TECHNICAL CAPACITY BUILDING FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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TECHNICAL CAPACITY BUILDING FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT

• Russel C. Jones, Ph.D., P.E.
• President
• WFEO Committee on Capacity Building

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Capacity Building for Economic Development

• Give a man a fish you have fed him for today.
  Teach a man to fish you have fed him for a
  lifetime.

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The need . . .
Let me challenge all of you to help mobilize
global science and technology to tackle the
interlocking crises of hunger, disease,
environmental degradation and conflict that are
holding back the developing world. Kofi Annan,
2002
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The need . . .

• We need to encourage international commitments
  to promote the kind of engineering and technology
  that contributes to lasting development around
  the world.
• Koichiro Matsuura, 2000

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Capacity Building Definition

• Capacity building is a dedication to the
  strengthening of economies, governments,
  institutions and individuals through education,
  training, mentoring, and the infusion of
  resources. Capacity building aims at developing
  secure, stable, and sustainable structures,
  systems and organizations, with a particular
  emphasis on using motivation and inspiration for
  people to improve their lives.

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What outcomes are desired?

• A solid base of technologically prepared people
  in developing countries
• to attract investments by multinational companies
• to assist in making the most of foreign aid funds
• to provide a basis for business development by
  local entrepreneurs

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Two complementary approaches

• UNESCO Engineering for a Better World proposal,
  to enhance engineering programs within that
  organization
• WFEO Committee on Capacity Building, to provide
  an action oriented program for forward motion

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UNESCO Plans for Capacity Building 2003

• Stimulated by US rejoining of UNESCO after 18
  year absence Engineering for a Better World
  program proposed
• Vision is to promote human and institutional
  capacity building in developing countries, for
  poverty reduction and sustainable economic and
  social development

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WFEO Standing Committee on Capacity Building

• Established in October 2003 at the World
  Federation of Engineering Organizations General
  Assembly in Tunis, based on a proposal from the
  United States
• Hosted by the American Association of
  Engineering Societies in Washington DC
• Chaired by Russel C. Jones
• To complement UNESCO Engineering for a Better
  World in-house effort

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Activities for WFEO Committee

• Make expertise of professional and technical
  societies in developed world available to
  engineers in the developing world publications,
  conferences, codes of practice, and ethics
• Deliver needed information to engineers and
  engineering educators in developing countries via
  distance learning technologies
• Strengthen engineering education in developing
  countries via sharing of best practices in
  curricular reform and in engineering practice
• more

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more WFEO activities

• Provide an information resource for the
  engineering education needs of developing
  countries teaching and learning materials, lab
  equipment, software, etc.
• Address pipeline and diversity issues in
  providing the needed quality and quantity of
  engineers
• Promote collaboration between institutions in
  developing and developed worlds
• Promulgate quality assurance standards
• Facilitate volunteer efforts by engineers

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Current Projects for WFEO CCB

• Engineer of the Americas
• African initiative 6 countries
• Virtual exhibit, e-conferences
• Entrepreneurial conference
• Black Sea University Network workshop
• Gender issues
• South-south interactions
• Engineers without borders
• UNESCO/WFEO Expert Cponference

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What outcomes are desired?

• A solid base of technologically prepared people
  in developing countries
• to attract investments by multinational companies
• to assist in making the most of foreign aid funds
• to provide a basis for business development by
  local entrepreneurs

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Contact information

• Russel C. Jones
• President, WFEO Standing Committee on Capacity
  Building
• RCJonesPE_at_aol.com