The Central European University is happy to announce a course on "SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT—REGIONAL CHALLENGES AND RESPONSES", in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and in cooperation with the Regional Environmental Center (REC)



Course directors: Alexios Antypas, Central European University (CEU), Environmental Science and Policy, Hungary; and Andrey Ivanov, Human Development Advisor, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Centre, Slovakia


Course Faculty: Jonathan Brooks, Practice Leader for Poverty Reduction at the UNDP Regional Centre for Europe and the CIS;

Jacek Cukrowski, Millennium Development Goals Advisor, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia; Dan Dionisie, Anti-corruption Policy Specialist, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia; Dafina Gercheva, Capacity Development Advisor and Regional Coordinator of the Capacity 2015 Programme, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia; Christian Hainzl, Programme Manager and Chief Technical Adviser Rights Based Municipal Development Programme (RMAP), UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina; Jakob Hurrle, Executive Director of the Multicultural Center Prague (a Czech NGO specializing on intercultural relations and the issue of migration); Jaroslav Kling, Project manager, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia; Vladimir Mikhalev, Policy advisor on pro-poor economic policy reform and its links to poverty alleviation and social policies, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia; Susanne Milcher, Specialist, Poverty and Economic Development, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia

Geoff Prewitt, Poverty Reduction and Civil Society Advisor, UND Regional Centre; Mihail Peleah, Research Assitant, Poverty and Economic Development, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia; Michal Sedlacko, PhD, a consultant for the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic in the area of strategic programming of EU Structural Funds; Daniel Skobla, Country Support Team Poverty and Social Inclusion Officer, UNDP Regional Centre, Slovakia; Ben Slay, Director of the UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre, Slovakia;

Stephen Stec, Director of the International Law Program, Regional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern Europe (REC); Tamara Steger, Programs Director of CEU Centre for Environmental Policy and Law; Gina Volynsky, Trade and Economic Development Policy Advisor UNDP Regional Centre, Bratislava


In 2008 the main purpose of the course will be to increase participants’ awareness of HD and MDGs and their policy relevance in respective countries. It will consist of two modules – on-line self-learning module in April and in-residence course at CEU in July. The self-learning module intended to familiarize the participants with the major theoretical approaches in the area of sustainable human development. The in-residence module will build on the initial knowledge the participants are expected to have gained from Module 1, will extend it through additional lectures and will bridge it with practical dimensions using the experience of practitioners from the region.

Ideally each day of the in-residence course will be devoted to one topic and will be structured in dual pattern – one part devoted to theoretical aspects of the topic and the second addressing practical dimensions and experience (how theory translates or does not translate into policy practice). Part of the time of the in-residence course will be devoted to developing individual projects related to the topics discusses. The participants will be asked to identify their preferences in advance, during Module 1. After the completion of Module 2 they are supposed to present the results of their individual work.


The selection of participants for the in-residence course will be made on the basis of the results of the test participants will pass after completing Module 1.

COURSE CONTENT

Module 1 – distance learning on-line course addressing theoretical basics of the topics to be addressed in Module 2.


Module 2 - In-residence course at CEU, July 2008

Day 1: Sustainable human development concepts. Relations between “human development” and “sustainable development. Translation of both concepts into policy practice and different development policy agendas. Introduction to the Millennium Development Goals.

Day 2: Major pillars of sustainable human development. Sectoral dimensions – environment, education and health, gender, participation and governance, human rights. Examples of policies targeted into individual areas of SHD.

Day 3: Measuring human development. Indicators for Sustainable Development and Human Development – overlaps and complementarities, reliability, problems in computation, interpretation. Other related indicators. Practical experience in individual countries attempts to bring measurements closer to reality, addressing the data gaps.

Day 4: Economic and social aspects of sustainable human development. Development economics theories’ evolution and links to SHD. Economic transition versus economic development in the region. Specific aspects of development in transitional context. Poverty and its challenges in the region – trends and specific experience. The role of private sector for promoting sustainable human development.

Day 4: Human rights, participation and governance and sustainable human development. Civil society for promoting sustainable human development in the context of transition. The roles of CSO and the state. Social enterprises in the context of transition. Rights-based approach and human development. Examples from the region.

Day 5: Human development and social inclusion. Gender and human development. Spatial aspects of human development and human poverty. Vulnerability, vulnerable groups at risk and ways of reaching them.

Day 6: Human development and regional development strategies. Regional integration trends in Central Asia, Caucasus, Western CIS. Trade and human development.

Day 7: Field trip to a project site on sustainable development in regional context.

Day 8: Mainstreaming HD and MDGs into national development agendas. Country-level Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). Translating national MDG targets into regional/local level priorities: MDGs and regional/local development planning.

Day 9: Decentralization, services delivery and attainment of MDGs. The role of local-level stake-holders in the process of localizing MDGs. Fiscal decentralization, local level budgeting, sustainability of development process at local level. Public administration reform: what needs to be done in terms of capacities to achieve MDGs. Political change and policy sustainability – institutional perspective.

Day 10: Reflection back and presentation of individual project results. Next steps.

ELIGIBILITY

Target Group


The program encourages applications from mid-level civil servants/decision makers and graduate students, junior faculty and researchers from Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia as well as interested academics or practitioners from other regions. Undergraduates without a university degree will not be considered.


Pre-requisites


• Previous academic or professional experience in the course areas.

• The language of instruction is English; thus all applicants have to demonstrate a strong command of spoken and written English to be able to participate actively in discussions at seminars and workshops. (In some instances shortlisted applicants may be contacted for a telephone interview.)

• Selection of participants for the in-residence course in Budapest will be made on the basis of the results of the test participants who have successfully completed the on-line self-learning Module 1. (See more details about the 2 Modules in the course description)


Application deadline: February 14, 2008.


For further information please visit www.sun.ceu.hu .