The Bangkok SURF

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SURF services in Asia-Pacific http//surf.undp.
or.th http//www.undp.org/surf-kathmandu Sub-Regi
onal Resource Facility of UNDP - the UNs Global
Development Network
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Presentation Agenda - Background, mission and
guiding principles - Major Services - Who we
are at the Bangkok and Kathmandu SURFs -
Services Rendered To Date, including
Philippines - Towards a new phase of the SURF
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Background

• SURFs began as regional programme in Asia Pacific
  in 1996
• Incorporated in restructured Bureau of
  Development Policy in 2001. Anchored in UNDP
  Business Plan (e.g. policy advisory organisation,
  moving policy and process closer to COs, building
  in-house knowledge capacity).
• SURF a key part of UNDP as the UNs global
  development network linking expertise of
  research/policy development institutions,
  academia and civil society organizations in Asia
• Demand-based service provider to UNDP COs in
  Asia-Pacific through Bangkok and Kathmandu SURFs,
  with some outposted policy advisors also in
  Beijing, Suva and New Delhi
• BK and Kath are 2 of 9 SURFs globally covering
  Arab States, Europe and CIS States, Latin
  America, Asia-Pacific and Africa

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Background (cont)

• Discussions underway now regarding new phase of
  development, which involves streamlined
  management of regional programmes and SURFs and
  strengthening regional services generally.
• Subject to RBAP and BDP, and SMT decision.
• (more on this at end of presentation)

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Mission and Guiding Principles

• To provide timely, flexible, demand-driven and
  high quality knowledge services to UNDP Country
  Offices, thereby strengthening UNDP's position as
  a trusted and leading partner of programme
  countries in overcoming their development
  challenges
• To support and strengthen the concepts of
  Practices, Knowledge Management and
  Organizational Learning through the enhancement
  of staff capacities in UNDP COs

• Major services
• Policy advisory support
• Regional practices development
• Mutual Support and Networking
• Comparative Experience Research Knowledge
  mapping
• Expert Referrals

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• Policy Advisory services 10 plus substantive
  areas, 60/30/10
• Environmental Governance/Natural Resources
  Management
• Energy
• Poverty Reduction, including Trade and
  Investment, Gender
• Public Administration Reform
• Rule of Law/Justice
• Macro Economic Reform (works out of Beijing)
• Decentralisation and Local Governance
• HIV/AIDS
• Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban
  Environment
• Small Island Developing States (works out of
  Suva, Fiji)
• Co-location of BCPRs disaster risk mgt advisor
  in BK
• GEF works out of Kuala Lumpur

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• Regional Practices
• Access to Justice (A2J)
• Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
• The Equator Initiative (http//www.undp.org/equato
  rinitiative/)
• Energy Cross-Practice Linkages
• Comparative experience research knowledge
  mapping
• Identify, document and share examples of relevant
  development practices in various Country Offices
  and from around the world, including through
  subregional/thematic knowledge maps

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• Expert Referrals
• Connect COs to 2500 quality assured
  professionals and 1500 screened institutions as
  possible development partners
• Mutual Support Networking
• Map competencies at CO level
• Broker learning exchanges between CO
• Help build communities of practices
• Support Practice Implementation
• Promote south-south cooperation
• Connect people, institutions and networks with
  appropriate learning opportunities

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Things to keep in mind

• Majority of services are free, or subsidized
• Please plan ahead for SURF mission (e.g. ToRs)
• Keep possible future SURF services in mind when
  designing projects/budgets
• Keep us in the loop

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• Nationalities
• Argentinean 1
• American 2
• Australian 2
• Belgian 1
• Canadian 2
• Chinese 1
• Danish 1
• Estonian 1
• French 1
• Japanese 1
• Malaysian 2
• Filipino 1
• Portuguese 1
• Sri Lankan 1
• Swedish 1
• Thai 5

Bangkok Staff Profile

• Age Range
• Under 30 3
• 30 gt 40 14
• gt 40 7
• Average age 37.7

• Function
• Management 2
• Advisory 11
• Advisory Support 4
• Administrative 7

• Gender
• Male 12
• Female 12

• Location
• Bangkok 16 Kuala Lumpur 5
• Beijing 2 Fiji 1

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• Nationalities
• Austrian 2
• Danish 1
• German 1
• Indian 2
• Luxembourg 1
• Nepalese 9
• Turkish 1

Kathmandu Staff Profile

• Age Range
• Under 30 8
• 30 gt 40 6
• gt 40 3

• Function
• Management 2
• Advisory 6
• Advisory Support 6
• Administrative 3

• Gender
• Male 7
• Female 10

• Location
• Kathmandu 17

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Services from Bangkok in 2001-3 (Kath.
separate) (To 16 Pacific/S.E. Asia/N.E. Asia COs)

• Policy Advisory Team
• Over 400 mission covering all Practices

• Comparative Experience Research
• Over 100 substantive research papers prepared

• Expert Referrals
• - Over 2000 expert referrals processed

• Regional Practices
• Established Access to Justice / Small Islands
  Developing States / Energy Cross-
• Linkages / Equator Initiative Regional Practices

• Mutual Support and Networking
• All 16 COs competencies mapped
• Brokered over 10 learning exchanges between COs
• Established 5 Regional Communities of Practices
• Made over 3000 connections between people,
  institutions and networks

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• Towards a new phase of the SURFs and Regional
  Progs in Asia-Pacific (and globally)
• streamlining management of SURFs and regional
  programmes
• strengthening regional services generally

• Principles
• Ensure policy coherence and practice development
• Capitalize on potential synergies between
  regional programmes and SURF policy advice and KM
• Client orientation, CO ownership
• Regional service, expandable and inclusive
• During change process, ensure continuity
  quality services

subject to Bureaux and SMT final decisions
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• A new phase in Asia-Pacific (cont)
• streamlining management of SURFs and regional
  programmes
• strengthening regional services generally

• Practicalities
• Thematic concentrations in Bangkok centre and
  Kathmandu centre (both cover entire region,
  including Pacific sub region)
• Pacific sub-centre concentrates on cross sectoral
  support
• Policy Advisors and Reg prog staff collaborate
  through practice teams, with advisory panels to
  support
• Management board of RRs, gov reps and others
  co-chaired by Bureaux directors. Provides
  guidance and feedback on performance.

subject to Bureaux and SMT final decisions
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Thank You