The main objectives of the event were to:
One outcome of this Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair was to explore ways to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the UN development system in the area of Policy Advice vs. Implementation: how to find the right positioning for UN development activities at the country level?.
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This Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair showcased concrete case studies of joint field initiatives that were selected through a "Call for Papers" (see below) to focus on lessons learned, challenges and knowledge sharing strategies. Different interactive session formats with a focus on inter-Agency experiences and lessons learned were used as methodologies during the event. They were inspired by previous “share fairs” and independent initiatives (knowledge cafés, communities of practices, the One Knowledge Initiative, etc.) that have aimed at improving organizational learning and increasing the UN system’s efficiency and effectiveness. Participants were encouraged to explore different face-to-face methods and virtual knowledge sharing tools, and present innovative solutions that encourage effective collaboration and networking. In particular, the inter-Agency knowledge on "Policy Advice vs. Implementation" used the following methodologies: - Speed-networking is a large group method to quickly introduce participants to each other and get people that have never met to become more comfortable with one another at the beginning of a meeting. Participants had 6 minutes to seat with someone they didn’t know and introduce themselves and their work, before the facilitator would ring a bell and they would all move to seat with a new partner. This format was repeated for around 30 minutes, which allowed participants to meet the other country teams and break the ice. - Exhibition stands were set up by each project team to inform the other participants about the selected initiatives showcased. - Marketplace and Fund Raising Exercise: Participants wandered around the project booths to learn informally about each project. The teams were instructed to "sell" their projects by explaining what was innovative or interesting about it and why other teams would want to know more. Participants had each been given 300 "UN Francs" and asked to bid on the projects that they wanted to discuss more in depth. The 6 projects with the most "money" were selected to be discussed during the "Knowledge Mela". The remaining 10 projects were divided into two groups and were discussed during two Knowledge Cafes. - The Knowledge Mela is an opportunity to showcase selected case studies of joint field initiatives around topics of interest to the community of participants. It is designed to emphasize interaction and knowledge-sharing between presenters and participants. Members learn about the work of the presenters and the presenters gain insights from the participants. The Mela consists of three sessions:
- A Knowledge Café is a whole group interaction method focused on conversations. A Café Conversation is a creative process for leading collaborative dialogue, sharing knowledge and creating possibilities for action in groups of all sizes. The environment is set up like a café, with paper-covered tables. Participants are divided into 5 groups and each group seat with a project team for a 20-minute discussion about one or more questions that were meaningful to them. At the end of each round, the presenting project teams remain at each table while the five groups rotate. The project teams welcome the newcomers and share the essence of that table's conversation so far. The newcomers relate any conversational threads they are carrying and then the conversation continues, deepening as the round progresses. This was repeated until everyone had had a chance to discuss each project.
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The event was open to UN staff from Headquarters, regional and country offices, as well as to relevant representatives from governments, civil society and academia. Participants brought their perspectives and practical experiences in inter-Agency work. Interested participants were invited to complete a Call for Papers form and submit their proposal describing a concrete joint field initiative by 13 August 2010 to Fleur Vernat, copying Francesco Galtieri. This form guided proposals to focus on the main challenges and lessons learned, as well as the knowledge sharing strategies that could have been adopted. Priority was given to joint activities already completed; however ongoing initiatives were also welcome. Should interested participants have more than one project to contribute, sections 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the form could be duplicated and completed for each project. Papers were evaluated by an inter-Agency panel with the following criteria in-mind:
The fair was held in English; however if participants wanted to submit their proposal in another UN language, the forms could be completed in their language but the abstract had to be completed in English. Authors of the selected papers were invited to participate in the Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair to present their case studies. Participants that couldn't travel to Vienna were invited to share their experiences and lessons learned via audio/video support. UNDOCO covered for the costs related to travel and daily allowance expenses for participants from country offices, with a maximum of four people per country team. For additional information and updates on the Inter-agency Knowledge Fair, please contact Fleur Vernat.
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Call for Papers, Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair on Policy Advice vs. Implementation: how to find the right positioning for UN development activities at the country level?
Vienna, 28-30 September 2010
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Frequently Asked Questions - Inter-agency Knowledge Fair, Vienna
August 2010
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Agenda: Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair on Policy Advice vs. Implementation
28 September 2010
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Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair on Policy Advice vs. Implementation (Vienna, 28-30 September 2010) - List of Participants
September 2010
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16 proposals were selected to be presented during the fair, out of the 59 proposals that were submitted from across the UN system. |
Final Recommendations - Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair (Vienna)
2010
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Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair, Vienna, Survey Results
September 2010
Online Satisfaction Survey
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“I have just arrived home from Vienna with lot of impressions, lessons learned and new experiences. I thank you for the preparation of this conference and facilitation during KF. In overall I think you did a really great job and lot of things that were shared during meeting I found very useful.” (Croatia) |