[ICANN Academy WG] Draft outline for a Pilot Leadership Training Programme in Toronto

[William Drake]

Well, I'll split the difference and say I share Avri's concerns but congratulate you anyway for the hard work.

Now as to the concerns: There are lots of ways to do capacity building, but crudely put there's a clear bifurcation between training people on how xyz is done and training people to be able to not only do it, but think about what it means, the costs/benefits, whether it could be done better, how it relates to their own interests, etc.  By even cruder analogy, at home in Geneva the WTO trains developing country delegates on how to implement market opening agreements by devising complex national schedules of commitments.  In contrast, UNCTAD (where my wife works) trains the same people not only on scheduling commitments, but how to critically assess WTO policies and procedures, identify when and where these may or may not match their interests, how to think strategically about maneuvering in the space to advance their objectives more effectively, etc.  In short, one build a narrowly defined skill set, the other empowers people to be able to function in the space knowing what's really going on.

Both dimensions are really important, but one doesn't sense the presence of the latter in the configuration below.

Personally, if I was in the indicated target group of participants, I can't imagine choosing to blow off NCUC's Friday workshop or the Saturday GNSO Council meeting in order to watch staff run through power points on the respective PDP processes followed by AC chairs on what they're into etc.  And an overview of ICANN meetings and between meetings for people who've already been through multiple meetings….?

The sort of curriculum the WG developed prior would have been a lot more enticing.  

Is there any way to blend the different visions into a new and more provocative synthesis?

Bill

On Aug 23, 2012, at 10:23 AM, Avri Doria wrote:

> 
> On 22 Aug 2012, at 15:22, sandra hoferichter wrote:
> 
>> 
>> We are aware, that the discussion in the expanded WG is just about to start and this outline will not cover all the needs and ideas, however this pilot project should be see as a first step to build on an inclusive capacity building programme within ICANN. The WG is should review the pilot project critically and develop strategies and recommendations for future projects. To get a feedback from the participants this WG is asked to develop a survey, to be filled in by every participant in this programme.
>> 
> 
> I cannot see this plan as the pilot for any sort of education.  To me it seems like the normal indoctrination given by ICANN: 
> 
> " 
>  everything is good ICANN, 
>  we have no challenges at ICANN, and 
>  there isn't an outside world ICANN needs to concern itself with
> "
> 
> I am afraid that I cannot congratulate you on this plan.  
> 
> I understand that this program is the ICANN program and as such, it was it is. 
> But please lets not consider it any sort of pilot for a volunteer designed educational program.
> 
> avri
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