Annual Report 2007 of MDF Group

Open-entry & Tailor-made Training

In 2007 MDF has continued widening it's range of development related courses. Our regular course programmes continued in the Netherlands as well as in countries like: Sri Lanka, Kenya, Tanzania, DR Congo, Belgium and Vietnam and this will be expanded further in 2008. In addition tailor-made courses were conducted throughout the world.

The open-entry programme in the Netherlands remains our largest and broadest and in 2007 encompassed 47 regular courses (4 more than in 2006) attracting 421 participants of which 92 fellowships, generating a turnover of around € 220,000.

Number of regular courses in the Netherlands:

	Nr of courses	Turnover	Total Part.	Nuffic Fellows
2007	47	€1,588,270	421	92
2006	43	€1,804,516	373	62

 

Courses outside the Netherlands provided by our branches :

2007	Nr of courses	Turnover
MDF/NL	95	€ 2,287,607
MDF/SA	14	€ 158,432
MDF/BRX	68	€ 711,394
MDF/ESA	34	€ 297,002
MDF/IC	29	€ 152,017
MDF/AC	28	€ 191,080
Total Group	268	€ 3,797,532

 In 2007, in total 315 courses were organised, slightly more than in 2006 (4%). The total turnover however remains stable at € 5,385,802 in 2007 (€ 5,399,699 in 2006).

Below you will find a sample of some typical MDF training programmes conducted in 2007:

• Training contractual and financial procedures in ENPI countries
• Training in Aid Delivery
• Training of Trainers for TCER, Office of National Assembly
• D-Talk, an international development and learning programme
  

Training contractual and financial procedures in ENPI countries

Country: Brussels and ENPI countries

Branch: MDF Brussels

Description of the project

Early 2007 MDF Brussels was selected by the European Commission to develop and implement a training programme in the context of the ENPI instrument (European Neighbourhood Partnership Instrument) in particular in the 'southern zone' (Mediterranean). The training is targeted to ENPI Delegation staff and technical ministries in order to: 

1. Create a better knowledge by the concerned Commission services of the regulatory and budgetary frameworks governing the implementation of the ENPI programmes (European Neighbourhood Programme Instrument)
2. Generate a better comprehension by the ENPI beneficiaries of project implementation through public procurement, grant contracts and programme estimates
3. Enhance the quality of implementation of the programmes

Five training modules have been developed :
1) overview of ENPI, 
2) service contracts: tendering, contracting & contract management,
3) supplies contracts: tendering, contracting & contract management
4) grant contracts: call for proposals, grant management
5) intro in decentralised operations & Programme Estimates.

In 2007 training sessions of 4-5 days have been delivered to groups of 30 participants in Algeria, Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, and Tunisia. In 2008 the programme will continue and training is being delivered in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria. 

Training in Aid Delivery Methods

Country: Belgium, ACP countries
Branch: MDF Brussels and MDF Head Office

Detailed description of the project:

MDF is part of a consortium for the implementation of Lot 1 and Lot 2 of the 'Aid Delivery Methods' assignment of the EU. Both lots comprise the development of training packages and the provision of methodological support to the Commission. Lot 1 deals with project and programme assistance and organisational capacity building whereas Lot 2 focuses on sector and budget support.

The challenge is to improve the results of EU external aid programmes. This is done by harmonising approaches and building capacity among all key actors and by enhancing and improving the tools and methods to be used. The importance is to bring partners in aid cooperation around one table, to build understanding, dialogue and synergy. Training plays an important part, with training messages well researched, directly relevant to the needs, clearly stated and consistently delivered by trainers.

The training programme provided under Lot 1 includes courses on EuropeAid's classical project cycle management (PCM) and Financial & Economic Analysis (ECOFIN). MDF has the lead to update and improve the existing training materials and didactical methods. We build on our own experiences with a wide variety of other donor organisations, and use in addition the experiences gathered by the consortium partners who also work with a wide array of PCM tools.

Training of Trainers for TCER, Office of National Assembly

Training of Trainers skills for the TCER of the Office of the National Assembly (ONA)

Country: Viet Nam
Branch: MDF Indochina

Detailed description of the project:
MDF Indochina's involvement with the Office of the National Assembly dates back to 2004, when we started providing capacity building activities to the project. The project initiated a systematic process of support to the establishment and development of Provincial Peoples Councils' offices (PPC), as an important element of the Public Administration Reform (PAR) undertaken within Viet Nam. The first activity in this direction was an "organisation development"-oriented workshop to support the new staff of the offices to think about their role, functions and challenges, and how to overcome these.

In 2007 MDF started a series of capacity building activities directed at developing trainers' capacities for the Training Centre for Elected Representatives (TCER) of the Government of Vietnam. MDF provided training and coaching/ backstopping for the various selected 'Master Trainers' of the TCER.

Services provided within the project:

MDF designed a comprehensive, and TCER-specific, Training of Trainers' course, specifically focusing on the roles of the Master Trainers of the TCER, and their interactions with the TCER trainers who will be conducting training courses at the Provincial level.The ToT course provided was interactive, and relied strongly on introducing new theories and concepts of training techniques and practising these techniques in sub-groups. The ToT course consisted of two separate training courses: the first training introduced the concepts and theories, and practised these. In the second training the Master Trainers were doing the ToT courses themselves, coached by MDF trainers. In between the two training courses, MDF trainers coached the TCER's Master Trainers while they were preparing their trainings.

As a result of these trainings the TCER now feels more confident in delivering ToT and other training courses to the various Departments within the Government of Viet Nam. 

Development Training and Learning at Kimmage (Dtalk)

Dtalk, an international development and learning programme on behalf of Irish Aid

Country: Ireland

Branch: MDF Head Office

Detailed description of the project:

Dtalk is a three-year training and learning programme for development workers in Irish NGOs and missionary organisations. Moreover, exchange and learning events are organised for the sector as a whole. Every year, over 500 home-based as well as overseas-based staff are trained by this programme in Ireland. The programme is funded by Irish Aid and through contributions from participants.
MDF Training & Consultancy is part of the consortium carrying out the Dtalk programme.
The programming offers over 40 different courses throughout the year in the following areas of expertise:

• Project and programme management, including finance
• Institutional/organisational issues
• Facilitation, communication and orientation
• Humanitarian and emergency issues
• Advisory skills
• Leadership and teambuilding

MDF is also involved in the general management of the Dtalk programme.

Improving the capacity in agricultural education and training

at four Agricultural Colleges in South Africa

Country: South Africa
Branch: MDF Head Office in collaboration with Wageningen University (WUR) as the leading partner

Detailed description of project
A major transformation of the agriculture sector is taking place in South Africa. The main thrust is to bring more black farmers into commercial agriculture and to ensure the success of these new farmers. The success of the transition process lies, amongst others, in the creation of a strong extension service coupled with appropriate training of farmers, extension staff and schoolteachers in agriculture.

To this end, a project for improving the capacity in effectively delivering agricultural education and training has been initiated for four Agricultural Colleges in South Africa (Cedara - KwaZulu Natal, Lowveld - Mpumalanga, Madzivhandila - Limpopo, Potchefstroom - North West Province).
Within the framework of this project, MDF conducted training needs assessments, followed by a series of management courses for both management staff of the colleges as well as lecturers and technicians.

Most important part of the courses is a Guided Change Process in the colleges for developing new values and perspectives and new routines throughout the colleges. In the quickly changing South African policy environment, strategies are developed related to the Higher Education and Further Education and Training programmes, delivered by the colleges. The strategies serve as a guideline for designing and re-designing the college's programmes, as an outline for obtaining funding from Provincial Authorities, and as team building of the college staff for the development of new perspectives and values for the future.