildings of thermal plants was analyzed. It was identified that the fastest growing defects and damages were concentrated in the structures of operating sites. The research of the rate of development of the most frequent damages and defects made it possible to conclude that internal corrosion of the reinforcing steel was the most dangerous defect, as far as the reinforced concrete elements of operating sites were concerned. Methods of mathematical statistics were applied to identify the reinforcing steel development pattern inside reinforced concrete elements of floors of operating sites. It was identified that the probability of corrosion of reinforced concrete elements of operating sites was distributed in accordance with the demonstrative law. Based on these data, calculation of strength of reinforced concrete slabs and metal beams was performed in terms of their regular sections, given the natural loads and the realistic condition of structures. As a result, dependence between the bearing capacity reserve ratio and the corrosion development pattern was identified for reinforced concrete slabs and metal beams of operating sites. In order to analyze the sufficiency of the bearing capacity of building structures of operating sites in relation to their time in commission, equations were derived to identify the nature of dependence between the sufficiency of the bearing capacity of reinforced concrete slabs and metal beams of the operating sites and their time in commission.

  1. From 'what' to 'how' -- capacity building in health promotion for HIV/AIDS prevention in the Solomon Islands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McPhail-Bell, Karen; MacLaren, David; Isihanua, Angela; MacLaren, Michelle

    2007-09-01

    This paper describes a capacity building process undertaken within the HIV/AIDS prevention project of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Solomon Islands. ADRA HIV/AIDS has recently reoriented its project structure, moving beyond its awareness raising approach to incorporate health promotion frameworks, theories, strategies and assumptions. These have been used to inform project practice in project planning, delivery and evaluation. This paper shares what has worked and not worked in the capacity building process, including a project evaluation of the initial HIV/AIDS awareness raising project and the application of a number of capacity building strategies, including utilising a volunteer Australian Youth Ambassador for Development (AYAD) funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Existing and new projects are outlined. The underlying theme is that any capacity building exercise must include structural support (e.g. management, national frameworks) to ensure the incorporation of new initiatives and approaches. With time this enables ownership by counterparts and external partnerships to develop. The presence of an AYAD volunteer has been an effective strategy to achieve this. Reflections from the evaluators, the AYAD volunteer and the HIV/AIDS team are included.

  2. Reorienting health services with capacity building: a case study of the Core Skills in Health Promotion Project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeatman, H R; Nove, T

    2002-12-01

    This paper presents a case study of the application of a framework for capacity building [Hawe, P., King, L., Noort, M., Jordens, C. and Lloyd, B. (2000) Indicators to Help with Capacity Building in Health Promotion. NSW Health, Sydney] to describe actions aimed at building organizational support for health promotion within an area health service in New South Wales, Australia. The Core Skills in Health Promotion Project (CSHPP) arose from an investigation which reported that participants of a health promotion training course had increased health promotion skills but that they lacked the support to apply their skills in the workplace. The project was action-research based. It investigated and facilitated the implementation of a range of initiatives to support community health staff to apply a more preventive approach in their practice and it contributed to the establishment of new organizational structures for health promotion. An evaluation was undertaken 4 years after the CSHPP was established, and 2 years after it had submitted its final report. Interviews with senior managers, document analysis of written reports, and focus groups with middle managers and service delivery staff were undertaken. Change was achieved in the three dimensions of health infrastructure, program maintenance and problem solving capacity of the organization. It was identified that the critically important elements in achieving the aims of the project-partnership, leadership and commitment-were also key elements of the capacity building framework. This case study provides a practical example of the usefulness of the capacity building framework in orienting health services to be supportive of health promotion.

  3. Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant capacity increase options

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larson, D.E.

    1996-04-01

    Studies are being conducted by the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) Project on ways to increase the waste processing capacity within the current Vitrification Building structural design. The Phase 1 study on remote systems concepts identification and extent of capacity increase was completed. The study concluded that the HWVP capacity could be increased to four times the current capacity with minor design adjustments to the fixed facility design, and the required design changes would not impact the current footprint of the vitrification building. A further increase in production capacity may be achievable but would require some technology development, verification testing, and a more systematic and extensive engineering evaluation. The primary changes included a single advance melter with a higher capacity, new evaporative feed tank, offgas quench collection tank, ejector venturi scrubbers, and additional inner canister closure station,a smear test station, a new close- coupled analytical facility, waste hold capacity of 400,000 gallon, the ability to concentrate out-of-plant HWVP feed to 90 g/L waste oxide concentration, and limited changes to the current base slab construction package

  4. Evidence-informed capacity building for setting health priorities in low- and middle-income countries: A framework and recommendations for further research [version 1; referees: 2 approved

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryan Li

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Priority-setting in health is risky and challenging, particularly in resource-constrained settings. It is not simply a narrow technical exercise, and involves the mobilisation of a wide range of capacities among stakeholders – not only the technical capacity to “do” research in economic evaluations. Using the Individuals, Nodes, Networks and Environment (INNE framework, we identify those stakeholders, whose capacity needs will vary along the evidence-to-policy continuum. Policymakers and healthcare managers require the capacity to commission and use relevant evidence (including evidence of clinical and cost-effectiveness, and of social values; academics need to understand and respond to decision-makers’ needs to produce relevant research. The health system at all levels will need institutional capacity building to incentivise routine generation and use of evidence. Knowledge brokers, including priority-setting agencies (such as England’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and Health Interventions and Technology Assessment Program, Thailand and the media can play an important role in facilitating engagement and knowledge transfer between the various actors. Especially at the outset but at every step, it is critical that patients and the public understand that trade-offs are inherent in priority-setting, and careful efforts should be made to engage them, and to hear their views throughout the process. There is thus no single approach to capacity building; rather a spectrum of activities that recognises the roles and skills of all stakeholders. A range of methods, including formal and informal training, networking and engagement, and support through collaboration on projects, should be flexibly employed (and tailored to specific needs of each country to support institutionalisation of evidence-informed priority-setting. Finally, capacity building should be a two-way process; those who build capacity should also attend to

  5. "The magic is in the mix": lessons from research capacity building in the Canadian tobacco control community, 2000-2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riley, Barbara L; Viehbeck, Sarah M; Cohen, Joanna E; Chia, Marie C

    2013-02-25

    Global public health issues, including tobacco use, will be addressed most effectively if informed by relevant evidence. Additional capacity is needed to undertake and sustain relevant and rigorous research that will inform and enable learning from interventions. Despite the undisputed importance of research capacity building (RCB), there is little evidence about how to create relevant capacities. RCB for tobacco control in Canada from 2000-2010 offers a rich experience from which to learn. Lessons were derived using structured data collection from seven capacity-building initiatives and an invitational workshop, at which reflections on major contributions and lessons learned were discussed by initiative leads. Ten years of RCB for tobacco control in Canada revealed the importance of a) taking an organic approach to RCB, b) targeting and sustaining investments in a mix of RCB activities, c) vision and collaborative leadership at organizational and initiative levels, d) a focus on building community, and e) studying capacity building. The experience also provided tangible examples of RCB initiatives and how independent investments can be linked to create a coherent approach. Looking ahead, promising directions may include positioning RCB within a broader context of "field building", focusing on practical approaches to sustainability, and enhancing research on RCB.

  6. Building the Capacity of Future Leaders in Economics in West and ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    This project will support the building of leaders of today and tomorrow in West Africa, a region where capacity for economic research and management remains very limited. A recent study by the Programme de Troisième Cycle Interuniversitaire (PTCI) showed that 87% of students stay in the region after graduation and work ...

  7. National Ignition Facility subsystem design requirements laser and target area building (LTAB) SSDR 1.2.2.1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kempel, P.; Hands, J.

    1996-01-01

    This Subsystem Design Requirements (SSDR) document establishes the performance, design, and verification requirements for the conventional building systems and subsystems of the Laser and Target Area Building (LTAB), including those that house and support the operation of high-energy laser equipment and the operational flow of personnel and materials throughout the facility. This SSDR addresses the following subsystems associated with the LTAB: Building structural systems for the Target Bay, Switchyards, Diagnostic Building, Decontamination Area, Laser Bays, Capacitor Bays and Operations Support Area, and the necessary space associated with building-support equipment; Architectural building features associated with housing the space and with the operational cleanliness of the functional operation of the facilities; Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems for maintaining a clean and thermally stable ambient environment within the facilities; Plumbing systems that provide potable water and sanitary facilities for the occupants, plus stormwater drainage for transporting rainwater; Fire Protection systems that guard against fire damage to the facilities and their contents; Material handling systems for transporting personnel and heavy materials within the building areas; Mechanical process piping systems for liquids and gases that provide cooling and other service to experimental laser equipment and components; Electrical power and grounding systems that provide service and standby power to building and experimental equipment, including lighting distribution and communications systems for the facilities; Instrumentation and control systems that ensure the safe operation of conventional facilities systems, such as those listed above. Detailed requirements for building subsystems that are not addressed in this document (such as specific sizes, locations, or capacities) are included in detail-level NIP Project Interface Control Documents (ICDS)

  8. Evaluating capacity-building for mental health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries for service users and caregivers, service planners and researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanlon, C; Semrau, M; Alem, A; Abayneh, S; Abdulmalik, J; Docrat, S; Evans-Lacko, S; Gureje, O; Jordans, M; Lempp, H; Mugisha, J; Petersen, I; Shidhaye, R; Thornicroft, G

    2018-02-01

    Efforts to support the scale-up of integrated mental health care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) need to focus on building human resource capacity in health system strengthening, as well as in the direct provision of mental health care. In a companion editorial, we describe a range of capacity-building activities that are being implemented by a multi-country research consortium (Emerald: Emerging mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries) for (1) service users and caregivers, (2) service planners and policy-makers and (3) researchers in six LMICs (Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda). In this paper, we focus on the methodology being used to evaluate the impact of capacity-building in these three target groups. We first review the evidence base for approaches to evaluation of capacity-building, highlighting the gaps in this area. We then describe the adaptation of best practice for the Emerald capacity-building evaluation. The resulting mixed method evaluation framework was tailored to each target group and to each country context. We identified a need to expand the evidence base on indicators of successful capacity-building across the different target groups. To address this, we developed an evaluation plan to measure the adequacy and usefulness of quantitative capacity-building indicators when compared with qualitative evaluation. We argue that evaluation needs to be an integral part of capacity-building activities and that expertise needs to be built in methods of evaluation. The Emerald evaluation provides a potential model for capacity-building evaluation across key stakeholder groups and promises to extend understanding of useful indicators of success.

  9. SE Capstone Project: Building Systems Engineering Education and Workforce Capacity

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-01

    This project developed a system to improve fuel efficiency by means of regenerative braking . The team designed a simple system that allows "bolt-on...air traffic control, social networking, credit/debit cards, and anti-lock brakes are only a few functions enabled by complex systems of systems . We...Building Systems Engineering Education and Workforce Capacity SE Capstone Project APRIL 2012 Report Documentation Page Form ApprovedOMB No. 0704

  10. Supporting Latino communities' natural helpers: a case study of promotoras in a research capacity building course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Otiniano, Angie Denisse; Carroll-Scott, Amy; Toy, Peggy; Wallace, Steven P

    2012-08-01

    Promotores have unique access to underserved and hard-to-reach Latino communities facing health disparities. Although promotores are involved in community change, they rarely receive training that gives them the skills to be partners in research. We present a case study of promotoras who participated in a research capacity building course focused on assessing community health needs. Data comes from course application surveys, follow-up notes, and narratives from qualitative phone interviews of eight promotoras. Content analysis drawing from grounded theory was conducted to identify and describe emerging themes. Four themes emerged as promotoras discussed their experience learning basic research skills and teaching others: (1) challenges, (2) support, (3) building capacity, and (4) using research. Promotores play an important role in the health of Latino communities and are increasingly asked to participate in research processes; however they have few opportunities for training and professional development in this area. Capacity building opportunities for promotores need to be tailored to their needs and provide them with support. Fostering collaboration between promotores and partnering with local community-based organizations can help facilitate needed research skill-building among promotores.

  11. Nutrition leadership development: Capacity-building initiatives in Iran and the Middle-East region since 2009

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Azadeh eDavari

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Personal and organizational performance is determined by commitment and both technical and general competencies, including leadership skills. Academia, however, mainly targets technical aspects in its curricular programs. On the other hand, the interdisciplinary and multi-sector nature of Nutrition necessitates high levels of collaboration between stakeholders. Leadership development is therefore required in Nutrition. This paper describes the endeavor made in Iran and the Middle-East region, aiming at building leadership capacity among nutrition professionals. The empowered human resource is expected to facilitate nutrition security at the national and regional levels.Since 2007, the development process of the initiative has begun through research, bench marking and consultation. The learning organizations, leadership from inside-out and transformational leadership frameworks have been employed as underpinning theories. Main topics have been self-awareness, effective communication, shared-visioning, trust building, creativity, and motivating. Outbound team building activities and coaching have also included.The 1st workshop of the Iranian Food and Nutrition Leadership Program (IFNLP was held in 2009 in Tehran. The experience expanded to the region as the Middle-East Nutrition Leadership Program (MENLP. The PhD Nutrition programs (at 4 leading Universities and Iranian Nutrition Society have been taken as other opportunity windows to develop leadership competencies. Biannual Iranian nutrition congresses have been used as the main media for advocacy purposes. High satisfaction rates obtained following each training activity.In short, the initiative on nutrition leadership development has received growing investment and positive feedback in Iran. Continuous improvement of the initiative, establishment of active alumni networks, building MENLP regional platform, and integrating a monitoring and evaluation system are required to increase investment

  12. Nutrition Leadership Development: Capacity-Building Initiatives in Iran and the Middle-East Region Since 2009.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davari, Azadeh; Rashidi, Arash; Baartmans, Jacques Antonius

    2015-01-01

    Personal and organizational performance is determined by commitment and both technical and general competencies, including leadership skills. Academia, however, mainly targets technical aspects in its curricular programs. On the other hand, the inter-disciplinary and multi-sector nature of Nutrition necessitates high levels of collaboration between stakeholders. Leadership development is therefore required in Nutrition. This paper describes the endeavor made in Iran and the Middle-East region, aiming at building leadership capacity among nutrition professionals. The empowered human resource is expected to facilitate nutrition security at the national and regional levels. Since 2007, the development process of the initiative has begun through research, bench marking, and consultation. The "learning organizations," "leadership from inside-out," and "transformational leadership" frameworks have been employed as underpinning theories. Main topics have been self-awareness, effective communication, shared visioning, trust building, creativity, and motivating. Outbound team-building activities and coaching have also been included. The first workshop of the Iranian Food and Nutrition Leadership Program was held in 2009 in Tehran. The experience expanded to the region as the Middle-East Nutrition Leadership Program (MENLP). The Ph.D. Nutrition programs (at four leading Universities) and Iranian Nutrition Society have been taken as other opportunity windows to develop leadership competencies. Biannual Iranian nutrition congresses have been used as the main media for advocacy purposes. High-satisfaction rates obtained following each training activity. In short, the initiative on "nutrition leadership development" has received growing investment and positive feedback in Iran. Continuous improvement of the initiative, establishment of active alumni networks, building MENLP regional platform, and integrating a monitoring and evaluation system are required to increase the

  13. Nutrition Leadership Development: Capacity-Building Initiatives in Iran and the Middle-East Region Since 2009

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davari, Azadeh; Rashidi, Arash; Baartmans, Jacques Antonius

    2015-01-01

    Personal and organizational performance is determined by commitment and both technical and general competencies, including leadership skills. Academia, however, mainly targets technical aspects in its curricular programs. On the other hand, the inter-disciplinary and multi-sector nature of Nutrition necessitates high levels of collaboration between stakeholders. Leadership development is therefore required in Nutrition. This paper describes the endeavor made in Iran and the Middle-East region, aiming at building leadership capacity among nutrition professionals. The empowered human resource is expected to facilitate nutrition security at the national and regional levels. Since 2007, the development process of the initiative has begun through research, bench marking, and consultation. The “learning organizations,” “leadership from inside-out,” and “transformational leadership” frameworks have been employed as underpinning theories. Main topics have been self-awareness, effective communication, shared visioning, trust building, creativity, and motivating. Outbound team-building activities and coaching have also been included. The first workshop of the Iranian Food and Nutrition Leadership Program was held in 2009 in Tehran. The experience expanded to the region as the Middle-East Nutrition Leadership Program (MENLP). The Ph.D. Nutrition programs (at four leading Universities) and Iranian Nutrition Society have been taken as other opportunity windows to develop leadership competencies. Biannual Iranian nutrition congresses have been used as the main media for advocacy purposes. High-satisfaction rates obtained following each training activity. In short, the initiative on “nutrition leadership development” has received growing investment and positive feedback in Iran. Continuous improvement of the initiative, establishment of active alumni networks, building MENLP regional platform, and integrating a monitoring and evaluation system are required to

  14. Capacity building to improve the Malaysian inspection and monitoring systems for aquaculture and fisheries products

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Berendsen, B.; Wegh, R.S.; Zaaijer, S.; Dijk, van J.P.; Gevers, G.J.M.

    2013-01-01

    This report describes the content, the approach used and lessons learned during the implementation of a capacity development programme to build the analytical capacity of laboratory staff of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) and the Ministry of Health (MoH) who are directly involved in the analysis

  15. Claim Your Space: Leadership Development as a Research Capacity Building Goal in Global Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Airhihenbuwa, Collins O; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Iwelunmor, Juliet; Jean-Louis, Girardin; Williams, Natasha; Zizi, Freddy; Okuyemi, Kolawole

    2016-04-01

    As the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) rises in settings with an equally high burden of infectious diseases in the Global South, a new sense of urgency has developed around research capacity building to promote more effective and sustainable public health and health care systems. In 2010, NCDs accounted for more than 2.06 million deaths in sub-Saharan Africa. Available evidence suggests that the number of people in sub-Saharan Africa with hypertension, a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, will increase by 68% from 75 million in 2008 to 126 million in 2025. Furthermore, about 27.5 million people currently live with diabetes in Africa, and it is estimated that 49.7 million people living with diabetes will reside in Africa by 2030. It is therefore necessary to centralize leadership as a key aspect of research capacity building and strengthening in the Global South in ways that enables researchers to claim their spaces in their own locations. We believe that building capacity for transformative leadership in research will lead to the development of effective and appropriate responses to the multiple burdens of NCDs that coexist with infectious diseases in Africa and the rest of the Global South. © 2016 Society for Public Health Education.

  16. Where spatial capacity building and spatial decision making meet. Publically debating participatory spatial planning via a newspaper.

    OpenAIRE

    Huybrechts, Liesbeth; Martens, Sarah; Devisch, Oswald

    2015-01-01

    This article reports on the in-between results of a Participatory Design research process in spatial planning in Godsheide, a small village in the Belgian Region of Limburg. The research explores how the language of newspapers enables citizens, policy makers, property developers and local organisations to build capacities (cfr. spatial capacity building) in ‘scripting’ their reflections on, but also actions in spatial change. In the heads of our participants, there existed a duality between -...

  17. Contribution of International and Regional Networks in Developing and Maintaining Human Capacity Building for Nuclear Power Programmes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osman, O. E.

    2015-01-01

    Capacity is defined as; the ability of individuals and organizations or organizational units to perform functions effectively, efficiently and sustainably. Capacity building is an evidence-driven process of strengthening the abilities of individuals, organizations, and systems to perform core functions sustainably, and to continue to improve and develop over time. This article will explain the contributions of knowledge networks at the national, regional and international level in developing the existing capacity building and human resources for regulatory body in Sudan, to confront the future challenges regarding to nuclear power program- safety and security. The article will compare the advantages and effectiveness of these knowledge networks (IAEA, ANNuR, FNRBA) in capacity building and enhance the infrastructure of national regulatory body. And how these networks contribute to enable the regulatory bodies in Africa and Arab countries, to establish and strengthen their regulatory infrastructure for nuclear power programme consistent with international standards and recommendations. As well as the recommendations resulting and deduced from comparative study to promote the exchange of knowledge, experience and information among its members. (author)

  18. Health promotion capacity building in South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wills, Jane; Rudolph, Michael

    2010-09-01

    Health promotion in South Africa is in its early stages and while there is some institutional development and capacity building for managers, there has been relative disregard and lack of attention of the wider health promotion workforce who carry out community-based health promotion activities. This article describes one regional education and training programme for health promoters as well as the limited available evidence on the impact of the project on learners and organizations. Marked differences before and after the implementation of the training activities were reported in relation to behaviour change communication and project planning, in addition to self-reported positive change in knowledge, confidence and a high level of participant satisfaction. Investment in individual skills development needs to be accompanied by wider workforce development with organizational/institutional development and recognised competencies frameworks.

  19. Building Capacity for Earth Observations in Support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blevins, B.; Prados, A. I.; Hook, E.

    2017-12-01

    The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) looks to build a future where the international community uses Earth observations to make better, informed decisions. This includes application in international agreements such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. To do this, decision makers first need to build the necessary skills. NASA's Applied Remote Sensing Training program (ARSET) seeks to build capacity through remote sensing training. In-person and online trainings raise awareness, enable data access, and demonstrate applications of Earth observations. Starting in 2017, ARSET began offering training focused on applying Earth data to the UN SDGs. These trainings offer insight into applications of satellite data in support of implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the SDGs. This presentation will provide an overview of the use of NASA satellite data to track progress towards increased food security, disaster risk reduction, and conservation of natural resources for societal benefit. It will also include a discussion on capacity building best practices and lessons learned for using Earth observations to meet SDG targets, based on feedback from engaging over 800 participants from 89 nations and 580 organizations in ARSET SDG trainings.

  20. Value of Coaching in Building Leadership Capacity of Principals in Urban Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farver, Anita R.; Holt, Carleton R.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand how coaching support structures enabled and sustained leadership practices of urban principals. The study investigated how the intervention of coaching for academic leaders can serve as evidence-based professional development for building leadership capacity. The central focus was on…

  1. Capacity Building for a New Social and Economic Policy Strategy in ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Capacity Building for a New Social and Economic Policy Strategy in Paraguay. The elections of 20 April 2008 put an end to 61 years of single-party rule in Paraguay. With the arrival of the new administration, one of IDRC's long-time partners - the Centro de Análisis y Difusión de la Economía Paraguya-CADEP) - saw its ...

  2. A theory-informed approach to mental health care capacity building for pharmacists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Andrea L; Gardner, David M; Kutcher, Stan P; Martin-Misener, Ruth

    2014-01-01

    Pharmacists are knowledgeable, accessible health care professionals who can provide services that improve outcomes in mental health care. Various challenges and opportunities can exist in pharmacy practice to hinder or support pharmacists' efforts. We used a theory-informed approach to development and implementation of a capacity-building program to enhance pharmacists' roles in mental health care. Theories and frameworks including the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, the Theoretical Domains Framework, and the Behaviour Change Wheel were used to inform the conceptualization, development, and implementation of a capacity-building program to enhance pharmacists' roles in mental health care. The More Than Meds program was developed and implemented through an iterative process. The main program components included: an education and training day; use of a train-the-trainer approach from partnerships with pharmacists and people with lived experience of mental illness; development of a community of practice through email communications, a website, and a newsletter; and use of educational outreach delivered by pharmacists. Theories and frameworks used throughout the program's development and implementation facilitated a means to conceptualize the component parts of the program as well as its overall presence as a whole from inception through evolution in implementation. Using theoretical foundations for the program enabled critical consideration and understanding of issues related to trialability and adaptability of the program. Theory was essential to the underlying development and implementation of a capacity-building program for enhancing services by pharmacists for people with lived experience of mental illness. Lessons learned from the development and implementation of this program are informing current research and evolution of the program.

  3. World nuclear capacity and fuel cycle requirements, November 1993

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1993-01-01

    This analysis report presents the current status and projections of nuclear capacity, generation, and fuel cycle requirements for all countries in the world using nuclear power to generate electricity for commercial use. Long-term projections of US nuclear capacity, generation, fuel cycle requirements, and spent fuel discharges for three different scenarios through 2030 are provided in support of the Department of Energy's activities pertaining to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (as amended in 1987). The projections of uranium requirements also support the Energy Information Administration's annual report, Domestic Uranium Mining and Milling Industry: Viability Assessment

  4. Building Healthcare Capacity in Pediatric Neurosurgery and Psychiatry in a Post-Soviet System: Ukraine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romach, Myroslava K; Rutka, James T

    2018-03-01

    Many academic centers in North America are initiating global partnerships to build physician capacity in resource-poor countries. An opportunity arose to develop a pediatric program (Ukraine Paediatric Fellowship Program, UPFP) in Ukraine, a large European country in transition from a Soviet/communist political and social system. This entailed dealing with a centralized and rigid healthcare system based on the Semashko model of the former Soviet Union. Our capacity-building model has several key features: endowed philanthropic funding for sustainability, bilateral exchange of knowledge, a focus primarily on pediatric brain disorders, and team building. Centers for partnering are selected on the basis of need, receptivity to change, and participants' fluency in English. Ukrainian physicians attend month-long observerships in Toronto, and biannual teaching visits are conducted by Canadian clinicians. Over 5 years, 7 teaching visits have taken place, and 20 physicians have trained at SickKids Hospital in Toronto. Six Ukrainian children's hospitals are now collaborating with UPFP. New surgical procedures have been introduced, such as endoscopic ventriculostomy and corpus callosotomy. Patient referrals to regional institutions have increased, and new projects that affect fetal and infant neurodevelopment have been initiated (e.g., treatment of perinatal maternal depression and folic acid fortification of flour). Ukrainian participants rate the program highly in their evaluations. In a short time, UPFP has had considerable success in increasing physician capacity for improved pediatric care in regions of Ukraine. The keys to success have included focusing locally, selecting trustable partners, building incrementally, and creating interspecialty synergies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Building core capacities at the designated points of entry according to the International Health Regulations 2005: a review of the progress and prospects in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Hsiao-Hsuan; Hsieh, Jui-Wei; Wu, Yi-Chun; Chou, Jih-Haw; Chang, Feng-Yee

    2014-01-01

    As designated points of entry (PoEs) play a critical role in preventing the transmission of international public health risks, huge efforts have been invested in Taiwan to improve the core capacities specified in the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR 2005). This article reviews how Taiwan strengthened the core capacities at the Taoyuan International Airport (TIA) and the Port of Kaohsiung (PoK) by applying a new, practicable model. An IHR PoE program was initiated for implementing the IHR core capacities at designated PoEs. The main methods of this program were 1) identifying the designated PoEs according to the pre-determined criteria, 2) identifying the competent authority for each health measure, 3) building a close collaborative relationship between stakeholders from the central and PoE level, 4) designing three stages of systematic assessment using the assessment tool published by the World Health Organization (WHO), and 5) undertaking action plans targeting the gaps identified by the assessments. Results of the self-assessment, preliminary external assessment, and follow-up external assessment revealed a continuous progressive trend at the TIA (86, 91, and 100%, respectively), and at the PoK (77, 97, and 99.9%, respectively). The results of the follow-up external assessment indicated that both these designated PoEs already conformed to the IHR requirements. These achievements were highly associated with strong collaboration, continuous empowerment, efficient resource integration, and sustained commitments. Considering that many countries had requested for an extension on the deadline to fulfill the IHR 2005 core capacity requirements, Taiwan's experiences can be a source of learning for countries striving to fully implement these requirements. Further, in order to broaden the scope of public health protection into promoting global security, Taiwan will keep its commitments on multisectoral cooperation, human resource capacity building, and

  6. Building core capacities at the designated points of entry according to the International Health Regulations 2005: a review of the progress and prospects in Taiwan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiao-Hsuan Chiu

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: As designated points of entry (PoEs play a critical role in preventing the transmission of international public health risks, huge efforts have been invested in Taiwan to improve the core capacities specified in the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR 2005. This article reviews how Taiwan strengthened the core capacities at the Taoyuan International Airport (TIA and the Port of Kaohsiung (PoK by applying a new, practicable model. Design: An IHR PoE program was initiated for implementing the IHR core capacities at designated PoEs. The main methods of this program were 1 identifying the designated PoEs according to the pre-determined criteria, 2 identifying the competent authority for each health measure, 3 building a close collaborative relationship between stakeholders from the central and PoE level, 4 designing three stages of systematic assessment using the assessment tool published by the World Health Organization (WHO, and 5 undertaking action plans targeting the gaps identified by the assessments. Results: Results of the self-assessment, preliminary external assessment, and follow-up external assessment revealed a continuous progressive trend at the TIA (86, 91, and 100%, respectively, and at the PoK (77, 97, and 99.9%, respectively. The results of the follow-up external assessment indicated that both these designated PoEs already conformed to the IHR requirements. These achievements were highly associated with strong collaboration, continuous empowerment, efficient resource integration, and sustained commitments. Conclusions: Considering that many countries had requested for an extension on the deadline to fulfill the IHR 2005 core capacity requirements, Taiwan's experiences can be a source of learning for countries striving to fully implement these requirements. Further, in order to broaden the scope of public health protection into promoting global security, Taiwan will keep its commitments on multisectoral cooperation

  7. World nuclear capacity and fuel cycle requirements 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1992-12-01

    This analysis report presents the current status and projections of nuclear capacity, generation, and fuel cycle requirements for all countries in the world using nuclear power to generate electricity for commercial use. Long-term projections of US nuclear capacity, generation, fuel cycle requirements, and spent fuel discharges for three different scenarios through 2030 are provided in support of the Department of Energy's activities pertaining to the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (as amended in 1987). The projections of uranium requirements also support the Energy Information Administration's annual report, Domestic Uranium Mining and Milling Industry: Viability Assessment for the Lower and Upper Reference case scenarios were obtained from the Office of Integrated Analysis and Forecasting, Energy Information Administration. Most of these projections were developed using the World Integrated Nuclear Evaluation System (WINES) model

  8. 76 FR 33332 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the Technical Assistance and Capacity Building under the...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-06-08

    ... program knowledge, skills and capacity of CPD's grantees and their partners. Capacity building efforts... several areas including (1) Development Finance, (2) Environmental Review and Compliance, (3) Asset... National Association for Latino TX 900,000 Community Asset Builders. National Center on Family MA 700,000...

  9. Implementation of Energy Code Controls Requirements in New Commercial Buildings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosenberg, Michael I. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hart, Philip R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hatten, Mike [Solarc Energy Group, LLC, Seattle, WA (United States); Jones, Dennis [Group 14 Engineering, Inc., Denver, CO (United States); Cooper, Matthew [Group 14 Engineering, Inc., Denver, CO (United States)

    2017-03-24

    Most state energy codes in the United States are based on one of two national model codes; ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 (Standard 90.1) or the International Code Council (ICC) International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). Since 2004, covering the last four cycles of Standard 90.1 updates, about 30% of all new requirements have been related to building controls. These requirements can be difficult to implement and verification is beyond the expertise of most building code officials, yet the assumption in studies that measure the savings from energy codes is that they are implemented and working correctly. The objective of the current research is to evaluate the degree to which high impact controls requirements included in commercial energy codes are properly designed, commissioned and implemented in new buildings. This study also evaluates the degree to which these control requirements are realizing their savings potential. This was done using a three-step process. The first step involved interviewing commissioning agents to get a better understanding of their activities as they relate to energy code required controls measures. The second involved field audits of a sample of commercial buildings to determine whether the code required control measures are being designed, commissioned and correctly implemented and functioning in new buildings. The third step includes compilation and analysis of the information gather during the first two steps. Information gathered during these activities could be valuable to code developers, energy planners, designers, building owners, and building officials.

  10. Building evaluation capacity in Ontario's public health units: promising practices and strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bourgeois, I; Simmons, L; Buetti, D

    2018-03-26

    This article presents the findings of a project focusing on building evaluation capacity in 10 Ontario public health units. The study sought to identify effective strategies that lead to increased evaluation capacity in the participating organizations. This study used a qualitative, multiple case research design. An action research methodology was used to design customized evaluation capacity building (ECB) strategies for each participating organization, based on its specific context and needs. This methodological approach also enabled monitoring and assessment of each strategy, based on a common set of reporting templates. A multiple case study was used to analyze the findings from the 10 participating organizations and derive higher level findings. The main findings of the study show that most of the strategies used to increase evaluation capacity in public health units are promising, especially those focusing on developing the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of health unit staff and managers. Facilitators to ECB strategies were the engagement of all staff members, the support of leadership, and the existence of organizational tools and infrastructure to support evaluation. It is also essential to recognize that ECB takes time and resources to be successful. The design and implementation of ECB strategies should be based on organizational needs. These can be assessed using a standardized instrument, as well as interviews and staff surveys. The implementation of a multicomponent approach (i.e. several strategies implemented simultaneously) is also linked to better ECB outcomes in organizations. Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Social multiplier effects: academics’ and practitioners’ perspective on the benefits of a tuberculosis operational research capacity-building program in Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Probandari, Ari; Mahendradhata, Yodi; Widjanarko, Bagoes; Alisjahbana, Bachti

    2017-01-01

    ABSTRACT Background: The Tuberculosis Operational Research Group (TORG) implemented a capacity-building model involving academics and practitioners (i.e. clinicians or program staff) in an operational research (OR) team in Indonesia. Objective: This study explored academics’ and practitioners’ perspectives regarding the benefits of participating in a tuberculosis (TB) OR capacity-building program in Indonesia. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 36 academics and 23 practitioners undertaking the TORG capacity-building program. We asked open-ended questions about their experience of the program. Data were analyzed via content analysis. Results: The findings demonstrated the social multiplier effects of the OR capacity-building program. Both academics and practitioners reported perceived improvements in research knowledge, skills, and experience, and described additional individual- and institutional-level benefits. The individual-level benefits level included improvements in understanding of the TB program, motivation for research and self-satisfaction, the development/enhancement of individual networking, receipt of recognition, and new opportunities. The additional benefits reported at an institutional level included improvement in research curricula, in-house training, and program management and the development/enhancement of institutional partnerships. Conclusions: The program improved not only individuals’ capacity for conducting OR but also the quality of the TB program management and public health education. OR should be included in research methodology curricula for postgraduate public health/disease control programs. The capacity-building model, in which academics and program staff collaborated within an OR team, should be promoted. PMID:29039271

  12. Capacity Building in NASA Remote Sensing Data for Meteorological and Agricultural Communities in East Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Granger, S. L.; Andreadis, K.; Das, N. N.; Macharia, D.

    2015-12-01

    Across the globe, planners and decision makers are hampered by a lack of historic data and scant in situ observations on which to base policy and action plans. Data is often sorely lacking in poorly developed regions such as East Africa where people are vulnerable to a changing climate, extreme weather events, and economies and food security are tied directly to rain fed agriculture or pastoral cultures. NASA global remote sensing observations and research are promising in this regard, as they have great potential to inform policy- and decision-making at global, regional and even local scales the world over, However that potential is not realized as often as it should for a variety of reasons: the data stores are often impenetrable requiring special expertise to "crack the code", sustainability of observations remains a concern, and research and data are not focused on applications, thus results don't "fit" in existing tools or are developed for a short-term science objective without long-term use in mind. Although there are good examples of the use of NASA Earth Science research and observations for applications, capacity is lacking and must be built to advance the use of remote sensing for applications and to ease transition of research to the stakeholder. Capacity building is a critical component to transition Earth science research results to stakeholder communities, and is more than traditional training,, it has been described as…."the process of developing and strengthening the skills, instincts, abilities, processes and resources that organizations and communities need to survive, adapt, and thrive in the fast-changing world. Best practices and lessons learned from recent capacity building efforts for Agricultural and Environmental Ministires in East African in support of a NASA-SERVIR Applied Science Project to provide estimates of hydrologic extremes tied to crop yield are described.

  13. Effectiveness of Training Model Capacity Building for Entrepreneurship Women Based Empowerment Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idawati; Mahmud, Alimuddin; Dirawan, Gufran Darma

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to determine the effectiveness of a training model for capacity building of women entrepreneurship community-based. Research type approach Research and Development Model, which refers to the model of development research that developed by Romiszowki (1996) combined with a model of development Sugiono (2011) it was…

  14. Building the Capacity to Innovate: The Role of Human Capital--Support Document

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Andrew; Courvisanos, Jerry; Tuck, Jacqueline; McEachern, Steven

    2012-01-01

    This document was produced by the authors based on their research for the report "Building the Capacity to Innovate: The Role of Human Capital," and is an added resource for further information. This document contains the following appendices: (1) Survey methodology; (2) Synopsis of the literature; (3) Interview questions; and (4) Survey…

  15. Poverty-Related Diseases College: a virtual African-European network to build research capacity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dorlo, Thomas P. C.; Fernández, Carmen; Troye-Blomberg, Marita; de Vries, Peter J.; Boraschi, Diana; Mbacham, Wilfred F.

    2016-01-01

    The Poverty-Related Diseases College was a virtual African-European college and network that connected young African and European biomedical scientists working on poverty-related diseases. The aim of the Poverty-Related Diseases College was to build sustainable scientific capacity and international

  16. Building Employer Capacity to Support Meaningful Employment for Persons with Developmental Disabilities: A Grounded Theory Study of Employment Support Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rashid, Marghalara; Hodgetts, Sandra; Nicholas, David

    2017-11-01

    To explore strategies to build employer capacity to support people with DD in meaningful employment from perspective of employment support workers. A grounded theory study was conducted with 34 employment support individuals. A theoretical sampling approach was used to identify and recruit participants from multiple sites in Ontario and Alberta. Three main themes, with seven sub-themes, emerged: (1) experiences of supporting employment finding for people with DD, (2) institutional influences on employee experiences, and (3) attitudes, assumptions and stigma. Several recommendations related to building employer capacity were offered. Our findings provide insight on specific elements and strategies that can support building employer capacity for persons with DD.

  17. Energy requirements for new buildings in Finland

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Airaksinen, M., Email: miimu.airaksinen@vtt.fi

    2012-06-15

    Buildings account for circa 40% of the total energy use in Europe [1] and for about 36% of the EU's total CO{sub 2} emissions [2], including the existing energy conservation in buildings [3]. Key features of the Finnish energy policy are improved energy efficiency and increased use of renewable energy sources. To achieve a sustainable shift in the energy system, a target set by the authorities, both energy savings and increased use of low-pollution energy sources are therefore priority areas. Building low-energy buildings is in accordance with the declared national aim of reducing energy use and thus reducing CO{sub 2} emissions. The main motivation in renewing building codes for new buildings was to build more energy efficiently, encourage the use the most efficient energy sources and to enhance the use of renewable energy sources. In addition the aim was to give more freedom to fi nd the real optimal solutions for energy efficiency by optimising all aspects including the building architecture and different systems with demand controls. However, in order to ensure the good quality of buildings certain minimum requirements for structure U-values are given. (orig.)

  18. Building Teachers' Data-Use Capacity: Insights from Strong and Developing Coaches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huguet, Alice; Marsh, Julie A.; Farrell, Caitlin C.

    2014-01-01

    Coaching has become a central strategy in district and school efforts to build teacher capacity to interpret and respond to student learning data. Despite their popularity, there is limited research on the implementation of these initiatives. This article begins to addresses this gap by examining the elements of a coach's practice that appear…

  19. Building sustainable neuroscience capacity in Africa: the role of non-profit organisations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karikari, Thomas K; Cobham, Ansa E; Ndams, Iliya S

    2016-02-01

    While advances in neuroscience are helping to improve many aspects of human life, inequalities exist in this field between Africa and more scientifically-advanced continents. Many African countries lack the infrastructure and appropriately-trained scientists for neuroscience education and research. Addressing these challenges would require the development of innovative approaches to help improve scientific competence for neuroscience across the continent. In recent years, science-based non-profit organisations (NPOs) have been supporting the African neuroscience community to build state-of-the-art scientific capacity for sustainable education and research. Some of these contributions have included: the establishment of training courses and workshops to introduce African scientists to powerful-yet-cost-effective experimental model systems; research infrastructural support and assistance to establish research institutes. Other contributions have come in the form of the promotion of scientific networking, public engagement and advocacy for improved neuroscience funding. Here, we discuss the contributions of NPOs to the development of neuroscience in Africa.

  20. Qualitative Research in an International Research Program: Maintaining Momentum while Building Capacity in Nurses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judy Mill RN, PhD

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Nurses are knowledgeable about issues that affect quality and equity of care and are well qualified to inform policy, yet their expertise is seldom acknowledged and their input infrequently invited. In 2007, a large multidisciplinary team of researchers and decision-makers from Canada and five low- and middle-income countries (Barbados, Jamaica, Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa received funding to implement a participatory action research (PAR program entitled “Strengthening Nurses' Capacity for HIV Policy Development in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean.” The goal of the research program was to explore and promote nurses' involvement in HIV policy development and to improve nursing practice in countries with a high HIV disease burden. A core element of the PAR program was the enhancement of the research capacity, and particularly qualitative capacity, of nurses through the use of mentorship, role-modeling, and the enhancement of institutional support. In this article we: (a describe the PAR program and research team; (b situate the research program by discussing attitudes to qualitative research in the study countries; (c highlight the incremental formal and informal qualitative research capacity building initiatives undertaken as part of this PAR program; (d describe the approaches used to maintain rigor while implementing a complex research program; and (e identify strategies to ensure that capacity building was locally-owned. We conclude with a discussion of challenges and opportunities and provide an informal analysis of the research capacity that was developed within our international team using a PAR approach.

  1. A Multi-Tiered Approach for Building Capacity in Hydrologic Modeling for Water Resource Management in Developing Regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Markert, K. N.; Limaye, A. S.; Rushi, B. R.; Adams, E. C.; Anderson, E.; Ellenburg, W. L.; Mithieu, F.; Griffin, R.

    2017-12-01

    Water resource management is the process by which governments, businesses and/or individuals reach and implement decisions that are intended to address the future quantity and/or quality of water for societal benefit. The implementation of water resource management typically requires the understanding of the quantity and/or timing of a variety of hydrologic variables (e.g. discharge, soil moisture and evapotranspiration). Often times these variables for management are simulated using hydrologic models particularly in data sparse regions. However, there are several large barriers to entry in learning how to use models, applying best practices during the modeling process, and selecting and understanding the most appropriate model for diverse applications. This presentation focuses on a multi-tiered approach to bring the state-of-the-art hydrologic modeling capabilities and methods to developing regions through the SERVIR program, a joint NASA and USAID initiative that builds capacity of regional partners and their end users on the use of Earth observations for environmental decision making. The first tier is a series of trainings on the use of multiple hydrologic models, including the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) and Ensemble Framework For Flash Flood Forecasting (EF5), which focus on model concepts and steps to successfully implement the models. We present a case study for this in a pilot area, the Nyando Basin in Kenya. The second tier is focused on building a community of practice on applied hydrology modeling aimed at creating a support network for hydrologists in SERVIR regions and promoting best practices. The third tier is a hydrologic inter-comparison project under development in the SERVIR regions. The objective of this step is to understand model performance under specific decision-making scenarios, and to share knowledge among hydrologists in SERVIR regions. The results of these efforts include computer programs, training materials, and new

  2. Capacity-building activities for local leadership in Egypt from the local to the national and regional levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Sioufi, M

    1996-03-01

    In order to make the Sustainable Ismailia Project institutionally sustainable, the National Project Manager identified the need to build the capacity of local leadership. The Training Section, in UNCHS, proposed a capacity-building program designed to respond to this demand focusing on the skill-training and attitude formation needed for effective local leadership. The proposed program is adapted from the "Training for Elected Leadership" series widely tested and used in many regions. It combines direct training for local officials from villages in Ismailia, and indirect training for trainers from the Ministry of Local Administration (MLA). After the course, the MLA trainers would design a training program which they will implement nationally. The Minister for Local Administration decided to finance the translation and production of the manuals, while the Governor of Ismailia offered to cover the trainees' expenses. The UNCHS Training and Capacity-Building Section would provide technical guidance and coordinate and implement the program. Once the Arabic version of the training materials would be available, UNCHS would use it regionally to reach out to other Arab States. This example illustrates how concerned stakeholders cooperate to address capacity-building needs. The UNCHS Training Section assumes the role of facilitator and acts as a catalyst for the formulation of such activities. The feeling of ownership of the locally produced/adapted training materials enhances the propensity of their effective and extensive use. This approach has succeeded across regions, cultures, and languages with out-reaching multiplier effects. full text

  3. 77 FR 18825 - Notice of Intent To Provide Expansion and Capacity Building Funding to the Incumbent Senior...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-28

    ... Expansion and Capacity Building Funding to the Incumbent Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Grantees Under Limited Competition SUMMARY: The Administration on Aging is announcing the availability of expansion funds for the.... Announcement Type: Health Care Fraud Prevention Program Expansion Capacity. Funding Opportunity Number: Program...

  4. Becoming and being an African scholar: a 15 year perspective on capacity building projects in Ghana

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller-Jensen, Lasse; Madsen, Lene Møller

    2015-01-01

    the process? – are they still part of the university system or have they found other opportunities? – and what do their narratives tell us about long-term capacity building? These are relevant questions to address for understanding the role of African Universities as drivers and actors in development......Universities in Africa are increasingly seen as key drivers for development and, hence, as a focus point for development agencies in the North. Through the ENhancement of REsearch Capacity (ENRECA) programme 1989–2009, the Danish Development Agency has facilitated Ph.D. education and research...... in partnerships with African higher education institutions. As other capacity-building projects, ENRECA has been evaluated by donor-initiated missions looking at research output, degrees awarded and interviewing heads and administrators. But how did the individuals who opted for an academic career experience...

  5. The African Capacity Building Initiative: Toward Improved Policy Analysis and Development Management in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    World Bank, Washington, DC.

    The objective of the African Capacity Building Initiative is to build and strengthen local capabilities for policy analysis and development management in Sub-Saharan Africa. This report examines the nature and magnitude of the problem, which basically consists of a shortage of development management skills combined with weakness in the area of…

  6. Capacity building for global health diplomacy: Thailand’s experience of trade and health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thaiprayoon, Suriwan; Smith, Richard

    2015-01-01

    A rapid expansion of trade liberalization in Thailand during the 1990s raised a critical question for policy transparency from various stakeholders. Particular attention was paid to a bilateral trade negotiation between Thailand and USA concerned with the impact of the ‘Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Rights (TRIPS) plus’ provisions on access to medicines. Other trade liberalization effects on health were also concerning health actors. In response, a number of interagency committees were established to engage with trade negotiations. In this respect, Thailand is often cited as a positive example of a country that has proactively sought, and achieved, trade and health policy coherence. This article investigates this relationship in more depth and suggests lessons for wider study and application of global health diplomacy (GHD). This study involved semi-structured interviews with 20 people involved in trade-related health negotiations, together with observation of 9 meetings concerning trade-related health issues. Capacity to engage with trade negotiations appears to have been developed by health actors through several stages; starting from the Individual (I) understanding of trade effects on health, through Nodes (N) that establish the mechanisms to enhance health interests, Networks (N) to advocate for health within these negotiations, and an Enabling environment (E) to retain health officials and further strengthen their capacities to deal with trade-related health issues. This INNE model seems to have worked well in Thailand. However, other contextual factors are also significant. This article suggests that, in building capacity in GHD, it is essential to educate both health and non-health actors on global health issues and to use a combination of formal and informal mechanisms to participate in GHD. And in developing sustainable capacity in GHD, it requires long term commitment and strong leadership from both health and non-health sectors. PMID

  7. The Current State of Poison Control Centers in Pakistan and the Need for Capacity Building

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadeem Khan

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Chemical exposure is a major health problem globally. Poison control centers (PCCs play a leading role both in developed and developing countries in the prevention and control of poisonous chemical exposures. In this study, we aimed to assess the current state of PCCs in Pakistan and highlight capacity building needs in these centers. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of the two registered PCCs was done during August – December 2011. Necessary services of the PCCs were evaluated and the data were recorded on a predesigned checklist. Results: Both PCCs are affiliated to a tertiary care hospital. Clinical services to poisoned patients were available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. Information on common local products was available to poison center staff. Both centers were involved in undergraduate and post graduate teaching. Telephone poison information service was not available in either of centers. There was a limited capacity for qualitative and analytical toxicology. Common antidotes were available. There were limited surveillance activities to capture toxic risks existing in the community and also a deficiency was observed in chemical disaster planning. Conclusion: PCCs in Pakistan need capacity building for specialized training in toxicology, toxicovigilance, chemical disaster planning, analytical laboratory tests and telephone service for consultation in poisoning cases.   How to cite this article: Khan NU, Mir MU, Khan UR, Khan AR, Ara J, Raja K, et al. The Current State of Poison Control Centers in Pakistan and the Need for Capacity Building. Asia Pac J Med Toxicol 2014;3:31-5.

  8. Capacity building improve Malaysia's inspection and monitoring system for aquaculture and fishery products

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gevers, G.J.M.; Zoontjes, P.W.; Essers, M.L.; Klijnstra, M.; Gerssen, A.

    2012-01-01

    The project aimed to help build a credible inspection and monitoring system that can guarantee safe quality products of Ministry of Health (MoH) and Department of Fisheries (DoF) by upgrading the analytical capacity of the laboratory staff directly involved in the analysis and detection of forbidden

  9. Training for Innovation: Capacity-Building in Agricultural Research in Post-War Sierra Leone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gboku, Matthew L. S.; Bebeley, Jenneh F.

    2016-01-01

    This paper examines how the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) used training and development to build capacity for innovation in agricultural research following the country's civil war which ended in 2002. The Institute's training for innovation addressed different agricultural product value chains (APVCs) within the framework of…

  10. Building capacity in biodiversity monitoring at the global scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmeller, Dirk S.; Bohm, Monika; Arvanitidis, Christos; Barber-Meyer, Shannon; Brummitt, Neil; Chandler, Mark; Chatzinikolaou, Eva; Costello, Mark J.; Ding, Hui; García-Moreno, Jaime; Gill, Michael J.; Haase, Peter; Jones, Miranda; Juillard, Romain; Magnusson, William E.; Martin, Corinne S.; McGeoch, Melodie A.; Mihoub, Jean-Baptiste; Pettorelli, Nathalie; Proença, Vânia; Peng, Cui; Regan, Eugenie; Schmiedel, Ute; Simsika, John P.; Weatherdon, Lauren; Waterman, Carly; Xu, Haigen; Belnap, Jayne

    2017-01-01

    Human-driven global change is causing ongoing declines in biodiversity worldwide. In order to address these declines, decision-makers need accurate assessments of the status of and pressures on biodiversity. However, these are heavily constrained by incomplete and uneven spatial, temporal and taxonomic coverage. For instance, data from regions such as Europe and North America are currently used overwhelmingly for large-scale biodiversity assessments due to lesser availability of suitable data from other, more biodiversity-rich, regions. These data-poor regions are often those experiencing the strongest threats to biodiversity, however. There is therefore an urgent need to fill the existing gaps in global biodiversity monitoring. Here, we review current knowledge on best practice in capacity building for biodiversity monitoring and provide an overview of existing means to improve biodiversity data collection considering the different types of biodiversity monitoring data. Our review comprises insights from work in Africa, South America, Polar Regions and Europe; in government-funded, volunteer and citizen-based monitoring in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The key steps to effectively building capacity in biodiversity monitoring are: identifying monitoring questions and aims; identifying the key components, functions, and processes to monitor; identifying the most suitable monitoring methods for these elements, carrying out monitoring activities; managing the resultant data; and interpreting monitoring data. Additionally, biodiversity monitoring should use multiple approaches including extensive and intensive monitoring through volunteers and professional scientists but also harnessing new technologies. Finally, we call on the scientific community to share biodiversity monitoring data, knowledge and tools to ensure the accessibility, interoperability, and reporting of biodiversity data at a global scale.

  11. Capacity building in renewable energy technologies in developing countries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fridleifsson, Ingvar

    2010-09-15

    The renewable energy sources are expected to provide 20-40% of the world primary energy in 2050, depending on scenarios. A key element in the mitigation of climate change is capacity building in renewable energy technologies in the developing countries, where the main energy use growth is expected. An innovative training programme for geothermal energy professionals developed in Iceland is an example of how this can be done effectively. In 1979-2009, 424 scientists/engineers from 44 developing countries have completed the 6 month courses. In many countries in Africa, Asia, C-America, and E-Europe, UNU-GTP Fellows are among the leading geothermal specialists.

  12. Capacity building for global health diplomacy: Thailand's experience of trade and health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thaiprayoon, Suriwan; Smith, Richard

    2015-11-01

    A rapid expansion of trade liberalization in Thailand during the 1990s raised a critical question for policy transparency from various stakeholders. Particular attention was paid to a bilateral trade negotiation between Thailand and USA concerned with the impact of the 'Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Rights (TRIPS) plus' provisions on access to medicines. Other trade liberalization effects on health were also concerning health actors. In response, a number of interagency committees were established to engage with trade negotiations. In this respect, Thailand is often cited as a positive example of a country that has proactively sought, and achieved, trade and health policy coherence. This article investigates this relationship in more depth and suggests lessons for wider study and application of global health diplomacy (GHD). This study involved semi-structured interviews with 20 people involved in trade-related health negotiations, together with observation of 9 meetings concerning trade-related health issues. Capacity to engage with trade negotiations appears to have been developed by health actors through several stages; starting from the Individual (I) understanding of trade effects on health, through Nodes (N) that establish the mechanisms to enhance health interests, Networks (N) to advocate for health within these negotiations, and an Enabling environment (E) to retain health officials and further strengthen their capacities to deal with trade-related health issues. This INNE model seems to have worked well in Thailand. However, other contextual factors are also significant. This article suggests that, in building capacity in GHD, it is essential to educate both health and non-health actors on global health issues and to use a combination of formal and informal mechanisms to participate in GHD. And in developing sustainable capacity in GHD, it requires long term commitment and strong leadership from both health and non-health sectors. Published by

  13. Glacier Monitoring and Capacity Building: Important Ingredients for Sustainable Mountain Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel U. Nussbaumer

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Glacier observation data from major mountain regions of the world are key to improving our understanding of glacier changes: they deliver fundamental baseline information for climatological, hydrological, and hazard assessments. In many mountain ecosystems, as well as in the adjacent lowlands, glaciers play a crucial role in freshwater provision and regulation. This article first presents the state of the art on glacier monitoring and related strategies within the framework of the Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers (GTN-G. Both in situ measurements of changes in glacier mass, volume, and length as well as remotely sensed data on glacier extents and changes over entire mountain ranges provide clear indications of climate change. Based on experiences from capacity-building activities undertaken in the Tropical Andes and Central Asia over the past years, we also review the state of the art on institutional capacity in these regions and make further recommendations for sustainable mountain development. The examples from Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Kyrgyzstan demonstrate that a sound understanding of measurement techniques and of the purpose of measurements is necessary for successful glacier monitoring. In addition, establishing durable institutions, capacity-building programs, and related funding is necessary to ensure that glacier monitoring is sustainable and maintained in the long term. Therefore, strengthening regional cooperation, collaborating with local scientists and institutions, and enhancing knowledge sharing and dialogue are envisaged within the GTN-G. Finally, glacier monitoring enhances the resilience of the populations that depend on water resources from glacierized mountains or that are affected by hazards related to glacier changes. We therefore suggest that glacier monitoring be included in the development of sustainable adaptation strategies in regions with glaciated mountains.

  14. 78 FR 66375 - Announcement of Funding Awards for the OneCPD Plus: Technical Assistance and Capacity Building...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-05

    ... via TTY by calling the toll-free Federal Information Relay Service during working hours at 800-877... expert statutory, regulatory, and technical support that improves the program knowledge, skills and capacity of HUD's customers and their partners. Capacity building efforts will be directed at advancing the...

  15. Capacity Building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molloy, Brian; Mallick, Shahid

    2014-01-01

    Outcomes & Recommendations: • Significant increase needed in the nuclear workforce both to replace soon-to-retire current generation and to staff large numbers of new units planned • Key message, was the importance of an integrated approach to workforce development. • IAEA and other International Organisations were asked to continue to work on Knowledge Management, Networks and E&T activities • IAEA requested to conduct Global Survey of HR needs – survey initiated but only 50% of operating countries (30% of capacity) took part, so results inconclusive

  16. Policy Capacity Meets Politics; Comment on “Health Reform Requires Policy Capacity”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick Fafard

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available It is difficult to disagree with the general argument that successful health reform requires a significant degree of policy capacity or that all players in the policy game need to move beyond self-interested advocacy. However, an overly broad definition of policy capacity is a problem. More important perhaps, health reform inevitably requires not just policy capacity but political leadership and compromise.

  17. Capacities for the Risk Assessment of GMOs: Challenges to Build Sustainable Systems

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danilo Fernández Ríos

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The need for functional risk assessment bodies in general, and in the biosafety field in particular, demands continued efforts and commitment from regulatory agencies, if results that are sustainable in time are to be achieved. The lack of formal processes that ensure continuity in the application of state of the art scientific criteria, the high rotation in some cases or the lack of experienced professionals, in others, is a challenge to be addressed. Capacity building initiatives with different approaches and degrees of success have been implemented in many countries over the years, supported by diverse governmental and non-governmental organizations. This document summarizes some capacity building experiences in developing countries and concludes that risk assessors taking ownership and regulatory authorities fully committed to developing and retaining highly qualified bodies are a sine qua non to achieve sustainable systems. To this end, it is essential to implement “in-house” continuing education mechanisms supported by external experts and organizations, and inter-institutional cooperation. It has to be noted that these recommendations could only be realized if policy makers understand and appreciate the value of professional, independent regulatory bodies.

  18. Capacities for the Risk Assessment of GMOs: Challenges to Build Sustainable Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández Ríos, Danilo; Rubinstein, Clara; Vicién, Carmen

    2018-01-01

    The need for functional risk assessment bodies in general, and in the biosafety field in particular, demands continued efforts and commitment from regulatory agencies, if results that are sustainable in time are to be achieved. The lack of formal processes that ensure continuity in the application of state of the art scientific criteria, the high rotation in some cases or the lack of experienced professionals, in others, is a challenge to be addressed. Capacity building initiatives with different approaches and degrees of success have been implemented in many countries over the years, supported by diverse governmental and non-governmental organizations. This document summarizes some capacity building experiences in developing countries and concludes that risk assessors taking ownership and regulatory authorities fully committed to developing and retaining highly qualified bodies are a sine qua non to achieve sustainable systems. To this end, it is essential to implement "in-house" continuing education mechanisms supported by external experts and organizations, and inter-institutional cooperation. It has to be noted that these recommendations could only be realized if policy makers understand and appreciate the value of professional, independent regulatory bodies.

  19. Determination of the moisture capacity of porous building materials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Carmeliet, J.

    2002-01-01

    The moisture capacity, which is required to solve the isothermal moisture transport equation, is generally expressed by parametric functions covering both the hygroscopic and over-hygroscopic regime. The modality or number of analytical functions needed to describe the corresponding pore volume

  20. Research Data Management - Building Service Infrastructure and Capacity

    KAUST Repository

    Baessa, Mohamed A.

    2018-03-07

    Research libraries support the missions of their institutions by facilitating the flow of scholarly information to and from the institutions’ researchers. As research in many disciplines becomes more data and software intensive, libraries are finding that services and infrastructure developed to preserve and provide access to textual documents are insufficient to meet their institutions’ needs. In response, libraries around the world have begun assessing the data management needs of their researchers, and expanding their capacity to meet the needs that they find. This discussion panel will discuss approaches to building research data management services and infrastructure in academic libraries. Panelists will discuss international efforts to support research data management, while highlighting the different models that universities have adopted to provide a mix of services and infrastructure tailored to their local needs.

  1. Capacity Building of Teachers through Distance Mode Using Teleconferencing as an Innovative Tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ranjan Panigrahi, Manas

    2012-01-01

    Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a national programme to the goals of Universalization of Elementary Education in India. Distance Education Programme (DEP) plays a major role in providing technical support to the states in building capacity among institutions and people at national, state, district and sub-district levels to design, develop, produce…

  2. Capacity building in rural Guatemala by implementing a solid waste management program

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zarate, M.A.; Slotnick, J.; Ramos, M.

    2008-01-01

    The development and implementation of a solid waste management program served to build local capacity in San Mateo Ixtatan between 2002 and 2003 as part of a public health action plan. The program was developed and implemented in two phases: (1) the identification and education of a working team from the community; and (2) the completion of a solid waste classification and quantification study. Social capital and the water cycle were two public health approaches utilized to build a sustainable program. The activities accomplished gained support from the community and municipal authorities. A description of the tasks completed and findings of the solid waste classification and quantification performed by a local working group are presented in this paper

  3. Lessons Learned From Transitioning PEPFAR Track 1.0 Care and Treatment Programs: Case Studies in Financial Management Capacity Building in Zambia and Botswana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuehn, Chuck; Tidwell, George; Vhugen, Jann; Sharma, Anjali

    2015-01-01

    In 2008, the United States government mandated transition of internationally managed HIV care and treatment programs to local country ownership. Three case studies illustrate the US Health Resources Services Administration's fiscal assessment and technical assistance (TA) processes to strengthen local organizations' capabilities to absorb and manage United States government funding. Review of initial, TA and follow-up reports reveal that the 1 Botswanan and 2 Zambian organizations closed 10 of 17 financial capacity gaps, with Health Resources Services Administration assisting on 2. Zambian organizations requested and absorbed targeted TA on the basis of the consultant's desk review, their finance staff revised fiscal policies and procedures, and accordingly trained other staff. In Botswana, delays in integrating recommendations necessitated on-site TA for knowledge building and role modeling. Organizational maturity may explain differences in responsiveness, ownership, and required TA approaches. Clarifying expectations of capacity building, funding agreement, and nonmonetary donor involvement can help new organizations determine and act on intervening actions.

  4. Increasing Capacity for Stewardship of Oceans and Coasts: Findings of the National Research Council Report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberts, S. J.; Feeley, M. H.

    2008-05-01

    With the increasing stress on ocean and coastal resources, ocean resource management will require greater capacity in terms of people, institutions, technology and tools. Successful capacity-building efforts address the needs of a specific locale or region and include plans to maintain and expand capacity after the project ends. In 2008, the US National Research Council published a report that assesses past and current capacity-building efforts to identify barriers to effective management of coastal and marine resources. The report recommends ways that governments and organizations can strengthen marine conservation and management capacity. Capacity building programs instill the tools, knowledge, skills, and attitudes that address: ecosystem function and change; processes of governance that influence societal and ecosystem change; and assembling and managing interdisciplinary teams. Programs require efforts beyond traditional sector-by-sector planning because marine ecosystems range from the open ocean to coastal waters and land use practices. Collaboration among sectors, scaling from local community-based management to international ocean policies, and ranging from inland to offshore areas, will be required to establish coordinated and efficient governance of ocean and coastal ecosystems. Barriers Most capacity building activities have been initiated to address particular issues such as overfishing or coral reef degradation, or they target a particular region or country facing threats to their marine resources. This fragmentation inhibits the sharing of information and experience and makes it more difficult to design and implement management approaches at appropriate scales. Additional barriers that have limited the effectiveness of capacity building programs include: lack of an adequate needs assessment prior to program design and implementation; exclusion of targeted populations in decision- making efforts; mismanagement, corruption, or both; incomplete or

  5. Building Capacity in Using Earth Observations Under the GOFC-GOLD and TAT Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutman, G.

    2015-12-01

    The Global Observation of Forest and Land Cover Dynamics (GOFC-GOLD) is a coordinated international effort to provide ongoing space-based and in-situ observations of forests and other vegetation cover. The main goal of GOFC/GOLD is to support a forum for international information exchange, observation and data coordination, and a framework for establishing the necessary long-term monitoring systems. GOFC-GOLD has two Implementation Teams: Land Cover Characteristics and Change, and Fire Monitoring and Mapping. Additionally, it includes two working groups: the Working Group on Biomass Monitoring and the Working group on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD), the latter being aligned with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Regional networks are an integral part of the GOFC-GOLD program, with some networks fully developed and some still emerging. GOFC-GOLD provides training workshops to build capacity in the regions. Capacity building in using Earth Observation techniques and applications is also promoted by cooperation of NASA and ESA under the Trans-Atlantic Training (TAT) program. The main objective of TAT is training of early career scientists and students in East European and Baltic countries emphasizing outstanding technical issues in remote sensing of land-cover/land-use change and ecosystems processes. TAT promotes data sharing and advanced research methods and technologies through series of training sessions. Three TAT sessions have been held until now, each session consisting of 5-10 tutors and about 30 early career scientists and students from Eastern Europe. The sessions include lectures on remote sensing covering the full solar spectrum and hands-on practice. The experience obtained in capacity building activities under GOFC-GOLD and TAT will be shared with the audience.

  6. Canadian Perspectives on Beginning Principals: Their Role in Building Capacity for Learning Communities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sackney, Larry; Walker, Keith

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: This paper sets out to posit that the new economy places a new set of demands on schools and those who lead. Mindfulness, intentional engagement of people and adaptive confidence are needed developmental features of beginning principal success. The paper examines how beginning principals in Canada respond to the capacity-building work of…

  7. HIV communication capacity strengthening: a critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lettenmaier, Cheryl; Kraft, Joan Marie; Raisanen, Keris; Serlemitsos, Elizabeth

    2014-08-15

    HIV communication is most effective and sustainable when it is designed and implemented locally and tailored to the local context. This requires capacity strengthening at national, subnational, and community levels. Through a review of the published and selected "grey" literature, we examine HIV communication capacity strengthening: definitions, measurements, implementation, and effects. We found limited documentation of HIV communication capacity needs or systematic approaches to address them. Most HIV communication capacity strengthening to date has focused on building individual competencies to design and manage social and behavior change communication programs through training courses, often coupled with networking opportunities for participants, post-training mentoring, and technical assistance. A few of these efforts have been evaluated through pre- and post-training tests and qualitative interviews with participants and have shown potential for improvement in individual skills and knowledge. Health communication capacity assessment tools that measure individual and organizational competencies exist, but they have most often been used to identify capacity building needs, not for evaluating capacity strengthening efforts. A new definition of capacity strengthening, grown out of recent efforts to improve effectiveness of international health and development programs, focuses on improving organizational and societal systems that support performance and individual competencies. We propose a holistic model for HIV communication capacity strengthening and call for rigorous documentation and evaluation to determine and scale-up optimal capacity building interventions for strengthening social and behavior change communication for HIV prevention, care, and treatment in developing countries.

  8. GOFC-GOLD/LCLUC/START Regional Networking: building capacity for science and decision-making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Justice, C. O.; Vadrevu, K.; Gutman, G.

    2016-12-01

    Over the past 20 years, the international GOFC-GOLD Program and START, with core funding from the NASA LCLUC program and ESA have been developing regional networks of scientists and data users for scientific capacity building and sharing experience in the use and application of Earth Observation data. Regional networks connect scientists from countries with similar environmental and social issues and often with shared water and airsheds. Through periodic regional workshops, regional and national projects are showcased and national priorities and policy drivers are articulated. The workshops encourage both north-south and south-south exchange and collaboration. The workshops are multi-sponsored and each include a training component, targeting early career scientists and data users from the region. The workshops provide an opportunity for regional scientists to publish in peer-reviewed special editions focused on regional issues. Currently, the NASA LCLUC program funded "South and Southeast Asia Regional Initiative (SARI)" team is working closely with the USAID/NASA SERVIR program to implement some capacity building and training activities jointly in south/southeast Asian countries to achieve maximum benefit.

  9. Evolution of the concept of Capacity-building, results achieved during the past years and the future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laffaiteur, M.; Camacho, S.

    Capacity-building is one of the key elements for the implementation of space applications programmes, particularly in developing countries. As early as 1982, the work programme of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications was expanded in order to promote education and training by organizing seminars, training courses and workshops in various areas, such as astronomy, telecommunications and Earth observation. In the framework of this Programme, the Office for Outer Space Affairs undertook the initiative, at the beginning of the 1990's, aimed at establishing regional centres for space science and technology education, affiliated to the United Nations and located in developing countries. These centres have started their activities between 1995 and 2000 in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean. The centres are based on the concept that by pooling material and human resources, developing countries can have education and training centres, of an international-level quality. A considerable impetus has been given to capacity-building after the UNISPACE III Conference, in particular in the "Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development". The necessity to enhance capacity-building through the development of human and budgetary resources, the training of teachers, the exchange of teaching methods, materials and experience and the development of infrastructure and policy regulatories. In the process of the implementation of the recommendations of UNISPACE III, Action Teams led by Governments were established. One of them was exclusively dealing with capacity-building. Its proposals have been reviewed last June by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and will be examined, among other reports of Action Teams, by the General Assembly in next October. A lot of work has been done during the past years and have produced very important results. But there is still an important gap in capacity-building between space

  10. Building the Capacity of Indonesian Education Universities for ICT in Pre-Service Teacher Education: A Case Study of a Strategic Planning Exercise

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Cher Ping; Pannen, Paulina

    2012-01-01

    This paper documents how four Indonesian teacher education institutions (TEIs) engaged in strategic planning to build their capacity in developing pre-service teachers' ICT in education competencies. These TEIs adopted a holistic approach towards strategic planning by drawing upon the six dimensions of the "Capacity Building Toolkit" for…

  11. A Hybrid Backward-Forward Iterative Model for Improving Capacity Building of Earth Observations for Sustainable Societal Application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, F.; Iqbal, N.; Lee, H.; Muhammad, A.

    2015-12-01

    When it comes to building durable capacity for implementing state of the art technology and earth observation (EO) data for improved decision making, it has been long recognized that a unidirectional approach (from research to application) often does not work. Co-design of capacity building effort has recently been recommended as a better alternative. This approach is a two-way street where scientists and stakeholders engage intimately along the entire chain of actions from design of research experiments to packaging of decision making tools and each party provides an equal amount of input. Scientists execute research experiments based on boundary conditions and outputs that are defined as tangible by stakeholders for decision making. On the other hand, decision making tools are packaged by stakeholders with scientists ensuring the application-specific science is relevant. In this talk, we will overview one such iterative capacity building approach that we have implemented for gravimetry-based satellite (GRACE) EO data for improved groundwater management in Pakistan. We call our approach a hybrid approach where the initial step is a forward model involving a conventional short-term (3 day) capacity building workshop in the stakeholder environment addressing a very large audience. In this forward model, the net is cast wide to 'shortlist' a set of highly motivated stakeholder agency staffs who are then engaged more directly in 1-1 training. In the next step (the backward model), these short listed staffs are then brought back in the research environment of the scientists (supply) for 1-1 and long-term (6 months) intense brainstorming, training, and design of decision making tools. The advantage of this backward model is that it allows for a much better understanding for scientists of the ground conditions and hurdles of making a EO-based scientific innovation work for a specific decision making problem that is otherwise fundamentally impossible in conventional

  12. Building capacity in implementation science research training at the University of Nairobi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osanjo, George O; Oyugi, Julius O; Kibwage, Isaac O; Mwanda, Walter O; Ngugi, Elizabeth N; Otieno, Fredrick C; Ndege, Wycliffe; Child, Mara; Farquhar, Carey; Penner, Jeremy; Talib, Zohray; Kiarie, James N

    2016-03-08

    Health care systems in sub-Saharan Africa, and globally, grapple with the problem of closing the gap between evidence-based health interventions and actual practice in health service settings. It is essential for health care systems, especially in low-resource settings, to increase capacity to implement evidence-based practices, by training professionals in implementation science. With support from the Medical Education Partnership Initiative, the University of Nairobi has developed a training program to build local capacity for implementation science. This paper describes how the University of Nairobi leveraged resources from the Medical Education Partnership to develop an institutional program that provides training and mentoring in implementation science, builds relationships between researchers and implementers, and identifies local research priorities for implementation science. The curriculum content includes core material in implementation science theory, methods, and experiences. The program adopts a team mentoring and supervision approach, in which fellows are matched with mentors at the University of Nairobi and partnering institutions: University of Washington, Seattle, and University of Maryland, Baltimore. A survey of program participants showed a high degree satisfaction with most aspects of the program, including the content, duration, and attachment sites. A key strength of the fellowship program is the partnership approach, which leverages innovative use of information technology to offer diverse perspectives, and a team model for mentorship and supervision. As health care systems and training institutions seek new approaches to increase capacity in implementation science, the University of Nairobi Implementation Science Fellowship program can be a model for health educators and administrators who wish to develop their program and curricula.

  13. Building capacity for the conduct of nursing research at a Veterans Administration hospital.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phelan, Cynthia H; Schumacher, Sandra; Roiland, Rachel; Royer, Heather; Roberts, Tonya

    2015-05-01

    Evidence is the bedrock of nursing practice, and nursing research is the key source for this evidence. In this article, we draw distinctions between the use and the conduct of nursing research and provide a perspective for how the conduct of nursing research in a Veterans Administration hospital can build an organization's capacity for nursing research.

  14. Policy networking as capacity building : An analysis of regional road development conflict in Indonesia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hudalah, Delik; Winarso, Haryo; Woltjer, Johan

    2010-01-01

    This article explores the potential of policy networking as an important aspect of capacity building. It deals with a road development project related to the regional planning issue of North Bandung Area (NBA), a water catchment area facing the expansion of Bandung Metropolitan Area, West Java,

  15. Policy networking as capacity building : An analysis of regional road development conflict in Indonesia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hudalah, Delik; Winarso, Haryo; Woltjer, Johan

    This article explores the potential of policy networking as an important aspect of capacity building. It deals with a road development project related to the regional planning issue of North Bandung Area (NBA), a water catchment area facing the expansion of Bandung Metropolitan Area, West Java,

  16. From the Laboratory to the Field: Updating Capacity Building in Medical Entomology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, Antonio Paulo Gouveia; Fouque, Florence; Launois, Pascal; Sousa, Carla A; Silveira, Henrique

    2017-09-01

    Training and innovation in the field of medical entomology are essential to mitigate the burden of vector-borne diseases globally. However, there is a shortage of medical entomologists worldwide, and there are large discrepancies in capacity building in this field. In this article, we discuss the current situation, what is needed from the medical entomologist of today, and how we can bridge this gap. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Energy Efficiency Requirements in Building Codes, Energy Efficiency Policies for New Buildings. IEA Information Paper

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laustsen, Jens

    2008-03-15

    The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse current approaches to encourage energy efficiency in building codes for new buildings. Based on this analysis the paper enumerates policy recommendations for enhancing how energy efficiency is addressed in building codes and other policies for new buildings. This paper forms part of the IEA work for the G8 Gleneagles Plan of Action. These recommendations reflect the study of different policy options for increasing energy efficiency in new buildings and examination of other energy efficiency requirements in standards or building codes, such as energy efficiency requirements by major renovation or refurbishment. In many countries, energy efficiency of buildings falls under the jurisdiction of the federal states. Different standards cover different regions or climatic conditions and different types of buildings, such as residential or simple buildings, commercial buildings and more complicated high-rise buildings. There are many different building codes in the world and the intention of this paper is not to cover all codes on each level in all countries. Instead, the paper details different regions of the world and different ways of standards. In this paper we also evaluate good practices based on local traditions. This project does not seek to identify one best practice amongst the building codes and standards. Instead, different types of codes and different parts of the regulation have been illustrated together with examples on how they have been successfully addressed. To complement this discussion of efficiency standards, this study illustrates how energy efficiency can be improved through such initiatives as efficiency labelling or certification, very best practice buildings with extremely low- or no-energy consumption and other policies to raise buildings' energy efficiency beyond minimum requirements. When referring to the energy saving potentials for buildings, this study uses the analysis of recent IEA

  18. Supporting Capacity Development for Sustainable Land Administration Infrastructures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Enemark, Stig

    2005-01-01

    and for identifying an adequate response to these needs at societal, organisational and individual levels. The paper examines the capacity building concept and underpins the need for institutional development to facilitate the design and implementation of efficient Land Administration Models and to support good......Land management is the process by which the resources of land are put into good effect. Land management encompasses all activities associated with the management of land and natural resources that are required to achieve sustainable development. Land Administration Systems are institutional......, the national capacity to manage land rights, restrictions and responsibilities is not well developed in terms of mature institutions and the necessary human resources and skills. In this regard, the capacity building concept offers some guidance for analysing and assessing the capacity needs...

  19. Evaluation of tritiated water retention capacity of fusion reactor concrete building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Numata, S.; Fujii, Y.; Okamoto, M.

    1992-01-01

    In this paper the diffusion of tritiated water vapor into concrete walls is studied to evaluate tritiated water retention capacity of a fusion reactor concrete building. Using a model of the tritiated water diffusion determined form experimental results, depth profiles of tritiated water in concrete are calculated in the case of being exposed to air containing tritiated water vapor during the normal operational condition of a fusion reactor. A 0.5-m-thick concrete is sufficient for reactor hall walls from a viewpoint of the tritium containment

  20. Global Disease Detection-Achievements in Applied Public Health Research, Capacity Building, and Public Health Diplomacy, 2001-2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Carol Y; Goryoka, Grace W; Henao, Olga L; Clarke, Kevin R; Salyer, Stephanie J; Montgomery, Joel M

    2017-11-01

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has established 10 Global Disease Detection (GDD) Program regional centers around the world that serve as centers of excellence for public health research on emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. The core activities of the GDD Program focus on applied public health research, surveillance, laboratory, public health informatics, and technical capacity building. During 2015-2016, program staff conducted 205 discrete projects on a range of topics, including acute respiratory illnesses, health systems strengthening, infectious diseases at the human-animal interface, and emerging infectious diseases. Projects incorporated multiple core activities, with technical capacity building being most prevalent. Collaborating with host countries to implement such projects promotes public health diplomacy. The GDD Program continues to work with countries to strengthen core capacities so that emerging diseases can be detected and stopped faster and closer to the source, thereby enhancing global health security.

  1. Training and technical assistance to enhance capacity building between prevention research centers and their partners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spadaro, Antonia J; Grunbaum, Jo Anne; Dawkins, Nicola U; Wright, Demia S; Rubel, Stephanie K; Green, Diane C; Simoes, Eduardo J

    2011-05-01

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has administered the Prevention Research Centers Program since 1986. We quantified the number and reach of training programs across all centers, determined whether the centers' outcomes varied by characteristics of the academic institution, and explored potential benefits of training and technical assistance for academic researchers and community partners. We characterized how these activities enhanced capacity building within Prevention Research Centers and the community. The program office collected quantitative information on training across all 33 centers via its Internet-based system from April through December 2007. Qualitative data were collected from April through May 2007. We selected 9 centers each for 2 separate, semistructured, telephone interviews, 1 on training and 1 on technical assistance. Across 24 centers, 4,777 people were trained in 99 training programs in fiscal year 2007 (October 1, 2006-September 30, 2007). Nearly 30% of people trained were community members or agency representatives. Training and technical assistance activities provided opportunities to enhance community partners' capacity in areas such as conducting needs assessments and writing grants and to improve the centers' capacity for cultural competency. Both qualitative and quantitative data demonstrated that training and technical assistance activities can foster capacity building and provide a reciprocal venue to support researchers' and the community's research interests. Future evaluation could assess community and public health partners' perception of centers' training programs and technical assistance.

  2. Analysis of heat source selection for residential buildings in rural areas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szul Tomasz

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The research aiming to check whether the output of currently installed boilers matches the use requirements together with estimation of their energy efficiency was carried out on a group of 84 single-family residential buildings located in rural areas. Heating and hot water energy needs were calculated for each building in order to determine the use requirements. This enabled verification whether the currently installed boilers match the actual use requirements in the buildings. Based on the calculations it was determined that the designed average boiler output in the group of buildings subject to analysis is 15.7 kW, whereas the mean rated output capacity of boilers installed therein is 25.4 kW. On average, the output capacity of the installed boilers exceeds the use requirements for the buildings by 60%. To calculate the energy efficiency of boilers, the mean annual boiler output capacity use coefficient was determined. For boilers selected on the basis of standard calculations, the mean coefficient is 0.47. For boilers currently in use it is 0.31, less than the above figure. The above calculations show that if boilers were correctly selected in compliance to the building needs, then the average estimated seasonal efficiency of 65% would be feasible. However, in the current state the achievable efficiency is approx. 55%.

  3. Cost-optimal levels of minimum energy performance requirements in the Danish Building Regulations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aggerholm, S.

    2013-09-15

    The purpose of the report is to analyse the cost optimality of the energy requirements in the Danish Building Regulations 2010, BR10 to new building and to existing buildings undergoing major renovation. The energy requirements in the Danish Building Regulations have by tradition always been based on the cost and benefits related to the private economical or financial perspective. Macro economical calculations have in the past only been made in addition. The cost optimum used in this report is thus based on the financial perspective. Due to the high energy taxes in Denmark there is a significant difference between the consumer price and the macro economical for energy. Energy taxes are also paid by commercial consumers when the energy is used for building operation e.g. heating, lighting, ventilation etc. In relation to the new housing examples the present minimum energy requirements in BR 10 all shows gaps that are negative with a deviation of up till 16 % from the point of cost optimality. With the planned tightening of the requirements to new houses in 2015 and in 2020, the energy requirements can be expected to be tighter than the cost optimal point, if the costs for the needed improvements don't decrease correspondingly. In relation to the new office building there is a gap of 31 % to the point of cost optimality in relation to the 2010 requirement. In relation to the 2015 and 2020 requirements there are negative gaps to the point of cost optimality based on today's prices. If the gaps for all the new buildings are weighted to an average based on mix of building types and heat supply for new buildings in Denmark there is a gap of 3 % in average for the new building. The excessive tightness with today's prices is 34 % in relation to the 2015 requirement and 49 % in relation to the 2020 requirement. The component requirement to elements in the building envelope and to installations in existing buildings adds up to significant energy efficiency

  4. ICT Capacity Building: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Rwandan Policies from Higher Education Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byungura, Jean Claude; Hansson, Henrik; Masengesho, Kamuzinzi; Karunaratne, Thashmee

    2016-01-01

    With the development of technology in the 21st Century, education systems attempt to integrate technology-based tools to improve experiences in pedagogy and administration. It is becoming increasingly prominent to build human and ICT infrastructure capacities at universities from policy to implementation level. Using a critical discourse analysis,…

  5. Teachers' and Students' Perception of Instructional Supervision on Capacity Building in Electrical Installation Trade

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eze, Ogwa Christopher

    2015-01-01

    This research was conducted to ascertain teachers' and students perception of instructional supervision in relation to capacity building in electrical installation trade in technical colleges. Three research questions and a null hypothesis were employed to guide the study. Descriptive survey was adopted. A 23-item questionnaire was used to elicit…

  6. Building groundwater modeling capacity in Mongolia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valder, Joshua F.; Carter, Janet M.; Anderson, Mark T.; Davis, Kyle W.; Haynes, Michelle A.; Dorjsuren Dechinlhundev,

    2016-06-16

    Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia (fig. 1), is dependent on groundwater for its municipal and industrial water supply. The population of Mongolia is about 3 million people, with about one-half the population residing in or near Ulaanbaatar (World Population Review, 2016). Groundwater is drawn from a network of shallow wells in an alluvial aquifer along the Tuul River. Evidence indicates that current water use may not be sustainable from existing water sources, especially when factoring the projected water demand from a rapidly growing urban population (Ministry of Environment and Green Development, 2013). In response, the Government of Mongolia Ministry of Environment, Green Development, and Tourism (MEGDT) and the Freshwater Institute, Mongolia, requested technical assistance on groundwater modeling through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Scientists from the USGS and USACE provided two workshops in 2015 to Mongolian hydrology experts on basic principles of groundwater modeling using the USGS groundwater modeling program MODFLOW-2005 (Harbaugh, 2005). The purpose of the workshops was to bring together representatives from the Government of Mongolia, local universities, technical experts, and other key stakeholders to build in-country capacity in hydrogeology and groundwater modeling.A preliminary steady-state groundwater-flow model was developed as part of the workshops to demonstrate groundwater modeling techniques to simulate groundwater conditions in alluvial deposits along the Tuul River in the vicinity of Ulaanbaatar. ModelMuse (Winston, 2009) was used as the graphical user interface for MODFLOW for training purposes during the workshops. Basic and advanced groundwater modeling concepts included in the workshops were groundwater principles; estimating hydraulic properties; developing model grids, data sets, and MODFLOW input files; and viewing and evaluating MODFLOW output files. A key to success was

  7. Capacity building for higher education in developing countries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Enemark, Stig

    2006-01-01

    "Higher education is the modern world's basic education, but many countries are falling further and further behind". This quote from a recent World Bank publication indicates that the role of the universities as a key driver for societal development is now widely recognized and included...... in the donor policies. However, donor projects are not easy to organize in this area, and the role of the western universities in this area is not easy to identify. The paper presents a case study from Mozambique dealing with a World Bank project in Higher Education. The project was focused on qualitative...... in the donor countries in order to merge the interests of the universities, the Ministry of Science/Education and the national/international donor agencies. It is argued that capacity building for higher education in developing countries should be a generally accepted part of the university strategy portfolio...

  8. Building Capacity for HIV/AIDS Prevention Trials Research and ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    A relatively small number of African sites have the clinical and laboratory capacity to design, manage and carry out HIV/AIDS prevention trials. This project is based on the premise that many of the required skills are already present at additional locations, but need further development. The grant will facilitate interaction ...

  9. A research agenda for helminth diseases of humans: health research and capacity building in disease-endemic countries for helminthiases control.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mike Y Osei-Atweneboana

    Full Text Available Capacity building in health research generally, and helminthiasis research particularly, is pivotal to the implementation of the research and development agenda for the control and elimination of human helminthiases that has been proposed thematically in the preceding reviews of this collection. Since helminth infections affect human populations particularly in marginalised and low-income regions of the world, they belong to the group of poverty-related infectious diseases, and their alleviation through research, policy, and practice is a sine qua non condition for the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals. Current efforts supporting research capacity building specifically for the control of helminthiases have been devised and funded, almost in their entirety, by international donor agencies, major funding bodies, and academic institutions from the developed world, contributing to the creation of (not always equitable North-South "partnerships". There is an urgent need to shift this paradigm in disease-endemic countries (DECs by refocusing political will, and harnessing unshakeable commitment by the countries' governments, towards health research and capacity building policies to ensure long-term investment in combating and sustaining the control and eventual elimination of infectious diseases of poverty. The Disease Reference Group on Helminth Infections (DRG4, established in 2009 by the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR, was given the mandate to review helminthiases research and identify research priorities and gaps. This paper discusses the challenges confronting capacity building for parasitic disease research in DECs, describes current capacity building strategies with particular reference to neglected tropical diseases and human helminthiases, and outlines recommendations to redress the balance of alliances and partnerships for health research between the developed countries of

  10. Delivering competence based training and capacity building to support sustainable uranium mining in less prepared areas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miko Dit Angoula, I.; Tulsidas, H.

    2014-01-01

    The IAEA project “Supporting sustainable uranium mining in less prepared areas” consists of a 3-year catalytic training and capacity building of a range of work packages/tasks targeted on technical, operational, regulatory, environmental, stakeholders and governance needs in uranium mining of African francophone uranium producer or potential producer countries. The project is externally funded by a contribution from the USA. The scope is defined by the identification and the delivery of training and further capacity-building measures to enhance national and regional preparedness in these francophone Member States for the conduct of sustainable uranium mining and production, with particular reference to environmental, social, economic issues and good governance within the context of fostering good, safe practices in the comprehensive extraction of all possible economic resources from the mining process.

  11. Building Adaptive Capacity in Changing Social-Ecological Systems: Integrating Knowledge in Communal Land-Use Planning in the Peruvian Amazon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lily O. Rodríguez

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Building resilient sustainable social-ecological systems (SES requires communities to enhance their adaptive capacities. Communal participative land-use planning (Zonificación Participativa Comunal—ZPC is a tool designed for communities to integrating local and scientific knowledge to sustainably organize and manage their SES. Between 2006 and 2011, a ZPC was developed with communities in the buffer zone of Cordillera Azul National Park (Peru, where rapid demographic changes are converting pre-montane seasonally dry forest into agricultural land. Herein, we analyse how the ZPC enhanced adaptive capacity, enabling the SES to cope with environmental, political and economic changes. Based on qualitative, semi-structured interviews, communities are analysed along their capacities in the dimensions social capital, learning, adaptive management and governance. An analysis of yearly high-resolution forest cover data supports our findings. Deforestation activities in biologically sensitive zones decreased rapidly during the time of the ZPC implementation. We find that particularly the long-term presence of the bridging institution and the continuous testing and reflection of the integrated “hybrid knowledge” enabled communities to develop adaptive capacities. The analysis of ZPC our results reveals the enabling conditions for promoting the learning process to develop a sustainable land-use management in the context of migration and rapid changes.

  12. Energy performance requirements for new buildings in 11 countries from Central Europe. Exemplary comparison of three buildings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Loga, Tobias; Knissel, Jens; Diefenbach, Nikolaus

    2008-12-05

    The objective of the present comparison study is to show which energy efficiency require-ments have to be complied in different European countries when a new building is going to be constructed. For this purpose three Model Buildings were defined: a single-family house, a multi-family house and a school building. For each involved country (or region) the energy quality of the thermal envelope was determined which is necessary in order to just comply with the building code. Due to requirements on the overall energy performance the requested envelope quality usually depends also on the type of heat supply system or energy carrier. Therefore the systems were varied in a parameter study. The main result for each of the three Model Buildings is a comparison table which shows the heat transfer coefficient by transmission (a sort of mean U-value) for the different countries differenti-ated by supply system types. In a final step the primary energy demand according to the German regulation (EnEV 2007) was calculated for every envelope/system combination of the different countries. This allows a comparison of buildings with different supply systems. The study was performed by experts from 11 European member states: Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Sweden, Denmark, UK, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. (orig.)

  13. Biosafety and Biosecurity: A Relative Risk-Based Framework for Safer, More Secure, and Sustainable Laboratory Capacity Building

    OpenAIRE

    Dickmann, Petra; Sheeley, Heather; Lightfoot, Nigel

    2015-01-01

    Background Laboratory capacity building is characterized by a paradox between endemicity and resources: countries with high endemicity of pathogenic agents often have low and intermittent resources (water, electricity) and capacities (laboratories, trained staff, adequate regulations). Meanwhile, countries with low endemicity of pathogenic agents often have high-containment facilities with costly infrastructure and maintenance governed by regulations. The common practice of exporting high ...

  14. Biosafety and Biosecurity: A relative risk-based framework for safer, more secure and sustainable laboratory capacity building

    OpenAIRE

    Petra eDickmann; Heather eSheeley; Nigel Francis Lightfoot; Nigel Francis Lightfoot

    2015-01-01

    Background: Laboratory capacity building is characterized by a paradox between endemicity and resources: Countries with high endemicity of pathogenic agents often have low and intermittent resources (water, electricity) and capacities (laboratories, trained staff, adequate regulations). Meanwhile, countries with low endemicity of pathogenic agents often have high containment facilities with costly infrastructure and maintenance governed by regulations. The common practice of exporting high bi...

  15. One Health/EcoHealth capacity building programs in South and South East Asia: a mixed method rapid systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chatterjee, Pranab; Chauhan, Abhimanyu Singh; Joseph, Jessy; Kakkar, Manish

    2017-09-29

    Although One Health (OH) or EcoHealth (EH) have been acknowledged to provide comprehensive and holistic approaches to study complex problems, like zoonoses and emerging infectious diseases, there remains multiple challenges in implementing them in a problem-solving paradigm. One of the most commonly encountered barriers, especially in low- and middle-income countries, is limited capacity to undertake OH/EH inquiries. A rapid review was undertaken to conduct a situation analysis of the existing OH/EH capacity building programs, with a focused analysis of those programs with extensive OH engagement, to help map the current efforts in this area. A listing of the OH/EH projects/initiatives implemented in South Asia (SA) and South East Asia (SEA) was done, followed by analysis of documents related to the projects, available from peer-reviewed or grey literature sources. Quantitative data was extracted using a data extraction format, and a free listing of qualitative themes was undertaken. In SEA, 13 unique OH/EH projects, with 37 capacity building programs, were identified. In contrast, in SA, the numbers were 8 and 11 respectively. In SA, programs were oriented to develop careers in program management, whereas, in SEA, the emphasis was on research. Two thirds of the programs in SEA had extensive OH engagement, whereas only one third of those in SA did. The target for the SEA programs was wider, including a population more representative of OH stakes. SEA program themes reveal utilization of multiple approaches, usually in shorter terms, and are growing towards integration with the traditional curricula. Such convergence of themes was lacking in SA programs. In both regions, the programs were driven by external donor agencies, with minimal local buy-in. There is limited investment in research capacity building in both SA and SEA. The situation appears to be more stark in SA, whilst SEA has been able to use the systematic investment and support to develop the OH

  16. Network-based social capital and capacity-building programs: an example from Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mantopoulos Jeannie

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Capacity-building programs are vital for healthcare workforce development in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to increasing human capital, participation in such programs may lead to new professional networks and access to social capital. Although network development and social capital generation were not explicit program goals, we took advantage of a natural experiment and studied the social networks that developed in the first year of an executive-education Master of Hospital and Healthcare Administration (MHA program in Jimma, Ethiopia. Case description We conducted a sociometric network analysis, which included all program participants and supporters (formally affiliated educators and mentors. We studied two networks: the Trainee Network (all 25 trainees and the Trainee-Supporter Network (25 trainees and 38 supporters. The independent variable of interest was out-degree, the number of program-related connections reported by each respondent. We assessed social capital exchange in terms of resource exchange, both informational and functional. Contingency table analysis for relational data was used to evaluate the relationship between out-degree and informational and functional exchange. Discussion and evaluation Both networks demonstrated growth and inclusion of most or all network members. In the Trainee Network, those with the highest level of out-degree had the highest reports of informational exchange, χ2 (1, N = 23 = 123.61, p 2(1, N = 23 = 26.11, p > 0.05. In the Trainee-Supporter Network, trainees with the highest level of out-degree had the highest reports of informational exchange, χ2 (1, N = 23 = 74.93, p 2 (1, N = 23 = 81.31, p Conclusions We found substantial and productive development of social networks in the first year of a healthcare management capacity-building program. Environmental constraints, such as limited access to information and communication technologies, or challenges with

  17. NASA's Contribution to Water Research, Applications and Capacity Building in the America's

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toll, D. L.; Searby, N. D.; Doorn, B.; Lawford, R. G.; Entin, J. K.; Mohr, K. I.; Lee, C.; NASA International Water Team

    2013-05-01

    NASA's water research, applications and capacity building activities use satellites and models to contribute to regional water information and solutions for the Americas. Free and open exchange of Earth data observations and products helps engage and improve integrated observation networks and enables national and multi-national regional water cycle research and applications. NASA satellite and modeling products provide a huge volume of valuable data extending back over 50 years across a broad range of spatial (local to global) and temporal (hourly to decadal) scales and include many products that are available in near real time (see earthdata.nasa.gov). In addition, NASA's work in hydrologic predictions are valuable for: 1) short-term and hourly data that is critical for flood and landslide warnings; 2) mid-term predictions of days to weeks useful for reservoir planning and water allocation, and 3) long term seasonal to decadal forecasts helpful for agricultural and irrigation planning, land use planning, and water infrastructure development and planning. To further accomplish these objectives NASA works to actively partner with public and private groups (e.g. federal agencies, universities, NGO's, and industry) in the U.S. and internationally to ensure the broadest use of its satellites and related information and products and to collaborate with regional end users who know the regions and their needs best. Through these data, policy and partnering activities, NASA addresses numerous water issues including water scarcity, the extreme events of drought and floods, and water quality so critical to the Americas. This presentation will outline and describe NASA's water related research, applications and capacity building programs' efforts to address the Americas' critical water challenges. This will specifically include water activities in NASA's programs in Terrestrial Hydrology (e.g., land-atmosphere feedbacks and improved stream flow estimation), Water Resources

  18. Building Human Resources Management Capacity for University Research: The Case at Four Leading Vietnamese Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, T. L.

    2016-01-01

    At research-intensive universities, building human resources management (HRM) capacity has become a key approach to enhancing a university's research performance. However, despite aspiring to become a research-intensive university, many teaching-intensive universities in developing countries may not have created effective research-promoted HRM…

  19. Research capacity building integrated into PHIT projects: leveraging research and research funding to build national capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L; Chilengi, Roma; Jackson, Elizabeth; Michel, Cathy; Napua, Manuel; Odhiambo, Jackline; Bawah, Ayaga

    2017-12-21

    Inadequate research capacity impedes the development of evidence-based health programming in sub-Saharan Africa. However, funding for research capacity building (RCB) is often insufficient and restricted, limiting institutions' ability to address current RCB needs. The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation's African Health Initiative (AHI) funded Population Health Implementation and Training (PHIT) partnership projects in five African countries (Ghana, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia) to implement health systems strengthening initiatives inclusive of RCB. Using Cooke's framework for RCB, RCB activity leaders from each country reported on RCB priorities, activities, program metrics, ongoing challenges and solutions. These were synthesized by the authorship team, identifying common challenges and lessons learned. For most countries, each of the RCB domains from Cooke's framework was a high priority. In about half of the countries, domain specific activities happened prior to PHIT. During PHIT, specific RCB activities varied across countries. However, all five countries used AHI funding to improve research administrative support and infrastructure, implement research trainings and support mentorship activities and research dissemination. While outcomes data were not systematically collected, countries reported holding 54 research trainings, forming 56 mentor-mentee relationships, training 201 individuals and awarding 22 PhD and Masters-level scholarships. Over the 5 years, 116 manuscripts were developed. Of the 59 manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals, 29 had national first authors and 18 had national senior authors. Trainees participated in 99 conferences and projects held 37 forums with policy makers to facilitate research translation into policy. All five PHIT projects strongly reported an increase in RCB activities and commended the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation for prioritizing RCB, funding RCB at adequate levels and time frames and for allowing

  20. Policy Capacity for Health Reform: Necessary but Insufficient: Comment on "Health Reform Requires Policy Capacity".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Owen

    2015-09-04

    Forest and colleagues have persuasively made the case that policy capacity is a fundamental prerequisite to health reform. They offer a comprehensive life-cycle definition of policy capacity and stress that it involves much more than problem identification and option development. I would like to offer a Canadian perspective. If we define health reform as re-orienting the health system from acute care to prevention and chronic disease management the consensus is that Canada has been unsuccessful in achieving a major transformation of our 14 health systems (one for each province and territory plus the federal government). I argue that 3 additional things are essential to build health policy capacity in a healthcare federation such as Canada: (a) A means of "policy governance" that would promote an approach to cooperative federalism in the health arena; (b) The ability to overcome the "policy inertia" resulting from how Canadian Medicare was implemented and subsequently interpreted; and (c) The ability to entertain a long-range thinking and planning horizon. My assessment indicates that Canada falls short on each of these items, and the prospects for achieving them are not bright. However, hope springs eternal and it will be interesting to see if the July, 2015 report of the Advisory Panel on Healthcare Innovation manages to galvanize national attention and stimulate concerted action. © 2016 by Kerman University of Medical Sciences.

  1. Developing capacity-building activities for mental health system strengthening in low- and middle-income countries for service users and caregivers, service planners, and researchers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semrau, M; Alem, A; Abdulmalik, J; Docrat, S; Evans-Lacko, S; Gureje, O; Kigozi, F; Lempp, H; Lund, C; Petersen, I; Shidhaye, R; Thornicroft, G; Hanlon, C

    2018-02-01

    There is increasing international recognition of the need to build capacity to strengthen mental health systems. This is a fundamental goal of the 'Emerging mental health systems in low- and middle-income countries' (Emerald) programme, which is being implemented in six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (Ethiopia, India, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda). This paper discusses Emerald's capacity-building approaches and outputs for three target groups in mental health system strengthening: (1) mental health service users and caregivers, (2) service planners and policy-makers, and (3) mental health researchers. When planning the capacity-building activities, the approach taken included a capabilities/skills matrix, needs assessments, a situational analysis, systematic reviews, qualitative interviews and stakeholder meetings, as well as the application of previous theory, evidence and experience. Each of the Emerald LMIC partners was found to have strengths in aspects of mental health system strengthening, which were complementary across the consortium. Furthermore, despite similarities across the countries, capacity-building interventions needed to be tailored to suit the specific needs of individual countries. The capacity-building outputs include three publicly and freely available short courses/workshops in mental health system strengthening for each of the target groups, 27 Masters-level modules (also open access), nine Emerald-linked PhD students, two MSc studentships, mentoring of post-doctoral/mid-level researchers, and ongoing collaboration and dialogue with the three groups. The approach taken by Emerald can provide a potential model for the development of capacity-building activities across the three target groups in LMICs.

  2. Universities in capacity building in sustainable development: focus on solid waste management and technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Agamuthu, P; Hansen, Jens Aage

    2007-06-01

    This paper analyses some of the higher education and research capacity building experiences gained from 1998-2006 by Danish and Malaysian universities. The focus is on waste management, directly relating to both the environmental and socio-economic dimensions of sustainable development. Primary benefits, available as an educational legacy to universities, were obtained in terms of new and enhanced study curricula established on Problem-oriented Project-based Learning (POPBL) pedagogy, which strengthened academic environmental programmes at Malaysian and Danish universities. It involved more direct and mutually beneficial cooperation between academia and businesses in both countries. This kind of university reach-out is considered vital to development in all countries actively striving for global and sustainable development. Supplementary benefits were accrued for those involved directly in activities such as the 4 months of field studies, workshops, field courses and joint research projects. For students and academics, the gains have been new international dimensions in university curricula, enhanced career development and research collaboration based on realworld cases. It is suggested that the area of solid waste management offers opportunities for much needed capacity building in higher education and research, contributing to sustainable waste management on a global scale. Universities should be more actively involved in such educational, research and innovation programmes to make the necessary progress. ISWA can support capacity building activities by utilizing its resources--providing a lively platform for debate, securing dissemination of new knowledge, and furthering international networking beyond that which universities already do by themselves. A special challenge to ISWA may be to improve national and international professional networks between academia and business, thereby making education, research and innovation the key driving mechanisms in

  3. SDH-NET: a South-North-South collaboration to build sustainable research capacities on social determinants of health in low- and middle-income countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cash-Gibson, Lucinda; Guerra, German; Salgado-de-Snyder, V Nelly

    2015-10-22

    It is desirable that health researchers have the ability to conduct research on health equity and contribute to the development of their national health system and policymaking processes. However, in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), there is a limited capacity to conduct this type of research due to reasons mostly associated with the status of national (health) research systems. Building sustainable research capacity in LMICs through the triangulation of South-North-South (S-N-S) collaborative networks seems to be an effective way to maximize limited national resources to strengthen these capacities. This article describes how a collaborative project (SDH-Net), funded by the European Commission, has successfully designed a study protocol and a S-N-S collaborative network to effectively support research capacity building in LMICs, specifically in the area of social determinants of health (SDH); this project seeks to elaborate on the vital role of global collaborative networks in strengthening this practice. The implementation of SDH-Net comprised diverse activities developed in three phases. Phase 1: national level mapping exercises were conducted to assess the needs for SDH capacity building or strengthening in local research systems. Four strategic areas were defined, namely research implementation and system performance, social appropriation of knowledge, institutional and national research infrastructure, and research skills and training/networks. Phase 2: development of tools to address the identified capacity building needs, as well as knowledge management and network strengthening activities. Phase 3: identifying lessons learned in terms of research ethics, and how policies can support the capacity building process in SDH research. The implementation of the protocol has led the network to design innovative tools for strengthening SDH research capacities, under a successful S-N-S collaboration that included national mapping reports, a global open

  4. Integrating Renewable Energy Requirements Into Building Energy Codes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaufmann, John R.; Hand, James R.; Halverson, Mark A.

    2011-07-01

    This report evaluates how and when to best integrate renewable energy requirements into building energy codes. The basic goals were to: (1) provide a rough guide of where we’re going and how to get there; (2) identify key issues that need to be considered, including a discussion of various options with pros and cons, to help inform code deliberations; and (3) to help foster alignment among energy code-development organizations. The authors researched current approaches nationally and internationally, conducted a survey of key stakeholders to solicit input on various approaches, and evaluated the key issues related to integration of renewable energy requirements and various options to address those issues. The report concludes with recommendations and a plan to engage stakeholders. This report does not evaluate whether the use of renewable energy should be required on buildings; that question involves a political decision that is beyond the scope of this report.

  5. RedeAmericas: building research capacity in young leaders for sustainable growth in community mental health services in Latin America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, L; Pratt, C; Valencia, E; Conover, S; Fernández, R; Burrone, M S; Cavalcanti, M T; Lovisi, G; Rojas, G; Alvarado, R; Galea, S; Price, L N; Susser, E

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and initial accomplishments of a training program of young leaders in community mental health research as part of a Latin American initiative known as RedeAmericas. RedeAmericas was one of five regional 'Hubs' funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to improve community mental health care and build mental health research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. It included investigators in six Latin American cities - Santiago, Chile; Medellín, Colombia; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Córdoba, Neuquén, and Buenos Aires in Argentina - working together with a team affiliated with the Global Mental Health program at Columbia University in New York City. One component of RedeAmericas was a capacity-building effort that included an Awardee program for early career researchers in the mental health field. We review the aims of this component, how it developed, and what was learned that would be useful for future capacity-building efforts, and also comment on future prospects for maintaining this type of effort.

  6. A Global Capacity Building Vision for Societal Applications of Earth Observing Systems and Data: Key Questions and Recommendations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hossain, Faisal; Serrat-Capdevila, Aleix; Granger, Stephanie; Thomas, Amy; Saah, David; Ganz, David; Mugo, Robinson; Murthy, M. S. R.; Ramos, Victor Hugo; Kirschbaum, Dalia; hide

    2016-01-01

    Capacity building using Earth observing (EO) systems and data (i.e., from orbital and nonorbital platforms) to enable societal applications includes the network of human, nonhuman, technical, nontechnical, hardware, and software dimensions that are necessary to successfully cross the valley [of death; see NRC (2001)] between science and research (port of departure) and societal application (port of arrival). In many parts of the world (especially where ground-based measurements are scarce or insufficient), applications of EO data still struggle for longevity or continuity for a variety of reasons, foremost among them being the lack of resilient capacity. An organization is said to have resilient capacity when it can retain and continue to build capacity in the face of unexpected shocks or stresses. Stresses can include intermittent power and limited Internet bandwidth, constant need for education on ever-increasing complexity of EO systems and data, communication challenges between the ports of departure and arrival (especially across time zones), and financial limitations and instability. Shocks may also include extreme events such as disasters and losing key staff with technical and institutional knowledge.

  7. A Proposal to Build Evaluation Capacity at the Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Jean A.

    2005-01-01

    The author describes potential evaluation capacity-building activities in contrast to the specifics of an evaluation design. Her response to the case of the Bunche-Da Vinci Learning Partnership Academy is developed in three parts: (1) an initial framing of the Bunche-Da Vinci situation; (2) what should be done before signing a contract; and (3)…

  8. Claim Your Space: Leadership Development as a Research Capacity Building Goal in Global Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Airhihenbuwa, Collins O.; Ogedegbe, Gbenga; Iwelunmor, Juliet; Jean-Louis, Girardin; Williams, Natasha; Zizi, Freddy; Okuyemi, Kolawole

    2016-01-01

    As the burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) rises in settings with an equally high burden of infectious diseases in the Global South, a new sense of urgency has developed around research capacity building to promote more effective and sustainable public health and health care systems. In 2010, NCDs accounted for more than 2.06 million deaths…

  9. Reaching consensus: a review on sexual health training modules for professional capacity building

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Karimian

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Professional capacity building (PCB is the focus point in health-related subjects.The present study was conducted to systematically review the existing sexual health training modules for health care providers.Methods: The following keywords were used to search: training, education, professional capacity, practitioner, sexual health, skill education, module, course, package and curriculum.The term MESH is referred to Medical Subject Headings and the following databases were investigated: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL, The Cochrane Library and Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID,Magiran, and Iranmedex. All articles from 1980 to 2015 were extracted. Online modules were excluded. Considering that lesson plan was the basis of instruction, the modules were selected based on the characteristics of the lesson plans.Results: A total number of 38 published training modules in the field of sexuality we redetermined. In total, more than half of the modules (58% were designed for medical doctor sand allied health professionals and the remaining (42% were for nurses and midwives. Almost all the modules (97% were introduced and utilized in developed countries, and only 3% were disseminated in developing countries.Conclusion: There are invaluable modules to build professional capacity in the field of sexual health. As a number of modules have been designed for nurses and midwifes, as the first-line health care providers, the use of these groups in sexual counseling and empowerment for sexual health is essential. No sexual health training program was designed in Iran. Therefore, designing such modules according to Iranian culture is strongly recommended.

  10. Reaching consensus: a review on sexual health training modules for professional capacity building.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karimian, Zahra; Azin, Seied Ali; Javid, Nasrin; Araban, Marzieh; Maasoumi, Raziyeh; Aghayan, Shahrokh; Merghati Khoie, Effat

    2018-01-01

    Background: Professional capacity building (PCB) is the focus point in health-related subjects.The present study was conducted to systematically review the existing sexual health training modules for health care providers. Methods: The following keywords were used to search: training, education, professional capacity, practitioner, sexual health, skill education, module, course, package and curriculum.The term MESH is referred to Medical Subject Headings and the following databases were investigated: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), The Cochrane Library and Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SID,Magiran, and Iranmedex. All articles from 1980 to 2015 were extracted. Online modules were excluded. Considering that lesson plan was the basis of instruction, the modules were selected based on the characteristics of the lesson plans. Results: A total number of 38 published training modules in the field of sexuality we redetermined. In total, more than half of the modules (58%) were designed for medical doctor sand allied health professionals and the remaining (42%) were for nurses and midwives. Almost all the modules (97%) were introduced and utilized in developed countries, and only 3% were disseminated in developing countries. Conclusion: There are invaluable modules to build professional capacity in the field of sexual health. As a number of modules have been designed for nurses and midwifes, as the first-line health care providers, the use of these groups in sexual counseling and empowerment for sexual health is essential. No sexual health training program was designed in Iran. Therefore, designing such modules according to Iranian culture is strongly recommended.

  11. Building Innovation Capacity: The Role of Human Capital Formation in Enterprises--A Review of the Literature. Occasional Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Andrew; Courvisanos, Jerry; Tuck, Jacqueline; McEachern, Steven

    2011-01-01

    This literature review examines the role of human capital formation in building innovative capacity in firms. The aim of the review is to develop a model of human capital development factors to be used as a basis for a larger research project where the factors that develop innovation capacity in enterprises will be investigated. The review finds…

  12. A strategic approach to public health workforce development and capacity building.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dean, Hazel D; Myles, Ranell L; Spears-Jones, Crystal; Bishop-Cline, Audriene; Fenton, Kevin A

    2014-11-01

    In February 2010, CDC's National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD), and Tuberculosis (TB) Prevention (NCHHSTP) formally institutionalized workforce development and capacity building (WDCB) as one of six overarching goals in its 2010-2015 Strategic Plan. Annually, workforce team members finalize an action plan that lays the foundation for programs to be implemented for NCHHSTP's workforce that year. This paper describes selected WDCB programs implemented by NCHHSTP during the last 4 years in the three strategic goal areas: (1) attracting, recruiting, and retaining a diverse and sustainable workforce; (2) providing staff with development opportunities to ensure the effective and innovative delivery of NCHHSTP programs; and (3) continuously recognizing performance and achievements of staff and creating an atmosphere that promotes a healthy work-life balance. Programs have included but are not limited to an Ambassador Program for new hires, career development training for all staff, leadership and coaching for mid-level managers, and a Laboratory Workforce Development Initiative for laboratory scientists. Additionally, the paper discusses three overarching areas-employee communication, evaluation and continuous review to guide program development, and the implementation of key organizational and leadership structures to ensure accountability and continuity of programs. Since 2010, many lessons have been learned regarding strategic approaches to scaling up organization-wide public health workforce development and capacity building. Perhaps the most important is the value of ensuring the high-level strategic prioritization of this issue, demonstrating to staff and partners the importance of this imperative in achieving NCHHSTP's mission. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Public-private partnerships to build human capacity in low income countries: findings from the Pfizer program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vian, Taryn; Richards, Sarah C; McCoy, Kelly; Connelly, Patrick; Feeley, Frank

    2007-03-02

    The ability of health organizations in developing countries to expand access to quality services depends in large part on organizational and human capacity. Capacity building includes professional development of staff, as well as efforts to create working environments conducive to high levels of performance. The current study evaluated an approach to public-private partnership where corporate volunteers give technical assistance to improve organizational and staff performance. From 2003 to 2005, the Pfizer Global Health Fellows program sent 72 employees to work with organizations in 19 countries. This evaluation was designed to assess program impact. The researchers administered a survey to 60 Fellows and 48 Pfizer Supervisors. In addition, the team conducted over 100 interviews with partner organization staff and other key informants during site visits in Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and India, the five countries where 60% of Fellows were placed. Over three-quarters of Fellowships appear to have imparted skills or enhanced operations of NGOs in HIV/AIDS and other health programs. Overall, 79% of Fellows reported meeting all or most technical assistance goals. Partner organization staff reported that the Fellows provided training to clinical and research personnel; strengthened laboratory, pharmacy, financial control, and human resource management systems; and helped expand Partner organization networks. Local staff also reported the Program changed their work habits and attitudes. The evaluation identified problems in defining goals of Fellowships and matching Organizations with Fellows. Capacity building success also appears related to size and sophistication of partner organization. Public expectations have grown regarding the role corporations should play in improving health systems in developing countries. Corporate philanthropy programs based on "donations" of personnel can help build the organizational and human capacity of frontline agencies

  14. Empowerment impact assessment (EmpIA), a tool for poverty alleviation and capacity building

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Louw, MR

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available their quality of life. xrhombus Facilitate the upgrading of the social and physical environment. xrhombus Increase employment. xrhombus Reduce poverty. xrhombus Stimulate economic growth. xrhombus Reduce imbalances in access to economic opportunities. 1... IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EmpIA), A TOOL FOR POVERTY ALLEVIATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING M.R. LOUW CSIR Built Environment: Pretoria, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria, 0001 ABSTRACT Empowerment impact assessment (EmpIA) is a quantitative...

  15. Building Critical Infrastructure resilience capacities into the Emergency Management set-up: a reference framework

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trucco, P.; Petrenj, B.; Kozine, Igor

    proposes a comprehensive framework to identify, build and enhance specific capabilities, both intra- and inter-organisational, needed to manage (prepare, cope and recover from) CI disruptions. This allows emergency services to assess and explicitly address resilience improvement measures while planning......, resources and processes specifically arranged to accomplish a critical task and assure a key objective. Each capability contributes to one or more resilience capacities (preventive, absorptive, adaptive and restorative). An overall resilience capability building cycle completes the framework, enabling...... a systematic implementation of relevant capabilities and making gap analysis with regard to resilience deficits. The planning of training exercises to enhance CI resilience can also benefit from the approach....

  16. Building Surgical Research Capacity Globally: Efficacy of a Clinical Research Course for Surgeons in Low-Resource Settings

    OpenAIRE

    Theodore A. Miclau; Kathryn Chomsky-Higgins; Alfredo Ceballos; Roberto Balmaseda; Saam Morshed; Mohit Bhandari; Fernando de la Huerta; Theodore Miclau

    2017-01-01

    Musculoskeletal injury confers an enormous burden of preventable disability and mortality in low- and moderate-income countries (LMICs). Appropriate orthopedic and trauma care services are lacking. Leading international health agencies emphasize the critical need to create and sustain research capacity in the developing world as a strategic factor in the establishment of functional, independent health systems. One aspect of building research capacity is partnership between developing and deve...

  17. The DEVELOP National Program: Building Dual Capacity in Decision Makers and Young Professionals Through NASA Earth Observations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Childs, L. M.; Rogers, L.; Favors, J.; Ruiz, M.

    2012-12-01

    Through the years, NASA has played a distinct/important/vital role in advancing Earth System Science to meet the challenges of environmental management and policy decision making. Within NASA's Earth Science Division's Applied Sciences' Program, the DEVELOP National Program seeks to extend NASA Earth Science for societal benefit. DEVELOP is a capacity building program providing young professionals and students the opportunity to utilize NASA Earth observations and model output to demonstrate practical applications of those resources to society. Under the guidance of science advisors, DEVELOP teams work in alignment with local, regional, national and international partner organizations to identify the widest array of practical uses for NASA data to enhance related management decisions. The program's structure facilitates a two-fold approach to capacity building by fostering an environment of scientific and professional development opportunities for young professionals and students, while also providing end-user organizations enhanced management and decision making tools for issues impacting their communities. With the competitive nature and growing societal role of science and technology in today's global workplace, DEVELOP is building capacity in the next generation of scientists and leaders by fostering a learning and growing environment where young professionals possess an increased understanding of teamwork, personal development, and scientific/professional development and NASA's Earth Observation System. DEVELOP young professionals are partnered with end user organizations to conduct 10 week feasibility studies that demonstrate the use of NASA Earth science data for enhanced decision making. As a result of the partnership, end user organizations are introduced to NASA Earth Science technologies and capabilities, new methods to augment current practices, hands-on training with practical applications of remote sensing and NASA Earth science, improved remote

  18. National forest cover monitoring in mainland South and Southeast Asia: method development and capacity building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyukavina, A.; Potapov, P.; Hansen, M.; Talero, Y.; Turubanova, S.; Pickering, J.; Pickens, A. H.; Quyen, N. H.; Spirovska Kono, M.

    2017-12-01

    Timely forest monitoring data produced following good practice guidance are required for national reporting on greenhouse gas emissions, national forest resource assessments, and monitoring for REDD+ projects. Remote sensing provides a cost-efficient supplement to national forest inventories, and is often the single viable source of data on forest extent for countries still in the process of establishing field-based inventories. Operational forest monitoring using remotely sensed data requires technical capacity to store, process, and analyze high volumes of satellite imagery. The University of Maryland Global Land Analysis and Discovery (UMD GLAD) lab possesses such technical capacity and is seeking to transfer it to national agencies responsible for forest reporting, national academic institutions, and NGOs. Our projects in South and Southeast Asia include regional forest monitoring in the lower Mekong region in support of the Regional Land Cover Monitoring System (funded by the NASA SERVIR program) and building capacity for forest monitoring in Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand (funded by the SilvaCarbon program). Our forest monitoring approach is a regional scale adaptation of methods developed for the global analysis (Hansen et al. 2013). The methodology to track large-scale clearing of natural forests (e.g. in Brazil and Indonesia) is well established; however, the methods for small-scale disturbance mapping and tree cover rotation assessment are still in development. In Bangladesh our mapping of tree cover change between 2000-2014 revealed that 54% of the tree canopy cover was outside forests, and the majority of canopy changes were smaller than 0.1 ha. Landsat's 30-m resolution was therefore insufficient to monitor changes in tree cover. By using a probability sample of high resolution (circa 1 m) imagery we were able to quantify change in tree canopy cover outside forests (including village woodlots, tree plantations and agroforestry

  19. A Tool and Process that Facilitate Community Capacity Building and Social Learning for Natural Resource Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher M. Raymond

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available This study presents a self-assessment tool and process that facilitate community capacity building and social learning for natural resource management. The tool and process provide opportunities for rural landholders and project teams both to self-assess their capacity to plan and deliver natural resource management (NRM programs and to reflect on their capacities relative to other organizations and institutions that operate in their region. We first outline the tool and process and then present a critical review of the pilot in the South Australian Arid Lands NRM region, South Australia. Results indicate that participants representing local, organizational, and institutional tiers of government were able to arrive at a group consensus position on the strength, importance, and confidence of a variety of capacities for NRM categorized broadly as human, social, physical, and financial. During the process, participants learned a lot about their current capacity as well as capacity needs. Broad conclusions are discussed with reference to the iterative process for assessing and reflecting on community capacity.

  20. World nuclear generating capacity and uranium requirements to 2005

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1991-01-01

    The outlook for the world nuclear power industry through 2005 is more positive than some may believe. Installed nuclear electric generating capacity is forecast to grow at an average rate of 2.4 percent per year, and reach 448 gigawatts electric (GWe) by 2005. Consequently, annual world uranium requirements also will grow, reaching over 200 million pounds equivalent U 3 O 8 by 2005. This article presents data and summarizes installed nuclear generating capacity and charts its increase as a function of time through the year 2005. This data is also charted by reactor type as well as reactor status: under construction, planned, or estimated future construction. In a similar fashion, the data is also charted by country and continent. Historical and projected data is also given for capacity factor

  1. Training and capacity building in central and eastern Europe through the EuroFIR and CEE networks

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pavlovic, M.; Witthoft, C.M.; Hollman, P.C.H.; Hulshof, P.J.M.; Glibetic, M.; Porubska, J.; Pepping, F.; Oshaug, A.

    2009-01-01

    Capacity building in food and nutrition aims to enhance knowledge and support infrastructural development in this field. International Network of Food Data Systems (INFOODS) was established on the basis of the recommendations of an international group convened under the auspices of the United

  2. Structural capacity assessment of machine-building enterprises and associations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prilutskay Maria

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Multidirectional tendencies of machine-building enterprises integration and disintegration resulted in the emergence of the formal and informal associations. These associations consist of the obviously and/or implicitly affiliated legal entities. Thus, a new element appears in the direct enterprise environment, i.e a management company or a head enterprise. The management company influences the participants even in an informal association. New environment restrictions led to the changes in the management structure. The paper considers the enterprise structures interrelation: organizational, financial, production, resource, and others. The authors draw a conclusion that the structures are hierarchy, and there are the coherence structures assessment criteria. The coordinated structures form the structural capacity of the enterprise. The suggested assessment coherence criteria (for example resource and functional structures allow estimating the structural potential and defining the directions of the enterprise efficiency increase.

  3. A mixed-method evaluation of the New York State Eat Well Play Hard Community Projects: Building local capacity for sustainable childhood obesity prevention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid, Kaydian S; Sekhobo, Jackson P; Gantner, Leigh A; Holbrook, MaryEllen K; Allsopp, Marie; Whalen, Linda B; Koren-Roth, Amy

    2018-04-01

    This study used a mixed-method, comparative case study approach to assess the level of capacity built for childhood obesity prevention among seven New York State Eat Well Play Hard-Community Projects (EWPH-CP). Data were collected through a self-reported survey in 2007, semi-structured interviews in 2009, and EWPH-CP program documentation throughout the 2006-2010 funding cycle. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were used along with an integrative framework for assessing local capacity building to characterize the capacity built by the study coalitions. Four coalitions rated membership characteristics as a challenge at the beginning of the funding cycle. Towards the end of the funding cycle, all seven coalitions reported activities that were initially focused on building their membership (i.e., member capacity) or positive working relationships (i.e. relational capacity), before eventually pursuing support and resources (i.e., organizational capacity) for implementing their chosen community-oriented programmatic goals (i.e., programmatic capacity). Five coalitions reported environmental changes aimed at increasing physical activity or fruit and vegetable intake. Technical assistance provided to coalitions was credited with contributing to the achievement of programmatic goals. These results suggest that the coalitions succeeded in building local capacity for increasing age-appropriate physical activity or fruit and vegetables intake in the target communities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Residential building envelope heat gain and cooling energy requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lam, Joseph C.; Tsang, C.L.; Li, Danny H.W.; Cheung, S.O.

    2005-01-01

    We present the energy use situation in Hong Kong from 1979 to 2001. The primary energy requirement (PER) nearly tripled during the 23-year period, rising from 195,405 TJ to 572,684 TJ. Most of the PER was used for electricity generation, and the electricity use in residential buildings rose from 7556 TJ (2099 GWh) to 32,799 TJ (9111 GWh), an increase of 334%. Air-conditioning accounted for about 40% of the total residential sector electricity consumption. A total of 144 buildings completed in the month of June during 1992-2001 were surveyed. Energy performance of the building envelopes was investigated in terms of the overall thermal transfer value (OTTV). To develop the appropriated parameters used in OTTV calculation, long-term measured weather data such as ambient temperature (1960-2001), horizontal global solar radiation (1992-2001) and global solar radiation on vertical surfaces (1996-2001) were examined. The OTTV found varied from 27 to 44 W/m 2 with a mean value of 37.7 W/m 2 . Building energy simulation technique using DOE-2.1E was employed to determine the cooling requirements and hence electricity use for building envelope designs with different OTTVs. It was found that cooling loads and electricity use could be expressed in terms of a simple two-parameter linear regression equation involving OTTV

  5. BODY BUILD AND BODY COMPOSITION VS. PHYSICAL CAPACITY IN YOUNG JUDO CONTESTANTS COMPARED TO UNTRAINED SUBJECTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Lech

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to (1 find differences in body build and aerobic and anaerobic capacity between young judoists and untrained peers; (2 compare correlations for indicators of body build with indicators of aerobic and anaerobic capacity among the group of trained and untrained subjects. The study group comprised 18 subjects selected during a competitive period, who had taken at least fifth place in national judo tournaments. Their training experience ranged from 6 to 11 years, 8 to 10 hours a week. The control group was composed of 18 untrained students from one of the schools included in the study. Their body height and mass (BM did not differ compared to judoists. A body composition chart was employed for analysis of body build and body composition. Physiological investigations encompassed measurements of anaerobic (Wingate test and aerobic (graded exercise test on cycle ergometer capacity. Judo contestants are typically characterized by higher BMI, fat-free mass and fat-free mass index compared to the untrained. Compared to the group of untrained peers, young athletes in this sport are distinguished by the time needed to generate peak power. This difference is not observed in the indices characterising aerobic capacity. The level of the indices of body build and composition in young judo contestants shows a moderate and strong correlation with indices of anaerobic and aerobic capacity. The amount of total work in the Wingate test was positively correlated with BMI (r=0.65, p<0.01, fat-free mass index (r=0.63, p<0.01, body mass (r=0.49, p<0.05, fat mass index (r=0.49, p<0.05 and percentage of fat (r=0.48, p<0.05. Maximal peak anaerobic power was positively correlated with fat-free mass index (r=0.48, p<0.05 and percentage of fat (r=0.50, p<0.05. A strong negative correlation between ·VO2max with body mass (r=-0.75, p<0.001, BMI (r=-0.72, p<0.001, moderate correlation with PF%(r=-0.64, p<0.01, fat-free mass index (r=-0.52, p<0

  6. Building capacity through urban agriculture: report on the askîy project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Wanda; Vold, Lindsey

    2018-01-01

    Many North American cities have a built environment that provides access to energy-dense food and little opportunity for active living. Urban agriculture contributes to a positive environment involving food plant cultivation that includes processing, storing, distributing and composting. It is a means to increase local food production and thereby improve community health. The purpose of this study was to understand how participating in urban agriculture can help to empower young adults and build capacity for growing food in the city. This was a qualitative study of seven participants (five Indigenous and two non-Indigenous) between the ages of 19 and 29 years, engaged as interns in an urban agriculture project known as "askîy" in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in 2015. We used a case-study design and qualitative analysis to describe the participants' experience based on the sustainable livelihoods framework. A collaborative approach had a great effect on the interns' experiences, notably the connections formed as they planned, planted, tended, harvested and sold the produce. Some of the interns changed their grocery shopping habits and began purchasing more vegetables and questioning where and how the vegetables were produced. All interns were eager to continue gardening next season, and some were planning to take their knowledge and skills back to their home reserves. Urban agriculture programs build capacity by providing skills beyond growing food. Such programs can increase local food production and improve food literacy skills, social relationships, physical activity and pride in community settings.

  7. From the Ground Up: The Importance of Preserving SOF Capacity Building Skills

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Whitney Grespin

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available The last decade of international engagements marks a shift in the way that the American military fights wars and mitigates conflict overseas. Although America has long had an affinity for creative destruction and cycles of force buildup and tear down, it is increasingly apparent that such an approach is not a viable option for the U.S. military’s path ahead. After a decade of costly conflict with large conventional forces and an abundance of direct action operations, the American way of war is evolving towards less muscle, more mind. To this end, the specialized training, mentoring, and capacity building skills that Special Operations Forces (SOF receive must remain a priority in an era of fiscal austerity and streamlined resources. It is easier to strengthen security forces than to strengthen governance and the drivers that combat instability. As SOF returns to a focus on partner capacity building programs rather than direct action missions, the lessons learned of the last twelve years of international security assistance programs must be embraced and codified rather than allowed to atrophy, as is often the case when the United States military reorients its attention to new policy priorities. Reliance on external nations and allied partners, coupled with the strategic direction to employ innovative, low-cost, and small-footprint indirect approaches to prevent conflict, have made SOF a resource of choice for both Combatant Commanders and military strategists.

  8. Building capacity for health promotion--a case study from China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Kwok-Cho; Nutbeam, Don; Kong, Lingzhi; Wang, Ruotao; Yan, Jun

    2005-09-01

    During the period 1997-2000 a technical assistance project to build capacity for community-based health promotion was implemented in seven cities and one province in China. The technical assistance project formed part of a much larger World Bank supported program to improve disease prevention capabilities in China, commonly known as Health VII. The technical assistance project was funded by the Australian Agency for International Development. It was designed to develop capacity within the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the cities and province in the management of community-based health promotion projects, as well as supporting institutional development and public health policy reform. There are some relatively unique features of this technical assistance which helped shape its implementation and impact. It sought to provide the Chinese MOH and the cities and province with an introduction to comprehensive health promotion strategies, in contrast to the more limited information, education and communication strategies. The project was provided on a continuing basis over 3 years through a single institution, rather than as a series of ad hoc consultancies by individuals. Teaching and learning processes were developmental, leading progressively to a greater degree of local Chinese input and management to ensure sustainability and maintenance of technical support for the project. Based on this experience, this paper presents a model for capacity building projects of this type. It describes the education, training and planning activities that were the key inputs to the project, as well as the limited available evidence on the impact of the project. It describes how the project evolved over time to meet the changing needs of the participants, specifically how the content of the project shifted from a risk-factor orientation to a settings-based focus, and the delivery of the project moved from an expert-led approach to a more participatory, problem based learning approach. In

  9. Challenges in Building Capacity for a Nuclear Programme in the Philippines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bacarra, Ermie M.

    2014-01-01

    Recommendations: Given that an enabling environment is vital the success of a capacity building initiative for a successful nuclear program, following are recommended: 1. All stakeholders must be made prepared and ready to undertake the initiative. -Government must have the political will to implement the program; - Policy-makers and the general public must be aptly informed and educated of the pros and cons including the science and engineering behind a nuclear programme; - A competent, highly skilled and able workforce/human resource must be available even before the start of the program. 2. All infrastructures – physical, policy, organizational must be put in place; - The integrity of the physical infrastructure must be assured and a robust organizational infrastructure must be established before the start of the program; - A firm national policy must be put in place with prior consultations held with all stake holders; - A deliberate and forward-looking capability building/HR plan in partnership with academe and other relevant institutions must be formulated before embarking on the program

  10. Next generation capacity building for the GEOSS community - an European approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bye, B. L.

    2016-12-01

    The Group on Earth observation embarked on the next 10 year phase with an ambition to streamline and futher develop its achievements in building the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS). The NextGEOSS project evolves the European vision of GEOSS data exploitation for innovation and business, relying on the three main pillars of engaging communities, delivering technological developments and advocating the use of GEOSS, in order to support the creation and deployment of Earth observation based innovative research activities and commercial services. In this presentation we will present the new integrated approach to capacity building engaging the various actors involved in the entire value-chain from data providers to decision-makers. A presentation of the general approach together with concrete pilot cases will be included.In this work it will be shown how we integrate new technological development and societial change enabling GEO and GEOSS to adapt to the current environment. The result is important for better decision-making and better use of our limited resources to manage our planet.

  11. Building capacity for low-carbon communities: The role of grassroots initiatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Middlemiss, Lucie; Parrish, Bradley D.

    2010-01-01

    Grassroots initiatives for change rely on people with limited power, limited resources and limited ability to influence others. From this position, people acting from the bottom up can change their own actions, seek to influence others around them and seek to change the social structures that they inhabit. These acts are invariably conceived, initiated and enacted within communities, and there is an emerging interest from practitioner, policy and academic circles in the importance of community as a space for realising pro-environmental change. In this paper, we ask what role grassroots initiatives can have in creating low-carbon communities. Using a theoretical framework from work on community-based practice change initiatives, we discuss the interplay between grassroots action and community capacity. We then present two cases of grassroots low-carbon community initiatives in light of this theoretical work. We conclude by discussing key themes emerging from the cases, including the potential for grassroots initiatives to build community capacity for low-carbon practices, and the importance of locally crafted solutions according to the structures specific to place.

  12. Combating (Child Human Trafficking: Building Capacity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Winterdyk

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available The presentation/paper focuses on the challenges and necessity of building capacity at local, national, and international levels with a focus of how to more effectively combat trafficking in human beings (THB. Insight from several of initiatives are shared with the aim of illustrating how to capitalize on the vast number of opportunities that already exist at these levels and how they might be coordinated to enable collaborative work in an informed and dynamic manner to combat human trafficking. Information from several recent research projects that focus on some of these same issues is also incorporated into this paper. El artículo se centra en los desafíos de la lucha contra el tráfico de personas y en la necesidad de aumentar la capacidad para ser más eficaces en ese sentido, local, nacional e internacionalmente. Nos hacemos eco de la visión de varias iniciativas, con el fin de ilustrar cómo capitalizar el gran número de oportunidades que ya existen en los ámbitos citados, y la forma en que se podrían coordinar para posibilitar la colaboración de una manera informada y dinámica para combatir la trata de personas. También se incluye en el artículo información emanada de diversos proyectos recientes de investigación sobre el tema que nos ocupa. DOWNLOAD THIS PAPER FROM SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=3086067

  13. Education and Training, and Knowledge Networks for Capacity-Building in Nuclear Security

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mrabit, Khammar

    2014-01-01

    Conclusions: • Capacity Building (CB) is critical for States to establish and maintain effective and sustainable nuclear security regime. • IAEA is a worldwide platform promoting international cooperation for CB in nuclear security involving more than 160 countries and over 20 Organizations and Initiatives. • IAEA Division of Nuclear Security is ready to continue supporting States in developing their CB through: – Comprehensive Training Programme: more than 80 training events annually – International Nuclear Security Training and Support Centre Network (NSSC) – Comprehensive Education Programme – International Nuclear Security Network (INSEN)

  14. Building Local Economic Development Capacity: A Case Study of Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bredfeldt, Erik A.

    2009-01-01

    This dissertation examines the role of the community college in building institutional capacity within the context of a community's local and regional economy and provides recommendations on the manner in which the role of the community college can be enhanced with respect to interaction with other urban and regional partners. It seeks to at least…

  15. Erasmus+: Capacity Building in Higher Education. EU Support to Higher Education Institutions around the World

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jongsma, Ard

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this brochure is to introduce those who are new to working with European Union funding, to the philosophy of Erasmus+ "capacity-building in higher education" projects. European Union experience of working on these types of projects will be shared. Examples of existing projects are scattered throughout the text to inspire you…

  16. Education and Training Networks as a Tool for Nuclear Security Human Resource Development and Capacity Building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nikonov, D.

    2014-01-01

    Human Resource Development for Capacity Building for Nuclear Security: • Comprehensive Training Programme Objective: To raise awareness, to fill gaps between the actual performance of personnel and the required competencies and skills and, to build-up qualified instructors/trainers. • Promoting Nuclear Security Education Objective: To support the development of teaching material, faculty expertise and preparedness, and the promotion of nuclear security education in collaboration with the academic and scientific community. Ultimate Goal: To develop capabilities for supporting sustainable implementation of the international legal instruments and IAEA guidelines for nuclear security worldwide, and to foster nuclear security culture. Education priorities for the future: • Incorporate feedback from the first pilot program into future academic activities in nuclear security; • Based on feedback from pilot program: • Revise the NSS12 guidance document; • Update educational materials and textbooks. • Support INSEN members, which consider launching MSc programs at their institutions; • Continue promoting nuclear security education as part of existing degree programs (through certificate or concentration options); • Support the use of new forms of teaching and learning in nuclear security education: • Online e-learning degree programmes and modules; • Learning by experience; • Problem-oriented learning tailored to nuclear security functions

  17. 24 CFR 200.936 - Supplementary specific procedural requirements under HUD building products certification program...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... requirements under HUD building products certification program for solid fuel type room heaters and fireplace... Supplementary specific procedural requirements under HUD building products certification program for solid fuel... fireplace stoves certified under the HUD Building Products Certification Program shall be designed...

  18. Summary and Conclusions by the Conference President Marta Žiaková [International Conference on Human Resource Development for Nuclear Power Programmes: Building and Sustaining Capacity, Vienna (Austria), 12-16 May 2014

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Žiaková, Marta

    2014-01-01

    • Many drivers for capacity building exist - Mature and newcomer countries, Action Plan for Nuclear Safety; • Since 2010 nuclear world has changed - Countries are very active in capacity building and IAEA responded; • e.g. new IAEA Capacity Building Self-Assessment Methodology. • Capacity building should cover full nuclear programme;• All levels important: • Individual: staff development, new curricula; • Corporate: supportive to young generation and new employees; • National: comprehensive approach needs government support; • Global: internationalization of education and careers

  19. Regional approach to building operational level capacity for disaster planning: the case of the Eastern Africa region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazeyo, W; Mayega, R W; Orach, G C; Kiguli, J; Mamuya, S; Tabu, J S; Sena, L; Rugigana, E; Mapatano, M; Lewy, D; Mock, N; Burnham, G; Keim, M; Killewo, J

    2013-06-01

    The Eastern Africa region is regularly affected by a variety of disasters ranging from drought, to human conflict and population displacement. The magnitude of emergencies and response capacities is similar across the region. In order to strengthen public health disaster management capacities at the operational level in six countries of the Eastern Africa region, the USAID-funded leadership project worked through the HEALTH Alliance, a network of seven schools of public health from six countries in the region to train district-level teams. To develop a sustainable regional approach to building operational level capacity for disaster planning. This project was implemented through a higher education leadership initiative. Project activities were spear-headed by a network of Deans and Directors of public health schools within local universities in the Eastern Africa region. The leadership team envisioned a district-oriented systems change strategy. Pre-service and in-service curricula were developed regionally and district teams were formed to attend short training courses. Project activities began with a situational analysis of the disaster management capacity at national and operational levels. The next steps were chronologically the formation of country training teams and training of trainers, the development of a regional disaster management training curriculum and training materials, the cascading of training activities in the region, and the incorporation of emerging issues into the training curriculum. An evaluation model included the analysis of preparedness impact of the training program. The output from the district teams was the creation of individual district-level disaster plans and their implementation. This 4-year project focused on building operational level public health emergency response capacity, which had not previously been part of any national program. Use of the all-hazard approach rather than a scenario-based contingency planning led to the

  20. Developing the Potential for Sustainable Improvement in Underperforming Schools: Capacity Building in the Socio-Cultural Dimension

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Jeffrey V.; Ylimaki, Rose M.; Dugan, Thad M.; Brunderman, Lynnette A.

    2014-01-01

    This mixed-method study examines Arizona principals' capacity-building skills and practices in Tier III schools aimed at developing potential for sustained improvements in student outcomes. Data sources included surveys (62 individuals) and semistructured interviews (29 individuals) of principals and staff (e.g. teachers, instructional coaches,…

  1. International Capacity-Building Initiatives for National Bioethics Committees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gefenas, Eugenijus; Lukaseviciene, Vilma

    2017-05-01

    During the last two decades, national bioethics committees have been established in many countries all over the world. They vary with respect to their structure, composition, and working methods, but the main functions are similar. They are supposed to facilitate public debate on controversial bioethical issues and produce opinions and recommendations that can help inform the public and policy-makers. The dialogue among national bioethics committees is also increasingly important in the globalized world, where biomedical technologies raise ethical dilemmas that traverse national borders. It is not surprising, therefore, that the committees are established and active in the technologically advanced countries. There have also been a few international capacity-building initiatives in bioethics that have had a dual task: networking among existing national bioethics committees and helping establish such committees in those countries that still lack them. The problem is that, due to a lack of information, it is not clear what problems and challenges committees face in the transitioning societies often characterized as low- and middle-income countries. © 2017 The Hastings Center.

  2. Building Climate Service Capacities in Eastern Africa with CHIRP and GeoCLIM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pedreros, D. H.; Magadzire, T.; Funk, C. C.; Verdin, J. P.; Peterson, P.; Landsfeld, M.; Husak, G. J.

    2013-12-01

    In developing countries there is a great need for capacity building within national and regional climate agencies to develop and analyze historical and real time gridded rainfall datasets. These datasets are of key importance for monitoring climate and agricultural food production at decadal and seasonal time scales, and for informing local decision makers. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), working together with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the Climate Hazards Group (CHG) of the University of California Santa Barbara, has developed an integrated set of data products and tools to support the development of African climate services. The core data product is the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation (CHIRP) dataset. The CHIRP is a new rainfall dataset resulting from the blending of satellite estimated precipitation with high resolution precipitation climatology. The CHIRP depicts rainfall on five day totals at 5km spatial resolution from 1981 to present. The CHG is developing and deploying a standalone tool - the GeoCLIM - which will allow national and regional meteorological agencies to blend the CHIRP with station observations, run simple crop water balance models, and conduct climatological, trend, and time series analysis. Blending satellite estimates and gauge data helps overcome limited in situ observing networks. Furthermore, the GeoCLIM combines rainfall, soil, and evapotranspiration data with crop hydrological requirements to calculate agricultural water balance, presented as the Water Requirement Satisfaction Index (WRSI). The WRSI is a measurement of the degree in which a crop's hydrological requirements have been satisfied by rainfall. We present the results of a training session for personnel of the East African Intergovernmental Authority on Development Climate Prediction and Applications Center. The two week training program included the use of the GeoCLIM to improve CHIRP using station data, and to calculate and

  3. Institutional and scientific co-operation, networking and capacity building in the field of food safety and quality

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boekel, van M.A.J.S.; Meerdink, G.; Banati, D.; Marvin, H.J.P.; Kuiper, H.A.; Houtman, C.B.

    2002-01-01

    This paper explains the situation in Hungary and The Netherlands regarding scientific co-operation, networking and capacity building in the field of food quality and safety. Specific details are given about institutional co-operation including exchanges between staff and students, collaborative

  4. Institution-to-Institution Mentoring to Build Capacity in 24 Local US Health Departments: Best Practices and Lessons Learned

    OpenAIRE

    Veatch, Maggie; Goldstein, Gail P.; Sacks, Rachel; Lent, Megan; Van Wye, Gretchen

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Institutional mentoring may be a useful capacity-building model to support local health departments facing public health challenges. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted a qualitative evaluation of an institutional mentoring program designed to increase capacity of health departments seeking to address chronic disease prevention. The mentoring program included 2 program models, a one-to-one model and a collaborative model, developed and implemented ...

  5. eLearning for health system leadership and management capacity building: a protocol for a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tudor Car, Lorainne; Atun, Rifat

    2017-08-21

    Health leadership and management capacity are essential for health system strengthening and for attaining universal health coverage by optimising the existing human, technological and financial resources. However, in health systems, health leadership and management training is not widely available. The use of information technology for education (ie, eLearning) could help address this training gap by enabling flexible, efficient and scalable health leadership and management training. We present a protocol for a systematic review on the effectiveness of eLearning for health leadership and management capacity building in improving health system outcomes. We will follow the Cochrane Collaboration methodology. We will search for experimental studies focused on the use of any type of eLearning modality for health management and leadership capacity building in all types of health workforce cadres. The primary outcomes of interest will be health outcomes, financial risk protection and user satisfaction. In addition, secondary outcomes of interest include the attainment of health system objectives of improved equity, efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness. We will search relevant databases of published and grey literature as well as clinical trials registries from 1990 onwards without language restrictions. Two review authors will screen references, extract data and perform risk of bias assessment independently. Contingent on the heterogeneity of the collated literature, we will perform either a meta-analysis or a narrative synthesis of the collated data. The systematic review will aim to inform policy makers, investors, health professionals, technologists and educators about the existing evidence, potential gaps in literature and the impact of eLearning for health leadership and management capacity building on health system outcomes. We will disseminate the review findings by publishing it as a peer-reviewed journal manuscript and conference abstracts. PROSPERO CRD

  6. Public-private partnerships to build human capacity in low income countries: findings from the Pfizer program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Connelly Patrick

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The ability of health organizations in developing countries to expand access to quality services depends in large part on organizational and human capacity. Capacity building includes professional development of staff, as well as efforts to create working environments conducive to high levels of performance. The current study evaluated an approach to public-private partnership where corporate volunteers give technical assistance to improve organizational and staff performance. From 2003 to 2005, the Pfizer Global Health Fellows program sent 72 employees to work with organizations in 19 countries. This evaluation was designed to assess program impact. Methods The researchers administered a survey to 60 Fellows and 48 Pfizer Supervisors. In addition, the team conducted over 100 interviews with partner organization staff and other key informants during site visits in Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and India, the five countries where 60% of Fellows were placed. Results Over three-quarters of Fellowships appear to have imparted skills or enhanced operations of NGOs in HIV/AIDS and other health programs. Overall, 79% of Fellows reported meeting all or most technical assistance goals. Partner organization staff reported that the Fellows provided training to clinical and research personnel; strengthened laboratory, pharmacy, financial control, and human resource management systems; and helped expand Partner organization networks. Local staff also reported the Program changed their work habits and attitudes. The evaluation identified problems in defining goals of Fellowships and matching Organizations with Fellows. Capacity building success also appears related to size and sophistication of partner organization. Conclusion Public expectations have grown regarding the role corporations should play in improving health systems in developing countries. Corporate philanthropy programs based on "donations" of personnel can help build

  7. Strengthening core public health capacity based on the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005): Chinese lessons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bin; Sun, Yan; Dong, Qian; Zhang, Zongjiu; Zhang, Liang

    2015-01-01

    As an international legal instrument, the International Health Regulations (IHR) is internationally binding in 196 countries, especially in all the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO). The IHR aims to prevent, protect against, control, and respond to the international spread of disease and aims to cut out unnecessary interruptions to traffic and trade. To meet IHR requirements, countries need to improve capacity construction by developing, strengthening, and maintaining core response capacities for public health risk and Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). In addition, all the related core capacity requirements should be met before June 15, 2012. If not, then the deadline can be extended until 2016 upon request by countries. China has promoted the implementation of the IHR comprehensively, continuingly strengthening the core public health capacity and advancing in core public health emergency capacity building, points of entry capacity building, as well as risk prevention and control of biological events (infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, and food safety), radiological, nuclear, and chemical events, and other catastrophic events. With significant progress in core capacity building, China has dealt with many public health emergencies successfully, ensuring that its core public health capacity has met the IHR requirements, which was reported to WHO in June 2014. This article describes the steps, measures, and related experiences in the implementation of IHR in China. PMID:26029897

  8. Strengthening Core Public Health Capacity Based on the Implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR (2005: Chinese Lessons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Liu

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available As an international legal instrument, the International Health Regulations (IHR is internationally binding in 196 countries, especially in all the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO. The IHR aims to prevent, protect against, control, and respond to the international spread of disease and aims to cut out unnecessary interruptions to traffic and trade. To meet IHR requirements, countries need to improve capacity construction by developing, strengthening, and maintaining core response capacities for public health risk and Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC. In addition, all the related core capacity requirements should be met before June 15, 2012. If not, then the deadline can be extended until 2016 upon request by countries. China has promoted the implementation of the IHR comprehensively, continuingly strengthening the core public health capacity and advancing in core public health emergency capacity building, points of entry capacity building, as well as risk prevention and control of biological events (infectious diseases, zoonotic diseases, and food safety, radiological, nuclear, and chemical events, and other catastrophic events. With significant progress in core capacity building, China has dealt with many public health emergencies successfully, ensuring that its core public health capacity has met the IHR requirements, which was reported to WHO in June 2014. This article describes the steps, measures, and related experiences in the implementation of IHR in China.

  9. Building nursing capacity for palliative care at a Jesuit Catholic University: A model program

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eileen R. O’Shea

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The average life span is increasing, due to vast advancements in social conditions, public health, and medical care. Globally, those living with chronic and serious medical conditions can benefit from palliative care services. Yet, the workforce is insufficient to support the demand. This case study describes efforts made by one Jesuit Catholic University to build nursing capacity and to promote access to high quality, compassionate palliative healthcare.

  10. The Healthy Aging Research Network: Resources for Building Capacity for Public Health and Aging Practice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, Sara; Altpeter, Mary; Anderson, Lynda A.; Belza, Basia; Bryant, Lucinda; Jones, Dina L.; Leith, Katherine H.; Phelan, Elizabeth A.; Satariano, William A.

    2015-01-01

    There is an urgent need to translate science into practice and help enhance the capacity of professionals to deliver evidence-based programming. We describe contributions of the Healthy Aging Research Network in building professional capacity through online modules, issue briefs, monographs, and tools focused on health promotion practice, physical activity, mental health, and environment and policy. We also describe practice partnerships and research activities that helped inform product development and ways these products have been incorporated into real-world practice to illustrate possibilities for future applications. Our work aims to bridge the research-to-practice gap to meet the demands of an aging population. PMID:24000962

  11. Baseline analysis of the existing capacities and needs for capacity building for Marine Strategy Framework Directive implementation in the Celtic Seas sub-region.

    OpenAIRE

    Twomey, Sarah; O'Mahony, Cathal

    2013-01-01

    This report evaluates the existing situation in the Celtic Seas sub-region and determines the current state of preparedness for transboundary management of marine ecosystems and MSFD implementation. Recommendations for capacity building are provided through the analysis of the existing conflicts and potential synergies between relevant policies, institutions and information resources for MSFD implementation across the region. This report strives to empower stakeholders through the provision o...

  12. Building capacity for human genetics and genomics research in Trinidad and Tobago

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Allana Roach

    Full Text Available Advances in human genetics and genomic sciences and the corresponding explosion of biomedical technologies have deepened current understanding of human health and revolutionized medicine. In developed nations, this has led to marked improvements in disease risk stratification and diagnosis. These advances have also led to targeted intervention strategies aimed at promoting disease prevention, prolonging disease onset, and mitigating symptoms, as in the well-known case of breast cancer and the BRCA1 gene. In contrast, in the developing nation of Trinidad and Tobago, this scientific revolution has not translated into the development and application of effective genomics-based interventions for improving public health. While the reasons for this are multifactorial, the underlying basis may be rooted in the lack of pertinence of internationally driven genomics research to the local public health needs in the country, as well as a lack of relevance of internationally conducted genetics research to the genetic and environmental contexts of the population. Indeed, if Trinidad and Tobago is able to harness substantial public health benefit from genetics/genomics research, then there is a dire need, in the near future, to build local capacity for the conduct and translation of such research. Specifically, it is essential to establish a national human genetics/genomics research agenda in order to build sustainable human capacity through education and knowledge transfer and to generate public policies that will provide the basis for the creation of a mutually beneficial framework (including partnerships with more developed nations that is informed by public health needs and contextual realities of the nation.

  13. Capacity Building Special Alternatives Program Community School District 3. Final Evaluation Report, 1993-94. OER Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duque, Diana L.

    The Capacity Building Special Alternatives Program, an Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title VII-funded project in its second year of operation, functioned at seven schools in a community school district of Manhattan (New York). The project served 195 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) whose native languages were Albanian,…

  14. 77 FR 4984 - Solicitation of Input From Stakeholders Regarding the Capacity Building Grants for Non Land Grant...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-02-01

    ... Stakeholders Regarding the Capacity Building Grants for Non Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Institutions... and request for stakeholder input. SUMMARY: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is... of the Secretary of Agriculture in soliciting public comments and stakeholder input from interested...

  15. Innovative teaching methods for capacity building in knowledge translation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahabi, Hayfaa A; Al-Ansary, Lubna A

    2011-10-14

    In some current healthcare settings, there is a noticeable absence of national institutions committed to the synthesis and use of evidence in healthcare decision- and policy-making. This absence creates a need to broaden the responsibilities of healthcare providers to include knowledge brokering and advocacy in order to optimize knowledge translation to other stakeholders, especially policy-makers. However, this process requires practitioners and researchers to acquire certain types of knowledge and skills. This article introduces two innovative methods for capacity building in knowledge translation (KT). During a workshop aimed at preparing 21 trainers in evidence-based medicine, two innovative methods were used: (1) debate and (2) a knowledge translation project (KTP). The main objective of the debates approach was to strengthen participants' critical thinking abilities by requiring them to search for and appraise evidence and defend their arguments. The KTP was used to introduce participants to the essential steps of knowledge translation and to suggest an extended role for healthcare practitioners, i.e., using evidence to manage not only individual patients but also to a community of patients. Participants' performances were assessed according to a pre-designed scheme. At the end of the workshop, participants' opinions and experiences with the innovative teaching methods were evaluated based on their answers to a questionnaire and the results of small-group discussions. The participants performed well in both the debate and KTP methods. During post-workshop group discussions, they indicated that the debate approach had added a new dimension to their evidence-based medicine skills by adding purpose and motivation. However, they felt that their performances would have been better if they had been offered practical demonstrations of how to conduct the debate. The participants indicated that the KTP enhanced their understanding of the relationships between evidence

  16. Innovative teaching methods for capacity building in knowledge translation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Ansary Lubna A

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In some current healthcare settings, there is a noticeable absence of national institutions committed to the synthesis and use of evidence in healthcare decision- and policy-making. This absence creates a need to broaden the responsibilities of healthcare providers to include knowledge brokering and advocacy in order to optimize knowledge translation to other stakeholders, especially policy-makers. However, this process requires practitioners and researchers to acquire certain types of knowledge and skills. This article introduces two innovative methods for capacity building in knowledge translation (KT. Methods During a workshop aimed at preparing 21 trainers in evidence-based medicine, two innovative methods were used: (1 debate and (2 a knowledge translation project (KTP. The main objective of the debates approach was to strengthen participants' critical thinking abilities by requiring them to search for and appraise evidence and defend their arguments. The KTP was used to introduce participants to the essential steps of knowledge translation and to suggest an extended role for healthcare practitioners, i.e., using evidence to manage not only individual patients but also to a community of patients. Participants' performances were assessed according to a pre-designed scheme. At the end of the workshop, participants' opinions and experiences with the innovative teaching methods were evaluated based on their answers to a questionnaire and the results of small-group discussions. Results The participants performed well in both the debate and KTP methods. During post-workshop group discussions, they indicated that the debate approach had added a new dimension to their evidence-based medicine skills by adding purpose and motivation. However, they felt that their performances would have been better if they had been offered practical demonstrations of how to conduct the debate. The participants indicated that the KTP enhanced their

  17. Building leadership capacity to drive sustainable water management: the evaluation of a customised program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, A C

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes a customised, six-month, leadership development program (LDP) that was designed for emerging leaders in the Australian water industry who were promoting sustainable urban water management (SUWM). It also presents results from an evaluation of the program's benefits, costs and overall 'return on investment' (ROI). The program was designed to help build emergent leadership capacity in the water industry, given strong evidence that this form of leadership plays an important role in advancing SUWM. It involved '360-degree feedback' processes, training, individual leadership development plans, and coaching sessions. Its design was informed by a review of the literature, and its content was informed by local empirical research involving effective SUWM leaders. The evaluation used a seven-tier assessment framework that examined different dimensions of the program's performance using source and methodological triangulation. The results indicate that such LDPs can produce a range of positive outcomes, such as promoting desired leadership behaviours and generating a positive ROI estimate. Specifically, the program's estimated ROI was approximately 190% after only one year. The primary conclusion is that evidence-based LDPs which are highly customised for specific types of leaders in the water industry represent a promising type of intervention to build forms of leadership capacity which are needed to successfully promote SUWM.

  18. Research capacity building in midwifery: Case study of an Australian Graduate Midwifery Research Intern Programme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hauck, Yvonne L; Lewis, Lucy; Bayes, Sara; Keyes, Louise

    2015-09-01

    Having the research capacity to identify problems, create new knowledge and most importantly translate this knowledge into practice is essential within health care. Midwifery, as well as other health professions in Australia, is challenged in building its research capacity to contribute evidence to inform clinical practice. The aim of this project was to evaluate an innovative Graduate Midwifery Research Intern Programme offered at a tertiary obstetric hospital in Western Australia, to determine what was working well and how the programme could be improved. A case study approach was used to gain feedback from graduate midwives within a Graduate Research Intern (GRI) Programme. In addition outcomes were compiled of all projects the GRI midwives contributed to. Six GRI midwives participated in a survey comprising of four open ended questions to provide feedback about the programme. Findings confirm that the GRI programme increased the graduates understanding of how research works, its capacity to define a problem, generate new knowledge and inform clinical practice. The GRI midwives' feedback suggested the programme opened their thinking to future study and gave them enhanced insight into women's experiences around childbirth. To grow our knowledge as a professional group, midwives must develop and promote programmes to build our pool of research capable midwives. By sharing our programme evaluation we hope to entice other clinical settings to consider the value in replicating such a programme within their context. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Building Software Development Capacity to Advance the State of Educational Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luterbach, Kenneth J.

    2013-01-01

    Educational technologists may advance the state of the field by increasing capacity to develop software tools and instructional applications. Presently, few academic programs in educational technology require even a single computer programming course. Further, the educational technologists who develop software generally work independently or in…

  20. Evolution and Revolutions of Adult Learning: Capacity Building in Adult and Non-Formal Education in Nigeria

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ugwu, Chinwe U.

    2015-01-01

    The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC) is the Federal Statutory Agency set up to co-ordinate all aspects of Non-Formal Education in Nigeria whether offered by government agencies or non-governmental organisations. This study looked at the existing Capacity Building Programme, the delivery methods, impact…

  1. Building capacity and resilience in the dementia care workforce: a systematic review of interventions targeting worker and organizational outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliott, Kate-Ellen J; Scott, Jennifer L; Stirling, Christine; Martin, Angela J; Robinson, Andrew

    2012-06-01

    Dementia increasingly impacts every health and social care system in the world. Preparing the dementia care workforce is therefore paramount, particularly in light of existing problems of staff retention and turnover. Training interventions will need to increase worker and organizational capacity to deliver effective patient care. It is not clear which training interventions best enhance workers' capacity. A review of the evidence for dementia care training interventions to enhance worker capacity and facilitate organizational change is presented. A systematic literature review was conducted. All selected randomized intervention studies aimed to enhance some aspect of dementia care worker or workforce capacity such as knowledge of dementia, psychological well-being, work performance, and organizational factors such as retention or service delivery in dementia care. Seventy-four relevant studies were identified, but only six met inclusion criteria for the review. The six studies selected focused on worker and organizational outcomes in dementia care. All interventions were multi-component with dementia education or instructional training most commonly adopted. No interventions were found for the community setting. Variable effects were found for intervention outcomes and methodological concerns are raised. The rigor of scientific research in training interventions that aim to build capacity of dementia care workers is poor and a strong need exists for evaluation and delivery of such interventions in the community sphere. Wider domains of interest such as worker psychological health and well-being need to be examined further, to understand capacity-building in the dementia care workforce.

  2. Challenges for the surgical capacity building of township hospitals among the Central China: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhong; Yang, Jian; Wu, Yue; Pan, Zijin; He, Xiaoqun; Li, Boyang; Zhang, Liang

    2018-05-02

    China's rapid transition in healthcare service system has posed considerable challenges for the primary care system. Little is known regarding the capacity of township hospitals (THs) to deliver surgical care in rural China with over 600 million lives. We aimed to ascertain its current performance, barriers, and summary lessons for its re-building in central China. This study was conducted in four counties from two provinces in central China. The New Rural Cooperative Medical System (NRCMS) claim data from two counties in Hubei province was analyzed to describe the current situation of surgical care provision. Based on previous studies, self-administered questionnaire was established to collect key indicators from 60 THs from 2011 to 2015, and social and economic statuses of the sampling townships were collected from the local statistical yearbook. Semi-structured interviews were conducted among seven key administrators in the THs that did not provide appendectomy care in 2015. Determinants of appendectomy care provision were examined using a negative binominal regression model. First, with the rapid increase in inpatient services provided by the THs, their proportion of surgical service provision has been nibbled by out-of-county facilities. Second, although DY achieved a stable performance, the total amount of appendectomy provided by the 60 THs decreased to 589 in 2015 from 1389 in 2011. Moreover, their proportion reduced to 26.77% in 2015 from 41.84% in 2012. Third, an increasing number of THs did not provide appendectomy in 2015, with the shortage of anesthesiologists and equipment as the most mentioned reasons (46.43%). Estimation results from the negative binomial model indicated that the annual average per capita disposable income and tightly integrated delivery networks (IDNs) negatively affected the amount of appendectomy provided by THs. By contrast, the probability of appendectomy provision by THs was increased by performance-related payment (PRP). Out

  3. Capacity Building: Data- and Research-Informed Development of Schools and Teaching Practices in Denmark and Norway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qvortrup, Lars

    2016-01-01

    Based on experiences from a number of large scale data- and research-informed school development projects in Denmark and Norway, led by the author, three hypotheses are discussed: that an effective way of linking research and practice is achieved (1) using a capacity building approach, that is, to collaborate in the practical school context…

  4. Building capacity to develop an African teaching platform on health workforce development: a collaborative initiative of universities from four sub Saharan countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amde, Woldekidan Kifle; Sanders, David; Lehmann, Uta

    2014-05-30

    Health systems in many low-income countries remain fragile, and the record of human resource planning and management in Ministries of Health very uneven. Public health training institutions face the dual challenge of building human resources capacity in ministries and health services while alleviating and improving their own capacity constraints. This paper reports on an initiative aimed at addressing this dual challenge through the development and implementation of a joint Masters in Public Health (MPH) programme with a focus on health workforce development by four academic institutions from East and Southern Africa and the building of a joint teaching platform. Data were obtained through interviews and group discussions with stakeholders, direct and participant observations, and reviews of publications and project documents. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. The institutions developed and collaboratively implemented a 'Masters Degree programme with a focus on health workforce development'. It was geared towards strengthening the leadership capacity of Health ministries to develop expertise in health human resources (HRH) planning and management, and simultaneously build capacity of faculty in curriculum development and innovative educational practices to teach health workforce development. The initiative was configured to facilitate sharing of experience and resources. The implementation of this initiative has been complex, straddling multiple and changing contexts, actors and agendas. Some of these are common to postgraduate programmes with working learners, while others are unique to this particular partnership, such as weak institutional capacity to champion and embed new programmes and approaches to teaching. The partnership, despite significant inherent challenges, has potential for providing real opportunities for building the field and community of practice, and strengthening the staff and organizational capacity of participant institutions. Key

  5. Building capacity for evidence informed decision making in public health: a case study of organizational change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peirson, Leslea; Ciliska, Donna; Dobbins, Maureen; Mowat, David

    2012-02-20

    Core competencies for public health in Canada require proficiency in evidence informed decision making (EIDM). However, decision makers often lack access to information, many workers lack knowledge and skills to conduct systematic literature reviews, and public health settings typically lack infrastructure to support EIDM activities. This research was conducted to explore and describe critical factors and dynamics in the early implementation of one public health unit's strategic initiative to develop capacity to make EIDM standard practice. This qualitative case study was conducted in one public health unit in Ontario, Canada between 2008 and 2010. In-depth information was gathered from two sets of semi-structured interviews and focus groups (n = 27) with 70 members of the health unit, and through a review of 137 documents. Thematic analysis was used to code the key informant and document data. The critical factors and dynamics for building EIDM capacity at an organizational level included: clear vision and strong leadership, workforce and skills development, ability to access research (library services), fiscal investments, acquisition and development of technological resources, a knowledge management strategy, effective communication, a receptive organizational culture, and a focus on change management. With leadership, planning, commitment and substantial investments, a public health department has made significant progress, within the first two years of a 10-year initiative, towards achieving its goal of becoming an evidence informed decision making organization.

  6. The Evaluation of Facilitation Process in Building Community Capacity about OVOP Concept in Kenjeran Coastal Area, Surabaya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handayeni, K. D. M. E.; Santoso, E. B.; Siswanto, V. K.

    2017-07-01

    The concept of One Village One Product (OVOP) is an approach to the development potential of the area in the region to produce products that can compete in the global market, while still having unique characteristics of the area. Bulak District is one of the Kenjeran coastal area in Surabaya, Indonesia. Bulak District has had a great potential of marine products, but still contribute greatly in improving the people's welfare. Total activities of SMEs in the District of Bulak quite a lot, but the resulting product unknown to the wider community and the global marketplace. Activity of facilitation for SMEs society do to build community capacity in the implementation of the concept of OVOP. Based on the results of the evaluation assistance through Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test result an increased understanding of the community regarding to the five subjects related OVOP concept. There are six factors to note in mentoring activities that need to be considered for the sustainability of community capacity building programs on OVOP.

  7. Thinking in Three Dimensions: Leadership for Capacity Building, Sustainability, and Succession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne-Jimenez, Monica; Orr, Margaret Terry

    2012-01-01

    Urban schools often experience rapid turnover among teachers and leaders. Yet, research and practice highlight the importance of sustained leadership over time as an integral component of school improvement. Successful leadership requires principals who operate in multiple dimensions at once, moving from individual capacity to group empowerment,…

  8. Maritime Security and Capacity Building in The Gulf of Guinea

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jacobsen, Katja Lindskov

    2017-01-01

    It is widely acknowledged that maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea is a highly complex phenomenon, involving a variety issues (legal deficiencies, inadequate military equipment, and challenges like corruption, political unrest, youth unemployment etc.) as well as a multiplicity of external...... for a comprehensive approach, as well as the difficulties of translating the potential for comprehensiveness into practice (as will be shown, important aspects of the problem remain largely unaddressed). What is more, we also need to appreciate that, even if these gaps represent a ‘failure’ to deliver a comprehensive...... response, they are at the same time illustrative of how the maritime capacity building activities of various external actors also ‘succeed’ in having an impact on this regional security landscape – for instance by influencing how certain aspects of this multifaceted problem are prioritized, whilst others...

  9. Capacity building toward evidence-based medicine among healthcare professionals at the university of medicine and pharmacy, ho chi minh city, and its related institutes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nga, LE Thi Quynh; Goto, Aya; Trung, Tran The; Vinh, Nguyen Quang; Khue, Nguyen Thy

    2014-02-01

    Research capacity development enhances a country's ownership of activities aimed at strengthening its health system. In Vietnam, continuing medical education (CME) is attracting increasing attention with the establishment of legal and policy frameworks. During 2010-2013, the Japan International Cooperation Agency funded a research capacity building project targeting physicians in Ho Chi Minh City. The project had been developed in four previous courses that were conducted in collaboration with Fukushima Medical University and Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy (UMP). The project succeeded in obtaining accreditation as the city's CME course. A total of 262 physicians attended three courses that have a divided set of research competencies. Following the Kirkpatrick Model for evaluating the effectiveness of training programs, we confirmed the participants' positive reaction to the courses (Level 1 evaluation), their perceived increase in knowledge and confidence in research skills (Level 2 evaluation), and application of learned knowledge in their practice (Level 3 evaluation). Presented here is a step-by-step scaling-up model of health research capacity building. Strategies for the further expansion include: further capacity building of instructors; responding to clinicians' specific needs; building a recruiting system with authorization; and improving the Level 3 training evaluation.

  10. The Capacity-Building Stewardship Model: assessment of an agricultural network as a mechanism for improving regional agroecosystem sustainability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alison J. Duff

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Working lands have potential to meet agricultural production targets while serving as reservoirs of biological diversity and as sources of ecological services. Yet agricultural policy creates disincentives for this integration of conservation and production goals. While necessary, the development of a policy context that promotes agroecosystem sustainability will take time, and successful implementation will depend on a receptive agricultural audience. As the demands placed on working lands grow, there is a need for regional support networks that build agricultural producers' capacity for land stewardship. We used a social-ecological system framework to illustrate the Healthy Grown Potato Program as an agricultural network case study. Our Capacity-Building Stewardship Model reflects a 20-year experience working in collaboration with potato growers certified under an ecolabel in Wisconsin, USA. The model applies an evolving, modular farm stewardship standard to the entire farm - croplands and noncroplands. The model demonstrates an effective process for facilitating communication and shared learning among program participants, including agricultural producers, university extension specialists, nonprofit conservation partners, and industry representatives. The limitation of the model in practice has been securing funding to support expansion of the program and to ensure that the ecolabel standard is responsive to changes in the social-ecological system. Despite this constraint, the Capacity-Building Stewardship Model reveals an important mechanism for building regional commitment to conservation, with agricultural producers in a leadership role as architects, adopters, and advocates for stewardship behavior. Our experience provides important insight for the application of agri-environment schemes on private lands. The durability of a conservation ethic on working farms is likely to be enhanced when networks engage and support producers in an

  11. Strengthening health promotion in hospitals with capacity building: a Taiwanese case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chiachi Bonnie; Chen, Michael S; Chien, Sou-Hsin; Pelikan, Jürgen M; Wang, Ying Wei; Chu, Cordia Ming-Yeuk

    2015-09-01

    Organizational capacity building for health promotion (HP) is beneficial to the effective implementation of HP in organizational settings. The World Health Organization (WHO) Health Promoting Hospitals' (HPHs) initiative encourages hospitals to promote the health of their stakeholders by developing organizational capacity. This study analyzes an application case of one hospital of the HPH initiative in Taiwan, characterizes actions aiming at building organizational support to strengthen health gains and identifies facilitators of and barriers to the implementation of the HP in this hospital. Case study methodology was used with a triangulation of various sources; thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative information. This study found a positive impact of the HPH initiative on the case hospital, such as more support from leadership, a fine-tuned HP mission and strategy, cultivated pro-HP habits of physical activities, a supportive intramural structure, an HP-inclusive system, improved management practices and enhanced staff participation. Transformational and transactional enablers are of equal importance in implementing HPH. However, it was also found that the case hospital encountered more transactional barriers than transformational ones. This hospital was hindered by insufficient support from external environments, leadership with limited autonomy and authority, a preference for ideals over professionalism, insufficient participation by physicians, a lack of manpower and time, a merit system with limited stimulating effect, ineffective management practices in weak central project management, a lack of integration, insufficient communication and an inability to inculcate the staff on the importance of HP, and inadequate staff participation. Several implications for other hospitals are suggested. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  12. Leveraging Research Partnerships to Co-Produce Actionable Science and Build Institutional Capacity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleming, P.; Chinn, A.; Rufo Hill, J.; Edgerly, J.; Garcia, E.

    2017-12-01

    Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) provides high quality drinking water to 1.4 million people in the greater Seattle area and storm, wastewater and solid waste services to the City of Seattle. SPU's engagement on climate change has evolved significantly over the past 20 years. What began in 1997 as an inquiry into how El Nino may affect water supply has evolved into a broad based ongoing exploration that includes extensive in-house knowledge, capacity and expertise. This presentation will describe SPU's evolution from a funder and consumer of climate research to an active contributor to the development of applied research products, highlighted SPU's changing role in three climate impacts assessment studies. It will describe how SPU has leveraged these studies and partnerships to enhance its knowledge base, build its internal institutional capacity and produce actionable science that it is helping to foster incorporation of climate change into various aspects of utility planning and decision making. It will describe the PUMA Project and how the results from that research effort are being factored into SPU's state mandated Water System Plan.

  13. United Nations Environment Programme Capacity Building Pilot Project - Training on persistent organic pollutant analysis under the Stockholm Convention

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Boer, J.; Leslie, H.A.; van Leeuwen, S.P.J.; Wegener, J.W.M.; van Bavel, B; Lindstrom, G.; Lahoutifard, N.; Fiedler, H.

    2008-01-01

    Within the framework of a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Capacity Building Project for training of laboratory staff in developing countries on persistent organic pollutant (POP) analysis, an interlaboratory study was organised following an initial evaluation of the performance of

  14. Scotts Valley Energy Office and Human Capacity Building that will provide energy-efficiency services and develop sustainable renewable energy projects.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anderson, Temashio [Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians

    2013-06-28

    The primary goal of this project is to develop a Scotts Valley Energy Development Office (SVEDO). This office will further support the mission of the Tribe's existing leadership position as the DOE Tribal Multi-County Weatherization Energy Program (TMCWEP) in creating jobs and providing tribal homes and buildings with weatherization assistance to increase energy efficiency, occupant comfort and improved indoor air quality. This office will also spearhead efforts to move the Tribe towards its further strategic energy goals of implementing renewable energy systems through specific training, resource evaluation, feasibility planning, and implementation. Human capacity building and continuing operations are two key elements of the SVEDO objectives. Therefore, the project will 1) train and employ additional Tribal members in energy efficiency, conservation and renewable resource analyses and implementation; 2) purchase materials and equipment required to implement the strategic priorities as developed by the Scotts Valley Tribe which specifically include implementing energy conservation measures and alternative energy strategies to reduce energy costs for the Tribe and its members; and 3) obtain a dedicated office and storage space for ongoing SVEDO operations.

  15. The African Field Epidemiology Network-Networking for effective field epidemiology capacity building and service delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gitta, Sheba Nakacubo; Mukanga, David; Babirye, Rebecca; Dahlke, Melissa; Tshimanga, Mufuta; Nsubuga, Peter

    2011-01-01

    Networks are a catalyst for promoting common goals and objectives of their membership. Public Health networks in Africa are crucial, because of the severe resource limitations that nations face in dealing with priority public health problems. For a long time, networks have existed on the continent and globally, but many of these are disease-specific with a narrow scope. The African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) is a public health network established in 2005 as a non-profit networking alliance of Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs (FELTPs) and Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) in Africa. AFENET is dedicated to helping ministries of health in Africa build strong, effective and sustainable programs and capacity to improve public health systems by partnering with global public health experts. The Network's goal is to strengthen field epidemiology and public health laboratory capacity to contribute effectively to addressing epidemics and other major public health problems in Africa. AFENET currently networks 12 FELTPs and FETPs in sub-Saharan Africa with operations in 20 countries. AFENET has a unique tripartite working relationship with government technocrats from human health and animal sectors, academicians from partner universities, and development partners, presenting the Network with a distinct vantage point. Through the Network, African nations are making strides in strengthening their health systems. Members are able to: leverage resources to support field epidemiology and public health laboratory training and service delivery notably in the area of outbreak investigation and response as well as disease surveillance; by-pass government bureaucracies that often hinder and frustrate development partners; and consolidate efforts of different partners channelled through the FELTPs by networking graduates through alumni associations and calling on them to offer technical support in various public health capacities as the need arises

  16. Capacity building in economics : education and research in transition economies

    OpenAIRE

    Pleskovic, Boris*Aslund, Anders*Bader, William*C

    2002-01-01

    The development of the institutional capacity to create and evaluate economic policies remains a critical need-and constraint-in most transition economies if they are to complete the successful passage to fully functioning market economies. To take an active role in the transition process, economic policymakers, business leaders, government officials, and others need a thorough grounding in market-based economics. This requires strengthening economics education and providing support for quali...

  17. Challenges to social capacity building in flood-affected areas of southern Poland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Działek, J.; Biernacki, W.; Bokwa, A.

    2013-10-01

    Various aspects of beliefs, behaviour and expectations of at-risk populations were analysed in four case study localities in southern Poland that were affected by flooding in 1997 and 2001. They represent localities of different sizes and are characterised by different paths of historical development. Two of them are deep-rooted communities with dense, strong family and neighbourhood ties, while the other two experienced an almost total replacement of their population due to decisions taken after World War II and still suffer from less developed social networks. Historical events also resulted in the disruption of local memories of flooding and transmission of knowledge about natural hazards. A questionnaire survey was conducted in late autumn 2006, followed by structured telephone interviews and focus group interviews in spring 2008. The results of the survey and interviews were analysed with reference to the social capacity framework and its five dimensions: knowledge, motivational, network, economic and governance capacities. Network capacities, that is resources of bonding and bridging social capital, were considered a key notion when analysing and interpreting the results. The differences in the local resources and abilities available in each of the localities to prepare a response to natural hazards were revealed. Consequently, challenges faced in the process of building and strengthening social capacity were identified as well as ways to address these challenges. It was concluded that there are general trends and tendencies that need to be considered in risk management strategies, however the different starting points of each case study community calls for different means and approaches, as well as producing somewhat different expected outcomes.

  18. An Analysis of BIM Web Service Requirements and Design to Support Energy Efficient Building Lifecycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yufei Jiang

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Energy Efficient Building (EEB design, construction, and operations require the development and sharing of building information among different individuals, organizations, and computer applications. The Representational State Transfer (RESTful Building Information Modeling (BIM web service is a solution to enable an effective exchange of data. This paper presents an investigation into the core RESTful web service requirements needed to effectively support the EEB project lifecycle. The requirements include information exchange requirements, distributed collaboration requirements, internal data storage requirements, and partial model query requirements. We also propose a RESTful web service design model on different abstraction layers to enhance the BIM lifecycle in energy efficient building design. We have implemented a RESTful Application Program Interface (API prototype on a mock BIMserver to demonstrate our idea. We evaluate our design by conducting a user study based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM. The results show that our design can enhance the efficiency of data exchange in EEB design scenarios.

  19. Greening government procurement in developing countries: building capacity in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geng, Yong; Doberstein, Brent

    2008-09-01

    With increasing environmental issues and depleting resources, the effective application of green government procurement (GGP) is urgently needed and potentially can have greater impacts in the developing world rather than in the developed world. Such an approach can help promote the general goal of sustainable development and address environmental issues through purchasing and facilitating the use of environmentally friendly services and products. This paper addresses this issue by employing a case study on China. We first trace the development of the GGP concept, its spread to Asian countries, and a number of approaches used to expand GGP adoption. We then review current practices in China on GGP, and analyze and identify some of the current barriers and problems in promoting green procurement in the Chinese governmental sector. We finally seek to identify possible appropriate capacity-building solutions, in order to facilitate the application of GGP in China.

  20. Building research capacity and productivity among advanced practice nurses: an evaluation of the Community of Practice model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gullick, Janice G; West, Sandra H

    2016-03-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate Wenger's Community of Practice as a framework for building research capacity and productivity. While research productivity is an expected domain in influential models of advanced nursing practice, internationally it remains largely unmet. Establishment of nursing research capacity precedes productivity and consequently, there is a strong imperative to identify successful capacity-building models for nursing-focussed research in busy clinical environments. Prospective, longitudinal, qualitative descriptive design was used in this study. Bruyn's participant observation framed evaluation of a Community of Practice comprising 25 advanced practice nurses. Data from focus groups, education evaluations, blog/email transcripts and field observations, collected between 2007 and 2014, were analysed using a qualitative descriptive method. The Community of Practice model invited differing levels of participation, allowed for evolution of the research community and created a rhythm of research-related interactions and enduring research relationships. Participants described the value of research for their patients and families and the significance of the developing research culture in providing richness to their practice and visibility of their work to multidisciplinary colleagues. Extensive examples of research dissemination and enrolment in doctoral programmes further confirmed this value. A Community of Practice framework is a powerful model enabling research capacity and productivity evidenced by publication. In developing a solid foundation for a nursing research culture, it should be recognized that research skills, confidence and growth develop over an extended period of time and success depends on skilled coordination and leadership. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. The Intelcities Community of Practice: The Capacity-Building, Co-Design, Evaluation, and Monitoring of E-Government Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deakin, Mark; Lombardi, Patrizia; Cooper, Ian

    2011-01-01

    The paper examines the IntelCities Community of Practice (CoP) supporting the development of the organization's capacity-building, co-design, monitoring, and evaluation of e-government services. It begins by outlining the IntelCities CoP and goes on to set out the integrated model of electronically enhanced government (e-government) services…

  2. Implementing LCFF: Building Capacity to Realize the Promises of California's New Funding System. Policy and Practice Brief

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knudson, Joel

    2014-01-01

    California's Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) has introduced changes that alter the conditions under which educators, administrators, and community leaders approach their roles in the K-12 education system. Consequently, leaders at all levels may need to build the capacity--both the knowledge and skills and the resources--that they need to…

  3. Building Capacity of Occupational Therapy Practitioners to Address the Mental Health Needs of Children and Youth: A Mixed-Methods Study of Knowledge Translation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirjian, Louise; LaGuardia, Teri; Thompson-Repas, Karen; Conway, Carol; Michaud, Paula

    2015-01-01

    PURPOSE. We explored the meaning and outcomes of a 6-mo building capacity process designed to promote knowledge translation of a public health approach to mental health among pediatric occupational therapy practitioners participating in a Community of Practice. METHOD. A one-group (N = 117) mixed-methods design using a pretest–posttest survey and qualitative analysis of written reflections was used to explore the meaning and outcomes of the building capacity process. RESULTS. Statistically significant improvements (p occupational therapy’s role in addressing children’s mental health. PMID:26565099

  4. 30 CFR 75.1107-7 - Water spray devices; capacity; water supply; minimum requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Water spray devices; capacity; water supply... Water spray devices; capacity; water supply; minimum requirements. (a) Where water spray devices are... square foot over the top surface area of the equipment and the supply of water shall be adequate to...

  5. THE CAPACITY AND CIRCULATION OF PASSENGER TERMINAL BUILDING IN REGIONAL AIRPORT (CASE: MINANGKABAU AND ADISUTJIPTO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS OF INDONESIA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amalia Defiani

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available The dissertation explains about capacity and flow inside terminal buildings in two regional airports in Indonesia: Minangkabau and Adisutjipto International Airports. Both airports have similar characteristics of passengers’ number and locations as tourism areas. Secondary data in the form of existing terminal layouts and air traffic numbers were gained from both airports authorities in Indonesia. The analysis was carried out using the formulas from Japan International Cooperation Agency – Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Indonesia(JICA-DGCA studies in 1996 for significant areas in the terminal building, Ashford and Wright formula for calculating aircraft movement per hour, Microsoft Excel for calculating the 10-year passenger growth rate, and SPSS for determining the linear equation for domestic departure resulted in the forecasted saturation in the near 2020 for both of airports, especially on passengers’ handling areas such as boarding lounge (for departure and baggage claim area (for arrival. The research resulted in ideas to overcome problems related to the increasing capacity by adding areas (if possible and changing layouts. Some other options such as implementation of more effective signage and the suggestion of centralizing security checking areas also are being brought—though needed further research. There should be an addition of numbers of security check lines, appropriately to the increasing number of passengers. If a single queuing line creates delays, then the need for extra line(s is a necessity Keywords: Airport, Terminal Building, Capacity, Flow, Minangkabau, Adisutjipto

  6. Capacity Building to Improve Interprofessional Collaboration through a Faculty Learning Community

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shannon L. McMorrow

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Though much has been written on Interprofessional Education (IPE and Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs independently, there is limited literature devoted to examining the use of FLCs to enhance IPE for the health professions. A FLC dedicated to building capacity for IPE in a small, private midwestern university comprised of faculty representing occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing, public health, gerontology, medical anthropology, psychology, social work, and exercise science was conducted over the course of one semester. This article details the implementation process for the IPE FLC; describes outcomes related to teaching, scholarship, and service of faculty from a qualitative evaluation conducted 18 months after the completion of the FLC; and concludes with a discussion based on lessons learned from the process and experience of conducting an IPE FLC.

  7. Neurosurgery in Iraqi Kurdistan: An Example of International Neurosurgery Capacity Building.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dossani, Rimal Hanif; Carr, Steven; Bolles, Gene; Balata, Razvan; Guthikonda, Bharat

    2016-08-01

    The medical infrastructure of Iraqi Kurdistan, a semiautonomous region in the northern part of Iraq, lags disproportionately behind relative to the otherwise booming industrial advances of the region. Although neurosurgical training is available, the local population lacks trust in its own neurosurgeons. Medical facilities suffer from a lack of basic resources, such as high-speed drills, intracranial pressure monitoring, and stereotaxy to care for neurosurgical patients. Since 2012, American volunteer neurosurgeons have delivered lectures and mentored local neurosurgeons in performing neurosurgical procedures. Over the last 4 years, the visiting neurosurgical team has seen hundreds of patients in consultation and performed more than 50 complex cranial and spinal operations jointly with local neurosurgeons. This article discusses our experience as volunteer neurosurgeons in building neurosurgical capacity in Iraqi Kurdistan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. We have the technology, but can we use it? Building flood risk capacity amongst property owners in England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Iain; Connelly, Angela; O'Hare, Paul; Lawson, Nigel

    2013-04-01

    The UK's Meteorological Office has provisionally confirmed 2012 to be the second wettest recorded in the country (The Met Office, 2013). Volatile weather patterns resulted in much social and economic disruption and damage from floods. The UK's Flood and Water Management Act (2010) has placed responsibility for flood risk management primarily at local level. In reality, various agencies are responsible for managing flood risk resulting in a fragmented system that communities struggle to make sense of. Strengthening emergency response during a flood event is one strategy to build capacity. However, resilience has emerged as an operative policy, and points to a need for anticipatory approaches. These should extend beyond large-scale flood defenses or measures that reduce the vulnerability of infrastructures and buildings in order to incorporate social vulnerability through the establishment of warning systems and capacity building (White 2010). To this, small-scale, innovative technologies - from automatic door guards and 'smart' air bricks - hold the potential to manage the uncertainty around flood risk before an event occurs. However, innovative technologies are often resisted by institutions, technical systems, cultural preferences, and legislation, which require a multifaceted approach that addresses the social, cultural, economic and technical domains (De Graaf 2009). We present a case study that explores the barriers that inhibit the uptake of property level technologies in England by various actors: from property owners and manufacturers, to municipal authorities and built environment professionals. Through the case study, we demonstrate how these various stakeholders were involved in identifying the procedural principles to overcome these barriers and to integrate property level technologies more fully into an overall flood risk management system. Following this, best practice guidance was designed and we show the means by which such guidance can improve

  9. Evaluation of capacity-building program of district health managers in India: a contextualized theoretical framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prashanth, N S; Marchal, Bruno; Kegels, Guy; Criel, Bart

    2014-01-01

    Performance of local health services managers at district level is crucial to ensure that health services are of good quality and cater to the health needs of the population in the area. In many low- and middle-income countries, health services managers are poorly equipped with public health management capacities needed for planning and managing their local health system. In the south Indian Tumkur district, a consortium of five non-governmental organizations partnered with the state government to organize a capacity-building program for health managers. The program consisted of a mix of periodic contact classes, mentoring and assignments and was spread over 30 months. In this paper, we develop a theoretical framework in the form of a refined program theory to understand how such a capacity-building program could bring about organizational change. A well-formulated program theory enables an understanding of how interventions could bring about improvements and an evaluation of the intervention. In the refined program theory of the intervention, we identified various factors at individual, institutional, and environmental levels that could interact with the hypothesized mechanisms of organizational change, such as staff's perceived self-efficacy and commitment to their organizations. Based on this program theory, we formulated context-mechanism-outcome configurations that can be used to evaluate the intervention and, more specifically, to understand what worked, for whom and under what conditions. We discuss the application of program theory development in conducting a realist evaluation. Realist evaluation embraces principles of systems thinking by providing a method for understanding how elements of the system interact with one another in producing a given outcome.

  10. Building capacity for evidence informed decision making in public health: a case study of organizational change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peirson Leslea

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Core competencies for public health in Canada require proficiency in evidence informed decision making (EIDM. However, decision makers often lack access to information, many workers lack knowledge and skills to conduct systematic literature reviews, and public health settings typically lack infrastructure to support EIDM activities. This research was conducted to explore and describe critical factors and dynamics in the early implementation of one public health unit's strategic initiative to develop capacity to make EIDM standard practice. Methods This qualitative case study was conducted in one public health unit in Ontario, Canada between 2008 and 2010. In-depth information was gathered from two sets of semi-structured interviews and focus groups (n = 27 with 70 members of the health unit, and through a review of 137 documents. Thematic analysis was used to code the key informant and document data. Results The critical factors and dynamics for building EIDM capacity at an organizational level included: clear vision and strong leadership, workforce and skills development, ability to access research (library services, fiscal investments, acquisition and development of technological resources, a knowledge management strategy, effective communication, a receptive organizational culture, and a focus on change management. Conclusion With leadership, planning, commitment and substantial investments, a public health department has made significant progress, within the first two years of a 10-year initiative, towards achieving its goal of becoming an evidence informed decision making organization.

  11. Building adaptive capacity in Assam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soumyadeep Banerjee

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available A starting point for adapting to longer-term climate change could be adaptation to short-term climate variability and extreme events. Making more informed choices about the use of remittances can enhance the adaptive capacity of remittance-receiving households.

  12. Embedding an institution-wide capacity building opportunity around transition pedagogy: First Year Teaching and Learning Network Coordinators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Clark

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available A First Year Teaching and Learning Network was established in a regional university with a strong focus on distance education for a very diverse student cohort.  The purpose of the Network, which consisted of a Coordinator in each of nine schools, was to support staff teaching students transitioning into tertiary education. The paper explores the theoretical bases of the structure, its current method of operation, its impact so far, and future plans. The development of the Network illustrates how a university can consciously embed opportunities for staff to take ownership of transition pedagogy and thus encourage widespread capacity building amongst their peers. The experiences of the Network in its first two years provide a case study of how institutional support for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, in particular scholarship around capacity building, can be used as a mechanism to promote both staff and student engagement with transition pedagogy resulting in a shift from a second generation approach towards a third generation approach to transition.

  13. Civil-Society Organizations’ Capacity Building in the Local Governmental Sector: Is It Working? A Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Máthé Réka Zsuzsánna

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available The role that a strong civil society plays in socio-economic development is a subject of major scholarly attention today. Many benefits from having a strong civil society are reported in the literature. There is, however, no generally accepted view regarding how capacity-building efforts can help to develop a strong civil society, especially in the Central and Eastern European countries.

  14. United States Army Special Operations Forces and Building Enduring Partner Enabler Capacity in Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-05-22

    Monograph Director Christopher Marsh, Ph.D. , Seminar Leader Christopher T. Drew, COL, EN , Director, School of Advanced Military...56Robert Nolan , “Terror in the Philippines,” Foreign Policy Association Newsletter, 6 March 2003; Charles H. Briscoe...2007. Moroney, Jennifer, Beth Grill, Joe Hogler, Lianne Kennedy-Boudali, and Christopher Paul. How Successful Are US Efforts to Build Capacity in

  15. Communication between Participants and Non-Participants in Analytical Capacity Building Projects: Management Advice to Family Farms in Benin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rouchouse, Marine; Faysse, Nicolas; De Romemont, Aurelle; Moumouni, Ismail; Faure, Guy

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Approaches to build farmers' analytical capacities are said to trigger wide-ranging changes. This article reports on the communication process between participants and non-participants in one such approach, related to the technical and management skills learned by participants and the changes these participants subsequently made, and the…

  16. An evaluation capacity building toolkit for principal investigators of undergraduate research experiences: A demonstration of transforming theory into practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rorrer, Audrey S

    2016-04-01

    This paper describes the approach and process undertaken to develop evaluation capacity among the leaders of a federally funded undergraduate research program. An evaluation toolkit was developed for Computer and Information Sciences and Engineering(1) Research Experiences for Undergraduates(2) (CISE REU) programs to address the ongoing need for evaluation capacity among principal investigators who manage program evaluation. The toolkit was the result of collaboration within the CISE REU community with the purpose being to provide targeted instructional resources and tools for quality program evaluation. Challenges were to balance the desire for standardized assessment with the responsibility to account for individual program contexts. Toolkit contents included instructional materials about evaluation practice, a standardized applicant management tool, and a modulated outcomes measure. Resulting benefits from toolkit deployment were having cost effective, sustainable evaluation tools, a community evaluation forum, and aggregate measurement of key program outcomes for the national program. Lessons learned included the imperative of understanding the evaluation context, engaging stakeholders, and building stakeholder trust. Results from project measures are presented along with a discussion of guidelines for facilitating evaluation capacity building that will serve a variety of contexts. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Enhancing Infant Mental Health Using a Capacity-Building Model: A Case Study of a Process Evaluation of the "Ready, Steady, Grow" Initiative

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Farrelly, Christine; Guerin, Suzanne; Victory, Gerard

    2017-01-01

    Infant mental health (IMH) is best promoted through a continuum of services underpinned by strong service capacity. However, service providers often lack fundamental IMH knowledge and skills. Using the Ready, Steady, Grow (RSG) initiative as a case study of a capacity-building model (P., Hawe, L., King, M., Noort, C., Jordens, & B., Llyod,…

  18. Life cycle cost analysis of commercial buildings with energy efficient approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilima N. Kale

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In any construction project, cost effectiveness plays a crucial role. The Life Cycle Cost (LCC analysis provides a method of determining entire cost of a structure over its expected life along with operational and maintenance cost. LCC can be improved by adopting alternative modern techniques without much alteration in the building. LCC effectiveness can be calculated at various stages of entire span of the building. Moreover this provides decision makers with the financial information necessary for maintaining, improving, and constructing facilities. Financial benefits associated with energy use can also be calculated using LCC analysis. In the present work, case study of two educational buildings has been considered. The LCC of these buildings has been calculated with existing condition and with proposed energy efficient approach (EEA using net present value method. A solar panel having minimum capacity as well as solar panel with desired capacity as per the requirements of the building has been suggested. The comparison of LCC of existing structure with proposed solar panel system shows that 4% of cost can be reduced in case of minimum capacity solar panel and 54% cost can be reduced for desired capacity solar panel system, along with other added advantages of solar energy.

  19. National Ignition Facility subsystem design requirements optics assembly building (OAB) SSDR 1.2.2.3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kempel, P.; Hands, J.

    1996-01-01

    This Subsystem Design Requirement (SSDR) document establishes the performance, design, and verification requirements 'for the conventional building systems and subsystems of the Optics Assembly Building (OAB). These building system requirements are associated with housing and supporting the operational flow of personnel and materials throughout the OAB for preparing and repairing optical and mechanical components used in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) Laser and Target Building (LTAB). This SSDR addresses the following subsystems associated with the OAB: * Structural systems for the building spaces and operational-support equipment and building- support equipment. * Architectural building features associated with housing the space, operational cleanliness, and functional operation of the facility. * Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems for maintaining a clean and thermally stable ambient environment within the facility. * Plumbing systems that provide potable water and sanitary facilities for the occupants and stormwater drainage for transporting rainwater. * Fire Protection systems that guard against fire damage to the facility and its contents. * Material handling equipment for transferring optical assemblies and other materials within building areas and to the LTAB. * Mechanical process piping systems for liquids and gases that provide cooling, cleaning, and other service to optical and mechanical components. * Electrical power and grounding systems that provide service to the building and equipment, including lighting distribution and communications systems for the facilities. * Instrumentation and control systems that ensure the safe operation of conventional facilities systems, such as those listed above. Generic design criteria, such as siting data, seismic requirements, utility availability, and other information that contributes to the OAB design, are not addressed in this document

  20. Why building capacity is a necessary but insufficient condition for improved waste management in South Africa: The knowledge–behaviour relationship

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Godfrey, Linda K

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available beliefs form behavioural intentions which result in behaviour. Findings show that building capacity, which support control beliefs, while certainly a necessary condition, is insufficient to change waste behaviour. Consideration needs to be given...

  1. IAI Capacity Building Activities in the Americas: Fostering Multinational and Multidisciplinary Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohira, M. S.

    2007-05-01

    The IAI's Training and Education (T&E) activities are designed to encourage capacity building in the Americas and are developed within and in parallel with the IAI research programs in global environmental change (GEC). The IAI has various training priorities: (1) support for graduate students in the form of fellowships through research programs; (2) development of IAI Training Institutes in Interdisciplinary Sciences and Science-Policy Fora; and (3) support for technical workshops, scientific meetings, and seminars. It becomes increasingly evident that institutions such as IAI must provide training and support to policy and decision makers who deal with environmental issues. The IAI Training Institutes emphasize an exchange of information about the various scientific languages, needs, and methodologies of disciplines that study GEC. Particular attention is given to socio-economic impacts and ways in which nations can gain a better understanding of the complex mechanisms, degrees of change, causes, and consequences - and therefore, plan sound public and private policies to minimize problems and maximize opportunities. The IAI has also implemented a Training Institute Seed Grant (TISG) Program as an assessment activity of the Training Institutes to further encourage network building and multinational and multidisciplinary collaboration among its 19 member countries in the Americas. By fostering the development of such new multidisciplinary, multinational teams, the IAI ensures a future generation of professionals who will be engaged in IAI research programs and networks and will lead the integrated science programs in the next decades. Furthermore, IAI has organized Science-Policy Fora, which focus on the science- policy interface and ways to incorporate scientific information into policy and decision-making processes. Participants discussed what scientific information is available, what aspects need to be better understood, translation of scientific information for

  2. Requirements Engineering in Building Climate Science Software

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batcheller, Archer L.

    Software has an important role in supporting scientific work. This dissertation studies teams that build scientific software, focusing on the way that they determine what the software should do. These requirements engineering processes are investigated through three case studies of climate science software projects. The Earth System Modeling Framework assists modeling applications, the Earth System Grid distributes data via a web portal, and the NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) Command Language is used to convert, analyze and visualize data. Document analysis, observation, and interviews were used to investigate the requirements-related work. The first research question is about how and why stakeholders engage in a project, and what they do for the project. Two key findings arise. First, user counts are a vital measure of project success, which makes adoption important and makes counting tricky and political. Second, despite the importance of quantities of users, a few particular "power users" develop a relationship with the software developers and play a special role in providing feedback to the software team and integrating the system into user practice. The second research question focuses on how project objectives are articulated and how they are put into practice. The team seeks to both build a software system according to product requirements but also to conduct their work according to process requirements such as user support. Support provides essential communication between users and developers that assists with refining and identifying requirements for the software. It also helps users to learn and apply the software to their real needs. User support is a vital activity for scientific software teams aspiring to create infrastructure. The third research question is about how change in scientific practice and knowledge leads to changes in the software, and vice versa. The "thickness" of a layer of software infrastructure impacts whether the

  3. Analysis of environmental contamination resulting from catastrophic incidents: part 1. Building and sustaining capacity in laboratory networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnuson, Matthew; Ernst, Hiba; Griggs, John; Fitz-James, Schatzi; Mapp, Latisha; Mullins, Marissa; Nichols, Tonya; Shah, Sanjiv; Smith, Terry; Hedrick, Elizabeth

    2014-11-01

    Catastrophic incidents, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and industrial accidents, can occur suddenly and have high impact. However, they often occur at such a low frequency and in unpredictable locations that planning for the management of the consequences of a catastrophe can be difficult. For those catastrophes that result in the release of contaminants, the ability to analyze environmental samples is critical and contributes to the resilience of affected communities. Analyses of environmental samples are needed to make appropriate decisions about the course of action to restore the area affected by the contamination. Environmental samples range from soil, water, and air to vegetation, building materials, and debris. In addition, processes used to decontaminate any of these matrices may also generate wastewater and other materials that require analyses to determine the best course for proper disposal. This paper summarizes activities and programs the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has implemented to ensure capability and capacity for the analysis of contaminated environmental samples following catastrophic incidents. USEPA's focus has been on building capability for a wide variety of contaminant classes and on ensuring national laboratory capacity for potential surges in the numbers of samples that could quickly exhaust the resources of local communities. USEPA's efforts have been designed to ensure a strong and resilient laboratory infrastructure in the United States to support communities as they respond to contamination incidents of any magnitude. The efforts include not only addressing technical issues related to the best-available methods for chemical, biological, and radiological contaminants, but also include addressing the challenges of coordination and administration of an efficient and effective response. Laboratory networks designed for responding to large scale contamination incidents can be sustained by applying

  4. The Guatemala-Penn Partners: An Innovative Inter-Institutional Model for Scientific Capacity-Building, Healthcare Education, and Public Health

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paniagua-Avila, Maria Alejandra; Messenger, Elizabeth; Nelson, Caroline A.; Calgua, Erwin; Barg, Frances K.; Bream, Kent W.; Compher, Charlene; Dean, Anthony J.; Martinez-Siekavizza, Sergio; Puac-Polanco, Victor; Richmond, Therese S.; Roth, Rudolf R.; Branas, Charles C.

    2017-01-01

    Population health outcomes are directly related to robust public health programs, access to basic health services, and a well-trained health-care workforce. Effective health services need to systematically identify solutions, scientifically test these solutions, and share generated knowledge. The World Health Organization (WHO)’s Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance states that the capacity to perform research is an essential factor for well-functioning public health systems. Low- and middle-income countries have greater health-care worker shortages and lower research capacity than higher-income countries. International global health partnerships between higher-income countries and low-middle-income countries aim to directly address such inequalities through capacity building, a process by which human and institutional resources are strengthened and developed, allowing them to perform high-level functions, solve complex problems, and achieve important objectives. The Guatemala–Penn Partners (GPP) is a collaboration among academic centers in Guatemala and the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that echoes the vision of the WHO’s Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance. This article describes the historical development and present organization of the GPP according to its three guiding principles: university-to-university connections, dual autonomies with locally led capacity building, and mutually beneficial exchanges. It describes the GPP activities within the domains of science, health-care education, and public health, emphasizing implementation factors, such as sustainability and scalability, in relation to the guiding principles. Successes and limitations of this innovative model are also analyzed in the hope that the lessons learned may be applied to similar partnerships across the globe. PMID:28443274

  5. CAPACITY BUILDING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION: MODULES FOR AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B.O. Ogunbameru

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Basically, climate change refers to any change in climate overtime, generally caused by natural variability and/or human activities. It has great devastating impact, particularly on agriculture and by extrapolation on farmers and the national economy. The frontline agricultural extension workers are expected to be among the principal stakeholders to teach farmers how to cope with climate change. Consequently, there is a need to develop appropriate teaching package for the training of the frontline agricultural extension workers, based on the myriad of adaptation strategies and practices available in the literature. This paper synthesizes the rationale for capacity building in climate change and the adaptation or coping strategies. The modules (train-the-trainer for teaching agricultural extension workers and farmers are documented in the paper.

  6. Building the capacity for public engagement with science in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guston, David H

    2014-01-01

    This paper reviews efforts of the Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University (CNS-ASU) to begin to build capacity for public engagement with science in the United States. First, the paper sets a context in the US of the current challenges to democracy and for science. It then reviews the literature on the accomplishments of the National Citizens' Technology Forum (NCTF) on nanotechnology and human enhancement, held in 2008, as well as some caveats that emerged from that enterprise. It concludes with a brief discussion of two kinds of activities - participation in the World Wide Views process organized by the Danish Board of Technology, and methodological innovations that include more concrete and experiential modes of engagement - that have spun off from the NCTF.

  7. Dynamic Heat Storage and Cooling Capacity of a Concrete Deck with PCM and Thermally Activated Building System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pomianowski, Michal Zbigniew; Heiselberg, Per; Jensen, Rasmus Lund

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a heat storage and cooling concept that utilizes a phase change material (PCM) and a thermally activated building system (TABS) implemented in a hollow core concrete deck. Numerical calculations of the dynamic heat storage capacity of the hollow core concrete deck element...... in the article highlight the potential of using TABS and PCM in a prefabricated concrete deck element....

  8. Building capacity in workplace health promotion: the case of the Healthy Together e-learning project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodgins, Margaret; Battel-Kirk, Barbara; Asgeirsdottir, Asa G

    2010-03-01

    The current global economic crisis poses major challenges for workplace health promotion (WHP). Activities that are not perceived to obviously and directly contribute to profits could be sacrificed. This paper argues that WHP must remain centre-stage because of the rights of workers to a healthy, safe working environment but also because of WHP's beneficial financial implications for enterprises. Capacity building for WHP can be developed even within a recessionary environment, particularly if the focus is on the wider workforce, described here as people for whom workplace health promotion may not be their primary function but who have an important role to play in health improvement in workplaces. There is a strong case for the development of the wider workforce based both on the lack of suitably qualified specialists and on the practicalities of having WHP implemented within organizations, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs make up a very significant proportion of the global economy and are identified as a priority area for action internationally. An example of an e-learning course, the Healthy Together programme, developed by a partnership of three countries, is discussed as an approach that has potential to develop capacity for WHP in the current climate. The findings of the evaluation of the Healthy Together programme indicate that there is a real potential in developing e-learning materials for training those with a brief for promoting workplace health and safety in SMEs. Although modifications in some aspects of delivery identified in the evaluation of the pilot course need to be considered, the course was well received, and was reported to be relevant to the learning needs of students, to their workplaces and specifically to small businesses in rural areas. Specific features of the e-learning approach increase its potential to address capacity building for WHP.

  9. Adaptive capacity and community-based natural resource management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armitage, Derek

    2005-06-01

    Why do some community-based natural resource management strategies perform better than others? Commons theorists have approached this question by developing institutional design principles to address collective choice situations, while other analysts have critiqued the underlying assumptions of community-based resource management. However, efforts to enhance community-based natural resource management performance also require an analysis of exogenous and endogenous variables that influence how social actors not only act collectively but do so in ways that respond to changing circumstances, foster learning, and build capacity for management adaptation. Drawing on examples from northern Canada and Southeast Asia, this article examines the relationship among adaptive capacity, community-based resource management performance, and the socio-institutional determinants of collective action, such as technical, financial, and legal constraints, and complex issues of politics, scale, knowledge, community and culture. An emphasis on adaptive capacity responds to a conceptual weakness in community-based natural resource management and highlights an emerging research and policy discourse that builds upon static design principles and the contested concepts in current management practice.

  10. On Training in Language Documentation and Capacity Building in Papua New Guinea: A Response to Bird et al.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brooks, Joseph D.

    2015-01-01

    In a recent article, Bird et al. (2013) discuss a workshop held at the University of Goroka in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 2012. The workshop was intended to offer a new methodological framework for language documentation and capacity building that streamlines the documentation process and accelerates the global effort to document endangered…

  11. A capacity assessment towards more resilient societies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhlicke, C.; Steinführer, A.

    2012-04-01

    Social capacity building for natural hazards is a topic increasingly gaining relevance not only for so-called developing countries but also for European welfare states which are continuously challenged by the social, economic and ecological impacts of natural hazards. Following an outline of recent governance changes with regard to natural hazards, we develop a heuristic model of social capacity building by taking into account a wide range of existing expertise from different fields of research. Particular attention is paid to social vulnerability and its assessment, as well as to risk communication and risk education as specific strategies of social capacity building. We propose to distinguish between interventionist and participatory approaches, thus enabling for a better understanding of existing practices of social capacity building as well as their particular strengths and weaknesses. It is from this typology the presentation will develop two kinds of operational social capacity audits; one for communities and one for organisations. These assessments aim to identify appropriate measures and strategies regarding how to enhance, develop and build different kinds of capacities. By using these assessments participants will be able to identify strong capacities and can refer to the recommendations for tips on how to improve capacities identified as weak. That way deficits and outcomes are defined by those who are most likely to be affected by a future hazard event and most likely to be implementing improvements towards resilience.

  12. Health Reform Requires Policy Capacity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pierre-Gerlier Forest

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Among the many reasons that may limit the adoption of promising reform ideas, policy capacity is the least recognized. The concept itself is not widely understood. Although policy capacity is concerned with the gathering of information and the formulation of options for public action in the initial phases of policy consultation and development, it also touches on all stages of the policy process, from the strategic identification of a problem to the actual development of the policy, its formal adoption, its implementation, and even further, its evaluation and continuation or modification. Expertise in the form of policy advice is already widely available in and to public administrations, to well-established professional organizations like medical societies and, of course, to large private-sector organizations with commercial or financial interests in the health sector. We need more health actors to join the fray and move from their traditional position of advocacy to a fuller commitment to the development of policy capacity, with all that it entails in terms of leadership and social responsibility

  13. Developing a Culture to Facilitate Research Capacity Building for Clinical Nurse Consultants in Generalist Paediatric Practice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lesley Wilkes

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports a research capacity building exercise with a group of CNCs practicing in the speciality of paediatrics in New South Wales (NSW, Australia. It explores the first step in building a research culture, through identifying the research priorities of members of the NSW Child Health Networks Paediatric Clinical Nurse Consultant group, and this forms the major focus of this paper. A nominal group technique (NGT was utilised with sixteen members to identify research topics for investigation which were considered a priority for improving children's health care. The group reviewed and prioritised 43 research topics in children's health which were identified in the literature. As a result of conducting this research prioritisation exercise, the group chose two research topics to investigate: reasons for children representing to the Emergency Department and a comparison of the use of high-flow and low-flow nasal prongs in children with bronchiolitis. The research team will continue to mentor the nurses throughout their research projects which resulted from the NGT. One bridge to leadership development in enhancing patient care is translating knowledge to practice and policy development. This study leads the way for a group of CNCs in paediatric nursing to combine their research capacity and influence clinical knowledge.

  14. Native American Women Leaders' Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Work-Life Balance (WLB) and Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Crystal C.

    2013-01-01

    Native American women's leadership, information communication technologies (ICTs), work-life balance (WLB) and human capacity building (HCB) are grounded in social justice issues due to their long history of overall cultural decimation, inequitable access to technology, monetary resources, and social power (agency), and influence. Currently, there…

  15. Building the Capacity of States to Ensure Inclusion of Rural Communities in State and Local Primary Violence Prevention Planning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cook-Craig, Patricia G.; Lane, Karen G.; Siebold, Wendi L.

    2010-01-01

    Rural, frontier, and geographically isolated communities face unique challenges associated with ensuring that they are equal partners in capacity-building and prevention planning processes at the state and local level despite barriers that can inhibit participation. By their nature, rural, frontier, and geographically isolated communities and…

  16. The absolute environmental performance of buildings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brejnrod, Kathrine Nykjær; Kalbar, Pradip; Petersen, Steffen

    2017-01-01

    Our paper presents a novel approach for absolute sustainability assessment of a building's environmental performance. It is demonstrated how the absolute sustainable share of the earth carrying capacity of a specific building type can be estimated using carrying capacity based normalization factors....... A building is considered absolute sustainable if its annual environmental burden is less than its share of the earth environmental carrying capacity. Two case buildings – a standard house and an upcycled single-family house located in Denmark – were assessed according to this approach and both were found...... to exceed the target values of three (almost four) of the eleven impact categories included in the study. The worst-case excess was for the case building, representing prevalent Danish building practices, which utilized 1563% of the Climate Change carrying capacity. Four paths to reach absolute...

  17. Construction products performances and basic requirements for fire safety of facades in energy rehabilitation of buildings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laban Mirjana Đ.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Construction product means any product or kit which is produced and placed on the market for incorporation in a permanent manner in construction works, or parts thereof, and the performance of which has an effect on the performance of the construction works with respect to the basic requirements for construction works. Safety in case of fire and Energy economy and heat retention represent two among seven basic requirements which building has to meet according to contemporary technical rules on planning and construction. Performances of external walls building materials (particularly reaction to fire could significantly affect to fire spread on the façade and other building parts. Therefore, façade shaping and materialization in building renewal process, has to meet the fire safety requirement, as well as the energy requirement. Brief survey of fire protection regulations development in Serbia is presented in the paper. Preventive measures for fire risk reduction in building façade energy renewal are proposed according to contemporary fire safety requirements.

  18. CSTI High Capacity Power

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winter, J.M.

    1989-01-01

    The SP-100 program was established in 1983 by DOD, DOE, and NASA as a joint program to develop the technology necessary for space nuclear power systems for military and civil application. During FY-86 and 87, the NASA SP-100 Advanced Technology Program was devised to maintain the momentum of promising technology advancement efforts started during Phase 1 of SP-100 and to strengthen, in key areas, the chances for successful development and growth capability of space nuclear reactor power systems for future space applications. In FY-88, the Advanced Technology Program was incorporated into NASA's new Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI). The CSTI Program was established to provide the foundation for technology development in automation and robotics, information, propulsion, and power. The CSTI High Capacity Power Program builds on the technology efforts of the SP-100 program, incorporates the previous NASA SP-100 Advanced Technology project, and provides a bridge to NASA Project Pathfinder. The elements of CSTI High Capacity Power development include Conversion Systems, Thermal Management, Power Management, System Diagnostics, and Environmental Interactions. Technology advancement in all areas, including materials, is required to assure the high reliability and 7 to 10 year lifetime demanded for future space nuclear power systems. The overall program will develop and demonstrate the technology base required to provide a wide range of modular power systems as well as allowing mission independence from solar and orbital attitude requirements. Several recent advancements in CSTI High Capacity power development will be discussed

  19. Developing a Personnel Capacity Indicator for a high turnover Cartographic Production Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandarino, Flávia; Pessôa, Leonardo A. M.

    2018-05-01

    This paper describes a framework for development of an indicator for human re-sources capacity management in a military organization responsible for nautical chart production. Graphic chart for the results of the model COPPE-COSENZA (Cosenza et al. 2015) is used to properly present the personnel capacity within a high people turnover environment. The specific skills for the nautical charts production allied to the turnover rate require continuous and adequate personnel in-corporation and a capacity building through education and on-the-job training. The adopted approach for the study establishes quantitative values to fulfill quality requirements, and also presents graphically a profile for the human resources on a specific job to facilitate diagnosis and corrective actions.

  20. Building National Capacity To Implement National Forest Monitoring System In Africa By GLAD

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lola Amani, P. K.

    2017-12-01

    Earth Observation data provide numerous information on the earth and its phenomena from space/satellite. They also offer the ability to compile and analyze information at global or local scales in a timely manner. However, to use them, it is important to develop methods that can enable the extraction of the desired information. Such methods should be robust and consistent enough to be considered for national monitoring systems. At the University of Maryland, the Global Land Analysis and Discovery (GLAD) Laboratory, led by Dr. Hansen, has developed automatic methods using Landsat data that have been applied for the Global Forest Change (GFC) in collaboration with the World Resources Institute (WRI), Google and others to providing information on tree cover loss throughout the global on a yearly basis, and on a daily basis a tree cover loss alert system to improve transparency and accessible at GFW Initiative (Global Forest Watch) website. Following the increasing interest in utilizing the GFC data, the GLAD Laboratory is working closely with national governments of different countries to reinforce their capacities in using the data in the best way and implementing the methodological framework for supporting their national forest monitoring, notification, and reporting (MNV) system. More precisely, the Lab supports step by step the countries in developing their reference emission levels and/or forest reference levels based on the country-specific needs, goals, and requirements, including the definition of the forest. Once in place, the methodology can easily be extended to different applications, such as monitoring the droughts events, etc. Here, we present the work accomplished with the national agencies of some countries in Africa, like Cameroon, Republic of Congo and Madagascar with the support of the Silva-Carbon and USAID-CARPE Programs and WRI. These countries are mainly engaged at different levels of the REDD+ process. Keywords: Earth Observation, Landsat data

  1. Closing the mental health gap in low-income settings by building research capacity: perspectives from Mozambique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sweetland, Annika C; Oquendo, Maria A; Sidat, Mohsin; Santos, Palmira F; Vermund, Sten H; Duarte, Cristiane S; Arbuckle, Melissa; Wainberg, Milton L

    2014-01-01

    Neuropsychiatric disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide, accounting for 22.7% of all years lived with disability. Despite this global burden, fewer than 25% of affected individuals ever access mental health treatment; in low-income settings, access is much lower, although nonallopathic interventions through traditional healers are common in many venues. Three main barriers to reducing the gap between individuals who need mental health treatment and those who have access to it include stigma and lack of awareness, limited material and human resources, and insufficient research capacity. We argue that investment in dissemination and implementation research is critical to face these barriers. Dissemination and implementation research can improve mental health care in low-income settings by facilitating the adaptation of effective treatment interventions to new settings, particularly when adapting specialist-led interventions developed in high-resource countries to settings with few, if any, mental health professionals. Emerging evidence from other low-income settings suggests that lay providers can be trained to detect mental disorders and deliver basic psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological interventions when supervised by an expert. We describe a new North-South and South-South research partnership between Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (Mozambique), Columbia University (United States), Vanderbilt University (United States), and Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Brazil), to build research capacity in Mozambique and other Portuguese-speaking African countries. Mozambique has both the political commitment and available resources for mental health, but inadequate research capacity and workforce limits the country's ability to assess local needs, adapt and test interventions, and identify implementation strategies that can be used to effectively bring evidence-based mental health interventions to scale within the public sector. Global training and

  2. Building Capacity for Earthquake Monitoring: Linking Regional Networks with the Global Community

    Science.gov (United States)

    Willemann, R. J.; Lerner-Lam, A.

    2006-12-01

    Installing or upgrading a seismic monitoring network is often among the mitigation efforts after earthquake disasters, and this is happening in response to the events both in Sumatra during December 2004 and in Pakistan during October 2005. These networks can yield improved hazard assessment, more resilient buildings where they are most needed, and emergency relief directed more quickly to the worst hit areas after the next large earthquake. Several commercial organizations are well prepared for the fleeting opportunity to provide the instruments that comprise a seismic network, including sensors, data loggers, telemetry stations, and the computers and software required for the network center. But seismic monitoring requires more than hardware and software, no matter how advanced. A well-trained staff is required to select appropriate and mutually compatible components, install and maintain telemetered stations, manage and archive data, and perform the analyses that actually yield the intended benefits. Monitoring is more effective when network operators cooperate with a larger community through free and open exchange of data, sharing information about working practices, and international collaboration in research. As an academic consortium, a facility operator and a founding member of the International Federation of Digital Seismographic Networks, IRIS has access to a broad range of expertise with the skills that are required to help design, install, and operate a seismic network and earthquake analysis center, and stimulate the core training for the professional teams required to establish and maintain these facilities. But delivering expertise quickly when and where it is unexpectedly in demand requires advance planning and coordination in order to respond to the needs of organizations that are building a seismic network, either with tight time constraints imposed by the budget cycles of aid agencies following a disastrous earthquake, or as part of more informed

  3. International Conference on Human Resource Development for Nuclear Power Programmes: Building and Sustaining Capacity. Presentations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2014-01-01

    The objectives of the conference are to: • Review developments in the global status of HRD since the 2010 international conference; • Emphasize the role of human resources and capacity building programmes at the national and organizational level for achieving safe, secure and sustainable nuclear power programmes; • Discuss the importance of building competence in nuclear safety and security; • Provide a forum for information exchange on national, as well as international, policies and practices; • Share key elements and best practices related to the experience of Member States that are introducing, operating or expanding nuclear power programmes; • Highlight the practices and issues regarding HRD at the organizational and national level; • Highlight education and training programmes and practices; • Emphasize the role of nuclear knowledge management for knowledge transfer and HRD; and • Elaborate on the role and scope of various knowledge networks

  4. Poverty-Related Diseases College: a virtual African-European network to build research capacity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorlo, Thomas P C; Fernández, Carmen; Troye-Blomberg, Marita; de Vries, Peter J; Boraschi, Diana; Mbacham, Wilfred F

    2016-01-01

    The Poverty-Related Diseases College was a virtual African-European college and network that connected young African and European biomedical scientists working on poverty-related diseases. The aim of the Poverty-Related Diseases College was to build sustainable scientific capacity and international networks in poverty-related biomedical research in the context of the development of Africa. The Poverty-Related Diseases College consisted of three elective and mandatory training modules followed by a reality check in Africa and a science exchange in either Europe or the USA. In this analysis paper, we present our experience and evaluation, discuss the strengths and encountered weaknesses of the programme, and provide recommendations to policymakers and funders.

  5. Spent Nuclear Fuel Project Canister Storage Building Functions and Requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    KLEM, M.J.

    2000-01-01

    In 1998, a major change in the technical strategy for managing Multi Canister Overpacks (MCO) while stored within the Canister Storage Building (CSB) occurred. The technical strategy is documented in Baseline Change Request (BCR) No. SNF-98-006, Simplified SNF Project Baseline (MCO Sealing) (FDH 1998). This BCR deleted the hot conditioning process initially adopted for the Spent Nuclear Fuel Project (SNF Project) as documented in WHC-SD-SNF-SP-005, Integrated Process Strategy for K Basins Spent Nuclear Fuel (WHC 199.5). In summary, MCOs containing Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) from K Basins would be placed in interim storage following processing through the Cold Vacuum Drying (CVD) facility. With this change, the needs for the Hot Conditioning System (HCS) and inerting/pressure retaining capabilities of the CSB storage tubes and the MCO Handling Machine (MHM) were eliminated. Mechanical seals will be used on the MCOs prior to transport to the CSB. Covers will be welded on the MCOs for the final seal at the CSB. Approval of BCR No. SNF-98-006, imposed the need to review and update the CSB functions and requirements baseline documented herein including changing the document title to ''Spent Nuclear Fuel Project Canister Storage Building Functions and Requirements.'' This revision aligns the functions and requirements baseline with the CSB Simplified SNF Project Baseline (MCO Sealing). This document represents the Canister Storage Building (CSB) Subproject technical baseline. It establishes the functions and requirements baseline for the implementation of the CSB Subproject. The document is organized in eight sections. Sections 1.0 Introduction and 2.0 Overview provide brief introductions to the document and the CSB Subproject. Sections 3.0 Functions, 4.0 Requirements, 5.0 Architecture, and 6.0 Interfaces provide the data described by their titles. Section 7.0 Glossary lists the acronyms and defines the terms used in this document. Section 8.0 References lists the

  6. Eliminating tobacco-related disparities among Pacific Islanders through leadership and capacity building - Promising practices and lessons learned

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Annette M.; Lew, Rod; Lyman, Annabel K.; Otto, Caleb; Robles, Rebecca; Cruz, George

    2013-01-01

    Tobacco remains a major risk factor for premature death and ill health among Pacific Islanders, and tobacco-related disparities persist. Eliminating these disparities requires a comprehensive approach to transform community norms about tobacco use through policy change, as contained in the World Health Organization (WHO) international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Three of the six US-affiliated Pacific Islands – the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Palau and the Marshall Islands – are Parties to the FCTC; the remaining three territories – American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) and Guam – are excluded from the treaty by virtue of US non-ratification. Capacity building and leadership development are essential in achieving policy change and health equity within Pacific Islander communities. We describe promising practices from American Samoa, CNMI, FSM, Guam and Palau and highlight some of the key lessons learned in supporting and sustaining the reduction in tobacco use among Pacific Islanders as a first step towards eliminating tobacco-related disparities in these populations. PMID:23690256

  7. Eliminating tobacco-related disparities among Pacific Islanders through leadership and capacity building: promising practices and lessons learned.

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Annette M; Lew, Rod; Lyman, Annabel K; Otto, Caleb; Robles, Rebecca; Cruz, George J

    2013-09-01

    Tobacco remains a major risk factor for premature death and ill health among Pacific Islanders, and tobacco-related disparities persist. Eliminating these disparities requires a comprehensive approach to transform community norms about tobacco use through policy change, as contained in the World Health Organization international Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Three of the six U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands-the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands-are Parties to the Framework; the remaining three territories-American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam-are excluded from the treaty by virtue of U.S. nonratification. Capacity building and leadership development are essential in achieving policy change and health equity within Pacific Islander communities. We describe promising practices from American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, and Palau and highlight some of the key lessons learned in supporting and sustaining the reduction in tobacco use among Pacific Islanders as the first step toward eliminating tobacco-related disparities in these populations.

  8. Strengthening capacity to apply health research evidence in policy making: experience from four countries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkes, Sarah; K Aulakh, Bhupinder; Jadeja, Nidhee; Jimenez, Michelle; Buse, Kent; Anwar, Iqbal; Barge, Sandhya; Odubanjo, M Oladoyin; Shukla, Abhay; Ghaffar, Abdul; Whitworth, Jimmy

    2016-01-01

    Increasing the use of evidence in policy making means strengthening capacity on both the supply and demand sides of evidence production. However, little experience of strengthening the capacity of policy makers in low- and middle- income countries has been published to date. We describe the experiences of five projects (in Bangladesh, Gambia, India and Nigeria), where collaborative teams of researchers and policy makers/policy influencers worked to strengthen policy maker capacity to increase the use of evidence in policy. Activities were focused on three (interlinked) levels of capacity building: individual, organizational and, occasionally, institutional. Interventions included increasing access to research/data, promoting frequent interactions between researchers and members of the policy communities, and increasing the receptivity towards research/data in policy making or policy-implementing organizations. Teams were successful in building the capacity of individuals to access, understand and use evidence/data. Strengthening organizational capacity generally involved support to infrastructure (e.g. through information technology resources) and was also deemed to be successful. There was less appetite to address the need to strengthen institutional capacity—although this was acknowledged to be fundamental to promoting sustainable use of evidence, it was also recognized as requiring resources, legitimacy and regulatory support from policy makers. Evaluation across the three spheres of capacity building was made more challenging by the lack of agreed upon evaluation frameworks. In this article, we propose a new framework for assessing the impact of capacity strengthening activities to promote the use of evidence/data in policy making. Our evaluation concluded that strengthening the capacity of individuals and organizations is an important but likely insufficient step in ensuring the use of evidence/data in policy-cycles. Sustainability of evidence

  9. Capacity Building in Southern Africa: Experiences and Reflections--Towards Joint Knowledge Production and Social Change in International Development Cooperation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeelen, Jacques; van der Linden, Josje

    2009-01-01

    The intent of capacity building in international development cooperation is to enable people to control their own development. Important premises are ownership, choice and self-esteem. The authors analyse the dynamics of the enabling process in practice, based on their own experiences working for several years in universities in developing…

  10. A training programme to build cancer research capacity in low- and middle-income countries: findings from Guatemala.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, Lauren D; Barnoya, Joaquin; Gharzouzi, Eduardo N; Benson, Peter; Colditz, Graham A

    2014-04-01

    Guatemala is experiencing an increasing burden of cancer but lacks capacity for cancer prevention, control and research. In partnership with a medical school in the United States of America, a multidisciplinary Cancer Control Research Training Institute was developed at the Instituto de Cancerología (INCAN) in Guatemala City. This institute provided a year-long training programme for clinicians that focused on research methods in population health and sociocultural anthropology. The programme included didactic experiences in Guatemala and the United States as well as applied training in which participants developed research protocols responsive to Guatemala's cancer needs. Although INCAN is the point of referral and service for Guatemala's cancer patients, the institute's administration is also interested in increasing cancer research - with a focus on population health. INCAN is thus a resource for capacity building within the context of cancer prevention and control. Trainees increased their self-efficacy for the design and conduct of research. Value-added benefits included establishment of an annual cancer seminar and workshops in cancer pathology and qualitative analysis. INCAN has recently incorporated some of the programme's components into its residency training and established a research department. A training programme for clinicians can build cancer research capacity in low- and middle-income countries. Training in population-based research methods will enable countries such as Guatemala to gather country-specific data. Once collected, such data can be used to assess the burden of cancer-related disease, guide policy for reducing it and identify priority areas for cancer prevention and treatment.

  11. Building Partnerships by Design or by Default?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-05-24

    Florida Incursions 1810- 1819 ................................................................................ 10  Spanish-American War 1898-1901...Department of Defense, QDR Execution Roadmap Building Partnership Capacity Report (Washington DC: Department of Defense, 22 May 2006), 4. 1...weapons, making total war between these nations certain suicide for the aggressor and attacked alike. What is required, to avoid war with China for

  12. Transaction-based building controls framework, Volume 2: Platform descriptive model and requirements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akyol, Bora A. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Haack, Jereme N. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Carpenter, Brandon J. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Katipamula, Srinivas [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Lutes, Robert G. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hernandez, George [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2015-07-31

    Transaction-based Building Controls (TBC) offer a control systems platform that provides an agent execution environment that meets the growing requirements for security, resource utilization, and reliability. This report outlines the requirements for a platform to meet these needs and describes an illustrative/exemplary implementation.

  13. 24 CFR 200.940 - Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... under the HUD building product standards and certification program for sealed insulating glass units... Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification program for... specific building product certification program. In the case of sealed insulating glass units, testing and...

  14. 24 CFR 200.955 - Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standard and certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... under the HUD building product standard and certification program for fenestration products (windows and... Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standard and certification program for... testing for a product shall be described in the specific building product certification program. In the...

  15. Numerical Modelling of Building Vibrations due to Railway Traffic: Analysis of the Mitigation Capacity of a Wave Barrier

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fran Ribes-Llario

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Transmission of train-induced vibrations to buildings located in the vicinity of the track is one of the main negative externalities of railway transport, since both human comfort and the adequate functioning of sensitive equipment may be compromised. In this paper, a 3D FEM model is presented and validated with data from a real track stretch near Barcelona, Spain. Furthermore, a case study is analyzed as an application of the model, in order to evaluate the propagation and transmission of vibrations induced by the passage of a suburban train to a nearby 3-storey building. As a main outcome, vertical vibrations in the foundation slab are found to be maximum in the corners, while horizontal vibrations keep constant along the edges. The propagation within the building structure is also studied, concluding that vibrations invariably increase in their propagation upwards the building. Moreover, the mitigation capacity of a wave barrier acting as a source isolation is assessed by comparing vibration levels registered in several points of the building structure with and without the barrier. In this regard, the wave barrier is found to effectively reduce vibration in both the soil and the structure.

  16. 305 Building K basin mockup facility functions and requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steele, R.M.

    1994-01-01

    This document develops functions and requirements for installation and operation of a cold mockup test facility within the 305 Building. The test facility will emulate a portion of a typical spent nuclear fuel storage basin (e.g., 105-KE Basin) to support evaluation of equipment and processes for safe storage and disposition of the spent nuclear fuel currently within the K Basins

  17. The ORC method. Effective modelling of thermal performance of multilayer building components

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Akander, Jan

    2000-02-01

    The ORC Method (Optimised RC-networks) provides a means of modelling one- or multidimensional heat transfer in building components, in this context within building simulation environments. The methodology is shown, primarily applied to heat transfer in multilayer building components. For multilayer building components, the analytical thermal performance is known, given layer thickness and material properties. The aim of the ORC Method is to optimise the values of the thermal resistances and heat capacities of an RC-model such as to give model performance a good agreement with the analytical performance, for a wide range of frequencies. The optimisation procedure is made in the frequency domain, where the over-all deviation between model and analytical frequency response, in terms of admittance and dynamic transmittance, is minimised. It is shown that ORC's are effective in terms of accuracy and computational time in comparison to finite difference models when used in building simulations, in this case with IDA/ICE. An ORC configuration of five mass nodes has been found to model building components in Nordic countries well, within the application of thermal comfort and energy requirement simulations. Simple RC-networks, such as the surface heat capacity and the simple R-C-configuration are not appropriate for detailed building simulation. However, these can be used as basis for defining the effective heat capacity of a building component. An approximate method is suggested on how to determine the effective heat capacity without the use of complex numbers. This entity can be calculated on basis of layer thickness and material properties with the help of two time constants. The approximate method can give inaccuracies corresponding to 20%. In-situ measurements have been carried out in an experimental building with the purpose of establishing the effective heat capacity of external building components that are subjected to normal thermal conditions. The auxiliary

  18. Evaluation of Ultimate Pressure Capacity of a Prestressed Concrete Containment Building with Steel or Polyamide Fiber Reinforcement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choun, Youngsun; Hahm, Daegi [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) includes thousands of small fibers that are distributed randomly in the concrete. Fibers resist the growth of cracks in concrete through their bridging at the cracks. Therefore, FRC fails in tension only when the fibers break or are pulled out of the cement matrix. For this reason, the addition of fibers in concrete mixing increases the tensile toughness of concrete and enhances the post-cracking behavior. A prevention of through-wall cracks and an increase of the post-cracking ductility will improve the ultimate internal pressure capacity of a prestressed concrete containment building (PCCB). In this study, the effects of steel or polyamide fiber reinforcement on the ultimate pressure capacity of a PCCB are evaluated. When R-SFRC contains hooked steel fibers in a volume fraction of 1.0%, the ultimate pressure capacity of a PCCB can be improved by 17%. When R-PFRC contains polyamide fibers in a volume fraction of 1.5%, the ultimate pressure capacity of a PCCB can be enhanced by 10%. Further studies are needed to determine the strain limits acceptable for PCCBs reinforced with fibers.

  19. Evaluation of Ultimate Pressure Capacity of a Prestressed Concrete Containment Building with Steel or Polyamide Fiber Reinforcement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choun, Youngsun; Hahm, Daegi

    2014-01-01

    Fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) includes thousands of small fibers that are distributed randomly in the concrete. Fibers resist the growth of cracks in concrete through their bridging at the cracks. Therefore, FRC fails in tension only when the fibers break or are pulled out of the cement matrix. For this reason, the addition of fibers in concrete mixing increases the tensile toughness of concrete and enhances the post-cracking behavior. A prevention of through-wall cracks and an increase of the post-cracking ductility will improve the ultimate internal pressure capacity of a prestressed concrete containment building (PCCB). In this study, the effects of steel or polyamide fiber reinforcement on the ultimate pressure capacity of a PCCB are evaluated. When R-SFRC contains hooked steel fibers in a volume fraction of 1.0%, the ultimate pressure capacity of a PCCB can be improved by 17%. When R-PFRC contains polyamide fibers in a volume fraction of 1.5%, the ultimate pressure capacity of a PCCB can be enhanced by 10%. Further studies are needed to determine the strain limits acceptable for PCCBs reinforced with fibers

  20. Exploring experiences in peer mentoring as a strategy for capacity building in sexual reproductive health and HIV service integration in Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ndwiga, Charity; Abuya, Timothy; Mutemwa, Richard; Kimani, James Kelly; Colombini, Manuela; Mayhew, Susannah; Baird, Averie; Muia, Ruth Wayua; Kivunaga, Jackline; Warren, Charlotte E

    2014-03-01

    The Integra Initiative designed, tested, and adapted protocols for peer mentorship in order to improve service providers' skills, knowledge, and capacity to provide quality integrated HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. This paper describes providers' experiences in mentoring as a method of capacity building. Service providers who were skilled in the provision of FP or PNC services were selected to undergo a mentorship training program and to subsequently build the capacity of their peers in SRH-HIV integration. A qualitative assessment was conducted to assess provider experiences and perceptions about peer mentoring. In-depth interviews were conducted with twelve mentors and twenty-three mentees who were trained in SRH and HIV integration. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and imported to NVivo 9 for analysis. Thematic analysis methods were used to develop a coding framework from the research questions and other emerging themes. Mentorship was perceived as a feasible and acceptable method of training among mentors and mentees. Both mentors and mentees agreed that the success of peer mentoring largely depended on cordial relationship and consensus to work together to achieve a specific set of skills. Mentees reported improved knowledge, skills, self-confidence, and team work in delivering integrated SRH and HIV services as benefits associated with mentoring. They also associated mentoring with an increase in the range of services available and the number of clients seeking those services. Successful mentorship was conditional upon facility management support, sufficient supplies and commodities, a positive work environment, and mentors selection. Mentoring was perceived by both mentors and mentees as a sustainable method for capacity building, which increased providers' ability to offer a wide range of and improved access to integrated SRH and HIV services.

  1. A Conceptual Model for the Sustainable Governance of Integrated Management of National Water Resources with a Focus on Training and Capacity Building

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alaleh Ghaemi

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The instabilities over the past two decades in governing water resources have led to the need for an integrated approach to the problem. Moreover, the decent and sustainable governance of water resources has come to be recognized as the supplement to the integrated management of water resources. The present study strives to develop a conceptual model of water reources sustainable governance with emphasis on training and capacity-building. For this purpose, expert views presented to different international meetings and world conferences on water were reviewed to develop a comprehensive and all-embracuing conceptual model of sustainable governance for the integrated management of water resources with a focus on training and capacity-building. In a second stage of the study, both internationally published literature and the regulatory documents on water management approved at the national level were consulted to derive appropriate standards, criteria, and indicators for the implementation of the proposed conceptual model. The relevance of these indicators was validated by soliciting expert views while their stability was calculated via the Cronbach’s alpha formula to be 0.94. The third stage of the study involved the ranking and gradation of the indicators using the relevant software in a fuzzy decision-making environment based on interviews with 110 senior water executives, academics working in the field, senior agricultural managers, water experts in local communities, and NGO activists. The emerging model finally consisted of 9 criteria and 52 indicators, amongst which the criterion of public participation and the indicator of training and capacity-building won the highest scores. It may be claimed that the proposed conceptual model is quite relevant and adapted to the sustainable governance presently sought. The key roles in this model are played by public participation as well as training and capacity building that must be on the priority

  2. Passive sampling devices enable capacity building and characterization of bioavailable pesticide along the Niger, Senegal and Bani Rivers of Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Kim A; Seck, Dogo; Hobbie, Kevin A; Traore, Anna Ndiaye; McCartney, Melissa A; Ndaye, Adama; Forsberg, Norman D; Haigh, Theodore A; Sower, Gregory J

    2014-04-05

    It is difficult to assess pollution in remote areas of less-developed regions owing to the limited availability of energy, equipment, technology, trained personnel and other key resources. Passive sampling devices (PSDs) are technologically simple analytical tools that sequester and concentrate bioavailable organic contaminants from the environment. Scientists from Oregon State University and the Centre Régional de Recherches en Ecotoxicologie et de Sécurité Environnementale (CERES) in Senegal developed a partnership to build capacity at CERES and to develop a pesticide-monitoring project using PSDs. This engagement resulted in the development of a dynamic training process applicable to capacity-building programmes. The project culminated in a field and laboratory study where paired PSD samples were simultaneously analysed in African and US laboratories with quality control evaluation and traceability. The joint study included sampling from 63 sites across six western African countries, generating a 9000 data point pesticide database with virtual access to all study participants.

  3. Resource-poor settings: infrastructure and capacity building: care of the critically ill and injured during pandemics and disasters: CHEST consensus statement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geiling, James; Burkle, Frederick M; Amundson, Dennis; Dominguez-Cherit, Guillermo; Gomersall, Charles D; Lim, Matthew L; Luyckx, Valerie; Sarani, Babak; Uyeki, Timothy M; West, T Eoin; Christian, Michael D; Devereaux, Asha V; Dichter, Jeffrey R; Kissoon, Niranjan

    2014-10-01

    Planning for mass critical care (MCC) in resource-poor or constrained settings has been largely ignored, despite their large populations that are prone to suffer disproportionately from natural disasters. Addressing MCC in these settings has the potential to help vast numbers of people and also to inform planning for better-resourced areas. The Resource-Poor Settings panel developed five key question domains; defining the term resource poor and using the traditional phases of disaster (mitigation/preparedness/response/recovery), literature searches were conducted to identify evidence on which to answer the key questions in these areas. Given a lack of data upon which to develop evidence-based recommendations, expert-opinion suggestions were developed, and consensus was achieved using a modified Delphi process. The five key questions were then separated as follows: definition, infrastructure and capacity building, resources, response, and reconstitution/recovery of host nation critical care capabilities and research. Addressing these questions led the panel to offer 33 suggestions. Because of the large number of suggestions, the results have been separated into two sections: part 1, Infrastructure/Capacity in this article, and part 2, Response/Recovery/Research in the accompanying article. Lack of, or presence of, rudimentary ICU resources and limited capacity to enhance services further challenge resource-poor and constrained settings. Hence, capacity building entails preventative strategies and strengthening of primary health services. Assistance from other countries and organizations is needed to mount a surge response. Moreover, planning should include when to disengage and how the host nation can provide capacity beyond the mass casualty care event.

  4. Perspectives on emerging zoonotic disease research and capacity building in Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stephen, Craig; Artsob, Harvey; Bowie, William R; Drebot, Michael; Fraser, Erin; Leighton, Ted; Morshed, Muhammad; Ong, Corinne; Patrick, David

    2004-01-01

    Zoonoses are fundamental determinants of community health. Preventing, identifying and managing these infections must be a central public health focus. Most current zoonoses research focuses on the interface of the pathogen and the clinically ill person, emphasizing microbial detection, mechanisms of pathogenicity and clinical intervention strategies, rather than examining the causes of emergence, persistence and spread of new zoonoses. There are gaps in the understanding of the animal determinants of emergence and the capacity to train highly qualified individuals; these are major obstacles to preventing new disease threats. The ability to predict the emergence of zoonoses and their resulting public health and societal impacts are hindered when insufficient effort is devoted to understanding zoonotic disease epidemiology, and when zoonoses are not examined in a manner that yields fundamental insight into their origin and spread. Emerging infectious disease research should rest on four pillars: enhanced communications across disciplinary and agency boundaries; the assessment and development of surveillance and disease detection tools; the examination of linkages between animal health determinants of human health outcomes; and finally, cross-disciplinary training and research. A national strategy to predict, prevent and manage emerging diseases must have a prominent and explicit role for veterinary and biological researchers. An integrated health approach would provide decision makers with a firmer foundation from which to build evidence-based disease prevention and control plans that involve complex human/animal/environmental systems, and would serve as the foundation to train and support the new cadre of individuals ultimately needed to maintain and apply research capacity in this area. PMID:18159512

  5. Building capacity to develop an African teaching platform on health workforce development: a collaborative initiative of universities from four sub Saharan countries

    OpenAIRE

    Amde, Woldekidan Kifle; Sanders, David; Lehmann, Uta

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Health systems in many low-income countries remain fragile, and the record of human resource planning and management in Ministries of Health very uneven. Public health training institutions face the dual challenge of building human resources capacity in ministries and health services while alleviating and improving their own capacity constraints. This paper reports on an initiative aimed at addressing this dual challenge through the development and implementation of a joint Maste...

  6. A Safe Place to Stay Sharp: Action Learning Meets Cooperative Inquiry in the Service of NHS OD Capacity Building

    Science.gov (United States)

    Traeger, James; Norgate, Carolyn

    2015-01-01

    This is an account of practice. It explores the meeting point between action learning and action research, as a way of doing capacity building in organisational development (OD) in the NHS in the UK. The authors were part of a short cooperative inquiry (Heron, J. 1996. "Co-operative Inquiry: Research into the Human Condition." London:…

  7. Building Surgical Research Capacity Globally: Efficacy of a Clinical Research Course for Surgeons in Low-Resource Settings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theodore A. Miclau

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Musculoskeletal injury confers an enormous burden of preventable disability and mortality in low- and moderate-income countries (LMICs. Appropriate orthopedic and trauma care services are lacking. Leading international health agencies emphasize the critical need to create and sustain research capacity in the developing world as a strategic factor in the establishment of functional, independent health systems. One aspect of building research capacity is partnership between developing and developed countries, and knowledge sharing via these collaborations. This study evaluated the efficacy of a short, intensive course designed to educate surgeons on fundamental aspects of clinical research using evidence-based medicine (EBM principles. Orthopedic surgeons from the United States and Canada presented a one-day course on the fundamentals of clinical research in Havana, Cuba. Knowledge acquisition was assessed on the part of course participants and surveyed current involvement with and attitudes toward clinical research. Questionnaires were presented to participants immediately preceding and following the course. The mean pre-test score was 43.9% (95% CI: 41.1–46.6%. The mean post-test score was 59.3% (95% CI: 56.5–62.1%. There were relative score increases in each subgroup based on professional level, subjective level of familiarity with EBM concepts, and subjective level of experience in research. This study establishes the short-term efficacy of an intensive course designed to impart knowledge in EBM and clinical research. Further study is necessary to determine the long-term benefits of this type of course. This may be a useful part of an overall strategy to build health research capacity in LMICs, ultimately contributing to improved access to high-quality surgical care.

  8. AIDSCAP initiative. Innovation in NGO capacity building: Tanzania AIDS project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dadian, M J

    1998-01-01

    Tanzania has since the mid-1980s experienced some of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, with data now showing the mean levels of HIV seroprevalence nationwide to be greater than 13%, and even higher than 30% in some districts. By 2000, as many as 2.4 million Tanzanians will be infected with HIV and more than 850,000 Tanzanian children will be orphaned by the epidemic. The Tanzania AIDS Project (TAP), funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), was implemented through the AIDS Control and Prevention (AIDSCAP) Project by Family Health International (FHI) during 1993-97. TAP will receive support throughout 1998 through a cooperative agreement between USAID and FHI. Nongovernmental organization (NGO) representatives meet on a regular basis in Dar es Salaam and in 8 other regions of the country to plan and coordinate the major aspects of TAP's HIV/AIDS prevention activities in each area. The author describes the evolution of the idea to bring NGOs together into geographic clusters, the diversity of talents enjoyed from using the cluster concept, building institutional capacity, the challenges facing TAP's 9 clusters, and working with traditional communities.

  9. "It takes more than a fellowship program": reflections on capacity strengthening for health systems research in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Izugbara, Chimaraoke O; Kabiru, Caroline W; Amendah, Djesika; Dimbuene, Zacharie Tsala; Donfouet, Hermann Pythagore Pierre; Atake, Esso-Hanam; Ingabire, Marie-Gloriose; Maluka, Stephen; Mumah, Joyce N; Mwau, Matilu; Ndinya, Mollyne; Ngure, Kenneth; Sidze, Estelle M; Sossa, Charles; Soura, Abdramane; Ezeh, Alex C

    2017-12-04

    Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) experiences an acute dearth of well-trained and skilled researchers. This dearth constrains the region's capacity to identify and address the root causes of its poor social, health, development, and other outcomes. Building sustainable research capacity in SSA requires, among other things, locally led and run initiatives that draw on existing regional capacities as well as mutually beneficial global collaborations. This paper describes a regional research capacity strengthening initiative-the African Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship (ADDRF) program. This Africa-based and African-led initiative has emerged as a practical and tested platform for producing and nurturing research leaders, strengthening university-wide systems for quality research training and productivity, and building a critical mass of highly-trained African scholars and researchers. The program deploys different interventions to ensure the success of fellows. These interventions include research methods and scientific writing workshops, research and reentry support grants, post-doctoral research support and placements, as well as grants for networking and scholarly conferences attendance. Across the region, ADDRF graduates are emerging as research leaders, showing signs of becoming the next generation of world-class researchers, and supporting the transformations of their home-institutions. While the contributions of the ADDRF program to research capacity strengthening in the region are significant, the sustainability of the initiative and other research and training fellowship programs on the continent requires significant investments from local sources and, especially, governments and the private sector in Africa. The ADDRF experience demonstrates that research capacity building in Africa is possible through innovative, multifaceted interventions that support graduate students to develop different critical capacities and transferable skills and build, expand, and

  10. Building Sustainable Partnerships to Strengthen Pediatric Capacity at a Government Hospital in Malawi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckerle, Michelle; Crouse, Heather L; Chiume, Msandeni; Phiri, Ajib; Kazembe, Peter N; Friesen, Hanny; Mvalo, Tisungane; Rus, Marideth C; Fitzgerald, Elizabeth F; McKenney, Allyson; Hoffman, Irving F; Coe, Megan; Mkandawire, Beatrice M; Schubert, Charles

    2017-01-01

    To achieve sustained reductions in child mortality in low- and middle-income countries, increased local capacity is necessary. One approach to capacity building is support offered via partnerships with institutions in high-income countries. However, lack of cooperation between institutions can create barriers to successful implementation of programs and may inadvertently weaken the health system they are striving to improve. A coordinated approach is necessary. Three U.S.-based institutions have separately supported various aspects of pediatric care at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH), the main government referral hospital in the central region of Malawi, for several years. Within each institution's experience, common themes were recognized, which required attention in order to sustain improvements in care. Each recognized that support of clinical care is a necessary cornerstone before initiating educational or training efforts. In particular, the support of emergency and acute care is paramount in order to decrease in-hospital mortality. Through the combined efforts of Malawian partners and the US-based institutions, the pediatric mortality rate has decreased from >10 to <4% since 2011, yet critical gaps remain. To achieve further improvements, representatives with expertise in pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) from each US-based institution hypothesized that coordinated efforts would be most effective, decrease duplication, improve communication, and ensure that investments in education and training are aligned with local priorities. Together with local stakeholders, the three US-based partners created a multi-institutional partnership, Pediatric Alliance for Child Health Improvement in Malawi at Kamuzu Central Hospital and Environs (PACHIMAKE). Representatives from each institution gathered in Malawi late 2016 and sought input and support from local partners at all levels to prioritize interventions, which could be collectively undertaken by this consortium. Long

  11. Capacity building for oncology programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: the Rwanda experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stulac, Sara; Binagwaho, Agnes; Tapela, Neo M; Wagner, Claire M; Muhimpundu, Marie Aimee; Ngabo, Fidele; Nsanzimana, Sabin; Kayonde, Leonard; Bigirimana, Jean Bosco; Lessard, Adam J; Lehmann, Leslie; Shulman, Lawrence N; Nutt, Cameron T; Drobac, Peter; Mpunga, Tharcisse; Farmer, Paul E

    2015-08-01

    Despite an estimated 456,000 deaths caused by cancer in sub-Saharan Africa in 2012 and a cancer burden that is predicted to double by 2030, the region accounts for only 0·3% of worldwide medical expenditure for cancer. Challenges to cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa include a shortage of clinicians and training programmes, weak healthcare infrastructure, and inadequate supplies. Since 2011, Rwanda has developed a national cancer programme by designing comprehensive, integrated frameworks of care, building local human resource capacity through partnerships, and delivering equitable, rights-based care. In the 2 years since the inauguration of Rwanda's first cancer centre, more than 2500 patients have been enrolled, including patients from every district in Rwanda. Based on Rwanda's national cancer programme development, we suggest principles that could guide other nations in the development of similar cancer programmes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Building an e-Commerce Infrastructure in Jordan: Challenges and Requirements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhannad Anwar Al-Shboul

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Many countries around the world are trying to build and enhance their internet infrastructure and utilize services related to the Internet such as e-Commerce, information connectivity, accessibility, etc. However, studies indicated that network and hardware requirements are not always the major barrier for progressing in these goals. In some cases, cultural, legal or environmental factor may dominate the type of barriers for the expansion of internet related service in many countries around the world. This paper presents challenges and requirements for the enhancement of e-Commerce services in particular for Jordan.

  13. 從需求面探究技術學院教職員評鑑能力建立之內涵 The Needs in Evaluation Capacity Building of the Faculty in Technical Colleges

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    曾淑惠 Shu-Hui Tseng

    2009-12-01

    technical colleges. The results of interview indicate that there are specific needs in evaluation capacity building of the faculty in technical colleges besides the capacities listed in the references. In addition, faculty of different backgrounds calls for different evaluation capacity building, which requires further investigation. The overall conclusions are as the follows: First, evaluation capacity building scale contains four dimensions. They are: (1 realizing the principle of evaluation, (2being familiar with the intension of evaluation, (3 getting involved in evaluation, and (4 practicing evaluation management. The scale has four subscales with 21 questions. After the confirmatory factor analysis, the model fit is good. Second, the eeds in evaluation capacity building for the faculty in technical colleges are much higher than the higher demand level. Finally, four suggestions are proposed.

  14. Building Leadership Capacity on a Budget

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andes, Laurie

    2009-01-01

    Since September 2002, business leaders and educators have been examining the differences in business and educational leadership in a professional development partnership, titled, The Academy for Leadership in Education (ALE). This organization was created as a program to encourage the study of leadership and develop the capacity for mentoring new…

  15. Cost optimal building performance requirements. Calculation methodology for reporting on national energy performance requirements on the basis of cost optimality within the framework of the EPBD

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boermans, T.; Bettgenhaeuser, K.; Hermelink, A.; Schimschar, S. [Ecofys, Utrecht (Netherlands)

    2011-05-15

    On the European level, the principles for the requirements for the energy performance of buildings are set by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Dating from December 2002, the EPBD has set a common framework from which the individual Member States in the EU developed or adapted their individual national regulations. The EPBD in 2008 and 2009 underwent a recast procedure, with final political agreement having been reached in November 2009. The new Directive was then formally adopted on May 19, 2010. Among other clarifications and new provisions, the EPBD recast introduces a benchmarking mechanism for national energy performance requirements for the purpose of determining cost-optimal levels to be used by Member States for comparing and setting these requirements. The previous EPBD set out a general framework to assess the energy performance of buildings and required Member States to define maximum values for energy delivered to meet the energy demand associated with the standardised use of the building. However it did not contain requirements or guidance related to the ambition level of such requirements. As a consequence, building regulations in the various Member States have been developed by the use of different approaches (influenced by different building traditions, political processes and individual market conditions) and resulted in different ambition levels where in many cases cost optimality principles could justify higher ambitions. The EPBD recast now requests that Member States shall ensure that minimum energy performance requirements for buildings are set 'with a view to achieving cost-optimal levels'. The cost optimum level shall be calculated in accordance with a comparative methodology. The objective of this report is to contribute to the ongoing discussion in Europe around the details of such a methodology by describing possible details on how to calculate cost optimal levels and pointing towards important factors and

  16. Use of neutron beams for fundamental research, applications and human capacity building: From national to regional perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nothnagel, S.G.

    2010-01-01

    The SAFARI-1 research reactor at NECSA South Africa is currently one of the best utilized research reactors in the world. Apart from being used for materials irradiation and isotope production, there is a history of innovative utilization of neutron beam line techniques, such as neutron diffraction (strain scanning, powder and single crystal), neutron radiography/tomography, prompt gamma-ray neutron activation analysis and small angle neutron scattering both for NECSA research programs and external users. Through these applications neutron beam line diagnostics have been shown to make important contributions to a number of key research areas in South Africa. As a result these techniques are now being viewed as 'standard and essential' for an increasing number of researchers who came to appreciate the extra dimension of knowledge provided by neutron techniques. In addition neutron beam line facilities provide excellent training platforms for human capacity building in nuc lear and material related science and technology. Because of these reasons neutron beam line facilities at research reactors offer unique opportunities to build productive cross-cutting research collaborations, at national and regional levels. Some information on the role that nuclear beams can play, in the capacities mentioned, will be shared by virtue of some examples and the national, international and regional net-working potential of research reactor based neutron facilities shall be discussed.

  17. Capacity building for the effective adoption of renewable energy technologies in rural areas. Experience of India NGOs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Myles, R. [Integrated Sustainable Energy and Ecological Development Association (INSEDA), New Delhi (India)

    2002-07-01

    The experience of NGO network in the promotions of biogas and other low cost RET gadgets, devices, equipments and machines in the rural areas of India, for over two decades, have shown that there are serveral problems yet challenging opportunities in the promotion and implementation of renewable energy technologies in villages. First of all, the field and extension organizations should recognise that these technologies are new and aliens to the rural people, therefore like any other technologies, developed outside the rural environment, RETs are first view with skepticism by the rural community. Even if 100 units of a RE technology are successfully demonstrated, failure of even one could create negative impact within a radius of 30-50 KMs, and its shortcomings are spread like a wild fire. The appropriate technology demonstration backed by systematic capacity building of different stakeholders/actors/players (i.e. Energy Producers, Energy Service Providers and the Energy End Users) is a must for the acceptance and large-scale adoption of RETs in rural areas of the developing countries. The programme funds for the promotion and implementation of RETs should have good percentage earmarked for the capacity building as well as supporting infrastructure for awareness, motivation, promotional and post installation services activities by local field level organizations and NGOs on a long term basis. (orig.)

  18. Building Post-Crisis Capacity in the Solomon Islands

    OpenAIRE

    Laura Bailey

    2009-01-01

    This capacity development brief summarizes the results of a multi-donor team review of four examples of post-crisis capacity development interventions in the Solomon Islands in 2005-08 whose performance was frequently cited as successful by local stakeholders. Although not based on post-project evaluations, the review found a number of patterns and potential lessons: (1) responding to imme...

  19. Evaluation of Shear Resisting Capacity of a Prestressed Concrete Containment Building with Steel or Polyamide Fiber Reinforcement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choun, Youngsun; Park, Junhee

    2014-01-01

    Conventional reinforced concrete (RC) members generally show a rapid deterioration in shear resisting mechanisms under a reversed cyclic load. However, the use of high-performance fiber-reinforced cement composites provides excellent damage tolerance under large displacement reversals compared with regular concrete. Previous experimental studies have indicated that the use of fibers in conventional RC can enhance the structural and functional performance of prestressed concrete containment buildings (PCCBs) in nuclear power plants. This study evaluates the shear resisting capacity for a PCCB constructed using steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) or polyamide fiber reinforced concrete (PFRC). The effects of steel and polyamide fibers on the shear performance of a PCCB were investigated. It was revealed that steel fibers are more effective to enhance the shear resisting capacity of a PCCB than polyamide fibers. The ductility and energy dissipation increase significantly in fiber reinforced PCCBs

  20. Evaluation of Shear Resisting Capacity of a Prestressed Concrete Containment Building with Steel or Polyamide Fiber Reinforcement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choun, Youngsun; Park, Junhee [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-05-15

    Conventional reinforced concrete (RC) members generally show a rapid deterioration in shear resisting mechanisms under a reversed cyclic load. However, the use of high-performance fiber-reinforced cement composites provides excellent damage tolerance under large displacement reversals compared with regular concrete. Previous experimental studies have indicated that the use of fibers in conventional RC can enhance the structural and functional performance of prestressed concrete containment buildings (PCCBs) in nuclear power plants. This study evaluates the shear resisting capacity for a PCCB constructed using steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) or polyamide fiber reinforced concrete (PFRC). The effects of steel and polyamide fibers on the shear performance of a PCCB were investigated. It was revealed that steel fibers are more effective to enhance the shear resisting capacity of a PCCB than polyamide fibers. The ductility and energy dissipation increase significantly in fiber reinforced PCCBs.

  1. “Scientific independence”, capacity building, and the development of UNESCO’s science and technology agenda for Africa

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Casper

    2017-01-01

    period and the post-independence decades of “national science” in Africa, it analyses UNESCO’s role in science policy, engineering training, and natural resources research. It demonstrates that in the era of national science UNESCO’s activities were couched in the language of independence: developing......This article analyses the shifting rationales for scientific collaboration in the work of the United Nations Economic, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the science sector in Africa from the late colonial period through to the era of capacity building. Focusing on the late colonial...... capacities in the sciences was regarded as the key to obtaining “scientific independence” to match the recently obtained political independence. This marked a significant change from the 1950s when UNESCO based its operations in Africa on collaborations with the European colonial powers. The article argues...

  2. Advancing the application of systems thinking in health: a realist evaluation of a capacity building programme for district managers in Tumkur, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prashanth, Nuggehalli Srinivas; Marchal, Bruno; Devadasan, Narayanan; Kegels, Guy; Criel, Bart

    2014-08-26

    Health systems interventions, such as capacity-building of health workers, are implemented across districts in order to improve performance of healthcare organisations. However, such interventions often work in some settings and not in others. Local health systems could be visualised as complex adaptive systems that respond variously to inputs of capacity building interventions, depending on their local conditions and several individual, institutional, and environmental factors. We aim at demonstrating how the realist evaluation approach advances complex systems thinking in healthcare evaluation by applying the approach to understand organisational change within local health systems in the Tumkur district of southern India. We collected data on several input, process, and outcome measures of performance of the talukas (administrative sub-units of the district) and explore the interplay between the individual, institutional, and contextual factors in contributing to the outcomes using qualitative data (interview transcripts and observation notes) and quantitative measures of commitment, self-efficacy, and supervision style. The talukas of Tumkur district responded differently to the intervention. Their responses can be explained by the interactions between several individual, institutional, and environmental factors. In a taluka with committed staff and a positive intention to make changes, the intervention worked through aligning with existing opportunities from the decentralisation process to improve performance. However, commitment towards the organisation was neither crucial nor sufficient. Committed staff in two other talukas were unable to actualise their intentions to improve organisational performance. In yet another taluka, the leadership was able to compensate for the lack of commitment. Capacity building of local health systems could work through aligning or countering existing relationships between internal (individual and organisational) and external

  3. Using action research to build mentor capacity to improve orientation and quality of nursing students' aged care placements: what to do when the phone rings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lea, Emma J; Andrews, Sharon; Stronach, Megan; Marlow, Annette; Robinson, Andrew L

    2017-07-01

    To describe whether an action research approach can be used to build capacity of residential aged care facility staff to support undergraduate nursing students' clinical placements in residential aged care facilities, using development of an orientation programme as an exemplar. Aged care facilities are unpopular sites for nursing students' clinical placements. A contributing factor is the limited capacity of staff to provide students with a positive placement experience. Strategies to build mentor capability to shape student placements and support learning and teaching are critical if nursing students are to have positive placements that attract them to aged care after graduation, an imperative given the increasing care needs of the ageing population worldwide. Action research approach employing mixed-methods data collection (primarily qualitative with a quantitative component). Aged care facility staff (n = 32) formed a mentor group at each of two Tasmanian facilities and met regularly to support undergraduate nursing students (n = 40) during placements. Group members planned, enacted, reviewed and reflected on orientation procedures to welcome students, familiarise them with the facility and prepare them for their placement. Data comprised transcripts from these and parallel student meetings, and orientation data from student questionnaires from two successive placement periods (2011/2012). Problems were identified in the orientation processes for the initial student placements. Mentors implemented a revised orientation programme. Evaluation demonstrated improved programme outcomes for students regarding knowledge of facility operations, their responsibilities and emergency procedures. Action research provides an effective approach to engage aged care facility staff to build their capacity to support clinical placements. Building capacity in the aged care workforce is vital to provide appropriate care for residents with increasing care needs. © 2016 John

  4. Utilizing Response to Intervention (RtI) as a Means of Studying Capacity Building and Motivation of Staff by School Leadership Teams

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahoney, Brian J.

    2013-01-01

    This research study explored the concept of capacity building and motivation of staff by school leadership teams in the successful development and implementation of educational initiatives, specifically Response to Intervention (RtI). A great deal of scholarship has addressed leadership and its effect on motivation, but few studies have…

  5. The effect of using low-polluting building materials on ventilation requirements and energy use in buildings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wargocki, P.; Frontczak, M. (International Centre for Indoor Environment and Energy, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, DTU, Kgs. Lyngby (DK)); Knudsen, Henrik N. (Danish Building Research Institute, Aalborg Univ., Hoersholm (DK))

    2007-07-01

    The main objective of the ongoing research project described in this paper was to study the potential for reducing energy used for ventilating buildings by using low-polluting building materials, without compromising the indoor air quality. To quantify this potential, the exposure-response relationships, i.e. the relationships between ventilation rate and perceived indoor air quality, were established for rooms furnished with different categories of polluting materials and the simulations of energy used for ventilation were carried out. The exposure-response relationships were based on a summary of data reported in the literature on exposure-response relationships for materials tested in laboratory settings in small-scale glass chambers, and in full-scale in climate chambers, test rooms or normal offices. New experiments were also considered in which the effect of using low-polluting materials on perceived air quality was examined in test rooms ventilated with different outdoor air supply rates, low-polluting materials being selected in small glass chambers. The results suggest that the exposure-response relationships vary between different building materials and that the perceived air quality can be improved considerably when polluting building materials are substituted with materials that pollute less. The preliminary energy simulations indicate that selecting low-polluting materials will result in considerable energy savings as a result of reducing the ventilation rates required to achieve acceptable indoor air quality. (au)

  6. Have We Overestimated Saline Aquifer CO2 Storage Capacities?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thibeau, S.; Mucha, V.

    2011-01-01

    approach, it is applied to the Utsira aquifer in the North Sea. In Sections 3 and 4, we discuss possible effects that may lead to higher or lower CO 2 storage efficiencies. Water production appears to be an attractive strategy in order to address regional scale pressure build up and, consequently, to increase the storage capacity. Following these quantitative applications, we recommend to evaluate the CO 2 storage capacities of an aquifer, during a screening study for ranking purposes, using a pressure and compressibility formula rather than a volumetric approach, in order to avoid large overestimation of the aquifer storage capacity. Further studies are naturally required to validate the storage capacities at a qualification stage. (authors)

  7. Building Systems for Successful Implementation of Function-Based Support in Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Cynthia M.; Horner, Robert H.; Rodriguez, Billie Jo; Stiller, Brianna

    2013-01-01

    Supporting the full range of students with behavioral challenges requires that schools build the capacity to implement evidence-based behavioral interventions. Fortunately, a substantive body of research documents behavioral interventions are available to both decrease problem behavior and enhance prosocial skills. To date, however, this…

  8. A thematic analysis of the role of the organisation in building allied health research capacity: a senior managers' perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Golenko, Xanthe; Pager, Susan; Holden, Libby

    2012-08-27

    Evidence-based practice aims to achieve better health outcomes in the community. It relies on high quality research to inform policy and practice; however research in primary health care continues to lag behind that of other medical professions. The literature suggests that research capacity building (RCB) functions across four levels; individual, team, organisation and external environment. Many RCB interventions are aimed at an individual or team level, yet evidence indicates that many barriers to RCB occur at an organisational or external environment level. This study asks senior managers from a large healthcare organisation to identify the barriers and enablers to RCB. The paper then describes strategies for building allied health (AH) research capacity at an organisational level from a senior managers' perspective. This qualitative study is part of a larger collaborative RCB project. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with nine allied health senior managers. Recorded interviews were transcribed and NVivo was used to analyse findings and emergent themes were defined. The dominant themes indicate that the organisation plays an integral role in building AH research capacity and is the critical link in creating synergy across the four levels of RCB. The organisation can achieve this by incorporating research into its core business with a whole of organisation approach including its mission, vision and strategic planning. Critical success factors include: developing a co-ordinated and multidisciplinary approach to attain critical mass of research-active AH and enhance learning and development; support from senior managers demonstrated through structures, processes and systems designed to facilitate research; forming partnerships to increase collaboration and sharing of resources and knowledge; and establishing in internal framework to promote recognition for research and career path opportunities. This study identifies four key themes: whole of

  9. 24 CFR 200.954 - Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standard and certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... under the HUD building product standard and certification program for construction adhesives for wood... § 200.954 Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standard and certification...) concerning labeling of a product, the administrator's validation mark and the manufacturer's certification of...

  10. Requirements of air conditioners for office buildings. Pt. 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Radtke, W

    1988-02-01

    Presenting numerous explanatory diagrams part two of the report deals with auxiliary ventilation systems (mechanical systems); the influence of different ventilation circuits on the air quality (particle concentration, floor and ceiling air outlets); the requirements of heating systems (dimensioning of heating systems, effects of ventilation systems on the heat demand, reduced heat demand owing to auxiliary ventilation systems); the requirements of cooling (cooling loads in office buildings, room temperatures in the case of natural cooling, auxiliary ventilation systems, and cooling by means of refrigerators, floor/ceiling cooling systems); permissible ambient air velocities (complaints about draughts). Bottom-to-top ventilation circuits were found to provide for better air qualities and lower ambient air velocities without increasing the systems' energy demand. (HWJ).

  11. The Legacy Project: A Case Study of Civic Capacity Building and Transformative Educational Leadership in a Community-Based Academic Enrichment Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Didlick-Davis, Celeste R.

    2016-01-01

    This study examines how a grassroots educational enrichment program in a small urban economically depressed area builds and uses civic capacity. Using qualitative data collected through a case study of the Legacy Academic Enrichment program in Middletown, Ohio, I identify factors that make Legacy sustainable and successful in a community that has…

  12. 24 CFR 200.952 - Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... under the HUD building product standards and certification program for particleboard interior stair... Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification program for... forth in § 200.935(d)(6) concerning labeling of a product, the administrator's validation mark and the...

  13. Laboratory capacity building for the International Health Regulations (IHR[2005]) in resource-poor countries: the experience of the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masanza, Monica Musenero; Nqobile, Ndlovu; Mukanga, David; Gitta, Sheba Nakacubo

    2010-12-03

    Laboratory is one of the core capacities that countries must develop for the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR[2005]) since laboratory services play a major role in all the key processes of detection, assessment, response, notification, and monitoring of events. While developed countries easily adapt their well-organized routine laboratory services, resource-limited countries need considerable capacity building as many gaps still exist. In this paper, we discuss some of the efforts made by the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) in supporting laboratory capacity development in the Africa region. The efforts range from promoting graduate level training programs to building advanced technical, managerial and leadership skills to in-service short course training for peripheral laboratory staff. A number of specific projects focus on external quality assurance, basic laboratory information systems, strengthening laboratory management towards accreditation, equipment calibration, harmonization of training materials, networking and provision of pre-packaged laboratory kits to support outbreak investigation. Available evidence indicates a positive effect of these efforts on laboratory capacity in the region. However, many opportunities exist, especially to support the roll-out of these projects as well as attending to some additional critical areas such as biosafety and biosecuity. We conclude that AFENET's approach of strengthening national and sub-national systems provide a model that could be adopted in resource-limited settings such as sub-Saharan Africa.

  14. "It Takes a Network": Building National Capacity for Climate Change Interpretation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spitzer, W.

    2014-12-01

    Since 2007, the New England Aquarium has led a national effort to increase the capacity of informal science venues to effectively communicate about climate change. We are now leading the NSF-funded National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI), partnering with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, FrameWorks Institute, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and National Aquarium, with evaluation conducted by the New Knowledge Organization, Pennsylvania State University, and Ohio State University. More than 1,500 informal science venues (science centers, museums, aquariums, zoos, nature centers, national parks) are visited annually by 61% of the U.S. population. These visitors expect reliable information about environmental issues and solutions. NNOCCI enables teams of informal science interpreters across the country to serve as "communication strategists" - beyond merely conveying information they can influence public perceptions, given their high level of commitment, knowledge, public trust, social networks, and visitor contact. Beyond providing in-depth training, we have found that our "alumni network" is assuming an increasingly important role in achieving our goals: 1. Ongoing learning - Training must be ongoing given continuous advances in climate and social science research. 2. Implementation support - Social support is critical as interpreters move from learning to practice, given complex and potentially contentious subject matter. 3. Leadership development - We rely on a national cadre of interpretive leaders to conduct workshops, facilitate study circle trainings, and support alumni. 4. Coalition building - A peer network helps to build and maintain connections with colleagues, and supports further dissemination through the informal science community. We are experimenting with a variety of online and face to face strategies to support the growing alumni network. Our goals are to achieve a systemic national

  15. 24 CFR 200.943 - Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... under the HUD building product standards and certification program for the grademarking of lumber. 200... Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification program for the... compliance with the U.S. Department of Commerce Voluntary Product Standard PS 20-94 American Softwood Lumber...

  16. Place-Conscious Capacity-Building: A Systemic Model for the Revitalisation and Renewal of Rural Schools and Communities through University-Based Regional Stewardship

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Jerry; Thompson, Aaron; Naugle, Kim

    2009-01-01

    This paper sets forth a model of regional stewardship developed and implemented at a post-compulsory institution serving rural communities in central Appalachia, a region that is among the most impoverished in the United States. The model, termed place-conscious capacity-building, emphasises culturally-responsive methodologies and the strategic…

  17. Research Capacity-Building with New Technologies within New Communities of Practice: Reflections on the First Year of the Teacher Education Research Network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fowler, Zoe; Stanley, Grant; Murray, Jean; Jones, Marion; McNamara, Olwen

    2013-01-01

    This article focuses on a virtual research environment (VRE) and how it facilitated the networking of teacher educators participating in an Economic and Social Research Council-funded research capacity-building project. Using the theoretical lenses of situated learning and socio-cultural approaches to literacy, participants' ways of engaging with…

  18. Envelope as Climate Negotiator: Evaluating adaptive building envelope's capacity to moderate indoor climate and energy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erickson, James

    Through manipulation of adaptable opportunities available within a given environment, individuals become active participants in managing personal comfort requirements, by exercising control over their comfort without the assistance of mechanical heating and cooling systems. Similarly, continuous manipulation of a building skin's form, insulation, porosity, and transmissivity qualities exerts control over the energy exchanged between indoor and outdoor environments. This research uses four adaptive response variables in a modified software algorithm to explore an adaptive building skin's potential in reacting to environmental stimuli with the purpose of minimizing energy use without sacrificing occupant comfort. Results illustrate that significant energy savings can be realized with adaptive envelopes over static building envelopes even under extreme summer and winter climate conditions; that the magnitude of these savings are dependent on climate and orientation; and that occupant thermal comfort can be improved consistently over comfort levels achieved by optimized static building envelopes. The resulting adaptive envelope's unique climate-specific behavior could inform designers in creating an intelligent kinetic aesthetic that helps facilitate adaptability and resiliency in architecture.

  19. 24 CFR 200.945 - Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... under the HUD building product standards and certification program for carpet. 200.945 Section 200.945... requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification program for carpet. (a) Applicable.... (b) Labeling. Under the procedures set forth in § 200.935(d)(6) concerning labeling of a product, the...

  20. Usability requirements for buildings: a case study on primary schools.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duca, Gabriella

    2012-01-01

    This paper concerns an applied research aimed at applying the concept of usability, as derived form the standard ISO 9241/11, in the filed of building design, namely primary schools. Starting from the concept that space characteristics play a very relevant role in learning performances, the study presented here developed an original methodology for the assessment of effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of buildings hosting primary schools, in order to create a school environment better supporting users in their tasks. Research core is the framework of usability requirements and their related markers, indicators and technical specification that has been formulated in order to check compliance of urban area, building, rooms and architectural details with users needs. Therefore, a detailed task analysis of pupils and teacher tasks has been carried out and two questionnaires addressed to a significant users panel have been formulated for satisfaction survey. Lastly, a matrix for an overall reading of gathered data has been set-up and criteria for usability assessment based on that data has been defined. The whole study has been developed within the case study of a primary school in the Naples city centre, whose contents and results are discussed.