A course that will equip you with knowledge and skills for assessing, engaging and convening multi-stakeholder partnerships and initiatives.
Overview
Designed and delivered in partnership with the Consensus Building Institute (CBI) – a not-for-profit organization founded in 1993 by leading practitioners and theory builders in the fields of negotiation and dispute resolution and affiliated with Harvard and MIT – this course provides an in-depth overview of strategies for assessing, designing and convening multi-stakeholder partnerships and initiatives. Through real case studies and realistic simulations, participants will deepen their skills in:
- Framing sustainable development goals (SDGs and others) in ways that motivate constructive stakeholder engagement.
- Identifying and assessing key stakeholders on sustainable development issues, and understanding how to leverage areas of potential agreement and address possible conflicts.
- Joint fact finding and analysis to resolve disputed facts and projections, clarify interactions among economic, environmental and social drivers, and model the possible economic, social and environmental impacts of proposed policies and actions.
- Interest-based negotiation and mediation to resolve conflicting interests.
- Dialogue, trust and relationship building strategies to address underlying conflicts in values, identities and historical legacies.
Participants will also apply frameworks and tools directly to their own current and ongoing challenges, with faculty and peer feedback. On-demand post-programme coaching and advising services may also be made available.
Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will:
- Understand sustainable development as an ongoing process of negotiation, consensus building and partnership building among stakeholders with diverse economic, environmental and social interests and values.
- Have examined the SDGs as an unprecedented opportunity and challenge for consensus building and partnership.
- Have an understanding of principles, strategies and tools for goal framing and stakeholder assessment through interactive cases, role plays and exercises.
- Have practiced applying stakeholder assessment and engagement strategies to their own ongoing work.
- Have an understanding of and practiced principles for mutual gains negotiation and their application to sustainable development issues.
- Be aware of opportunities for continuing their learning and peer exchange on stakeholder engagement and consensus building for sustainable development, as part of a community of practice supported by UNSSC and CBI.
Methodology
The training programme will offer a mix of knowledge and skills for assessing, designing and convening multi-stakeholder partnerships and initiatives. The course will adopt a blended format of instructional sessions, experience sharing and peer-to-peer learning.
Contents
- Day 1: Sustainable Development as partnership building; Framing sustainable development goals and stakeholder assessment
- Day 2: Developing stakeholder engagement strategy; Mutual Gains negotiation
- Day 3: Complex Sustainable Development negotiations and partnership approaches
Target Audience
For UN participants: Senior UN regional, country and program managers (P5 and above) who are working directly with diverse stakeholder on challenging national and regional sustainable development issues. Other staff may be accepted depending on their functional responsibility.
For Non-UN participants: Senior professionals who are working directly on challenging national and regional sustainable development issues.
Cost of Participation
The course fee is 3500 USD. The course fee covers the following:
- Three days of training with a balance of presentations and group work on case studies and exercises.
- Exclusive access to our online learning platform with training and supporting background materials, and the opportunity to stay connected with colleagues.
- All course materials, resources and contacts.
Participants are expected to cover all travel costs related to their attendance in the course. Accommodation in a hotel in town will be booked in advance by the UNSSC; however, the accommodation costs will be borne by the participants.
Certificates of Attendance from the UN System Staff College and CBI will be awarded to participants who complete the course.
Registration
To register, please go to http://bit.ly/SECB2017-1. Deadline for registration is 14 March 2017. For questions, please email sustainable-development@unssc.org.
Source: Notification UNSSC, 13.02.2017