New Danida Capacity Development Policy
27-08-14
Get used to the term Danida Capacity Development Support Programme and its acronym DCDSP. That is the new broader framework under which the Danida Fellowship Centre’s (DFC’s) courses and studies programmes will be operating in the future.
In May 2014, a new policy was agreed naming the programme ‘Danida Capacity Development Support Programme’ for the first time.
The new policy paper stresses the influence of DFC: “The Programme will build on the many years of experience of the Danida Fellowship Programme, and its highly valued, high quality training offers in Denmark and abroad.”
Although, many elements of the DCDSP will be similar to those of the Danida Fellowship Programme, the DCDSP will aim at providing a broader spectrum of capacity development support initiatives, including training, but also involving other learning approaches.
Promotion of priorities and four principles
The mandate of the DCDSP is to offer capacity development support for the promotion of the Danish strategic priorities for development cooperation as well as promoting the principles of participation, accountability, non-discrimination and transparency.
In order to provide a broader spectrum of capacity development support initiatives and secure a better integration of DCDSP activities in the Global South partners’ own capacity development plans and in thematic programmes of Danida, the identification of the role of the DCDSP must be determined early on in the appraisal and programming phases of the Danish support.
The Policy outlines the guiding principles for the DCDSP and clarifies the roles the various stakeholders have in the implementation of the programme.
Focus on organisational and institutional learning
The purpose of the DCDSP is to contribute to enhanced organisational performance and long-term organisational capacity development processes for development partners in the South. The DCDSP shall focus on providing organisational and institutional learning.
The finance bill has specially earmarked funds for capacity development support of Danida partners in the Global South within the strategic Danida priority areas through the DCDSP. These earmarked funds are additional to what is funded through bilateral programmes and other development programmes.
An integrated part of daily management
Capacity development must be an integrated part of the daily management within partner institutions. DCDSP only supports initiatives that are a supplement to partners’ own investment in capacity development, and the identification of a DCDSP funded activity shall to the extent possible be integrated into the formulation and design phases of new country programmes in Danida priority countries.
The DCDSP is a potential instrument in any capacity development process at partner level in development programmes funded by Danida.
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Background
In 2012, an evaluation of the Danida Fellowship Programme (DFP) was carried out by an independent evaluation team.
The evaluation recommended that Danida should have a proper policy for this programme.
The policy will be in force until the end of 2020 with a review in 2017.
The new policy is available on AMG: