Course syllabus
Kapacitetsutveckling
Capacity Development
VBRN35, 7,5 credits, A (Second Cycle)
Valid for: 2014/15
Decided by: Education Board C
Date of Decision: 2014-04-15
General Information
Main field: Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation.
Elective for: BI4, RH4
Language of instruction: The course will be given in English
Aim
- Provide the students with knowledge and skills to design and
review projects for the development of other stakeholders’
capacity at individual, organisational and institutional level for
disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.
- Provide a foundation for students interested in the links
between research in capacity development and disaster risk
management and climate change adaptation.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must
- demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concept of
capacity and what constitutes capacity development for disaster
risk management and climate change adaptation.
- demonstrate understanding of key elements for capacity
development to promote societal and community resilience.
Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must
- demonstrate the ability to assess capacity development needs
and the requirements for good practise in designing and evaluating
capacity development projects with considerations to human
conditions and needs and to societal goals for economical, social
and ecological sustainable development.
- demonstrate the ability to integrate knowledge critically and
systematically as well as the ability to design and evaluate
capacity development projects even with limited information.
- demonstrate the ability to present and discuss his or her
conclusions and the knowledge and arguments on which they are based
in speech and writing to different audiences in both national and
international contexts.
- demonstrate the ability to work constructively in a team and
communicate effectively with people from various disciplines.
Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must
- demonstrate the ability to reflect upon ones approach to and
role in capacity development as well as insight into the
possibilities and limitations of technology, its role in society
and the responsibility of the individual for how it is used.
- demonstrate the ability to reflect on scientific, societal and
ethical issues concerning capacity development for disaster risk
management and climate change adaptation.
Contents
- Capacity development has been identified as the tool and
process to substantially reduce disaster losses and creating
sustainable development. Capacity development is defined as the
process through which individuals, organizations and societies
obtain, strengthen and maintain the capabilities to set and achieve
their own development objectives over time.
- Through lectures, literature seminars and exercises the course
discusses different theoretical approaches and challenges to
capacity development, different models how to analyse and assess
capacity at various levels, and how to design and evaluate capacity
development projects for disaster risk management and climate
change adaptation i.e. project management. The course is to a large
extent based on different case studies and real capacity
development projects mainly from an international context, but the
approaches to capacity development are also applicable in a
national or local context working for governmental agencies,
municipalities, consultancy firms, fire & rescue services and
international humanitarian and development organisations.
Examination details
Grading scale: TH
Assessment: Written individual course paper and approved group project. The group project shall be reported both orally and in writing.
Parts
Code: 0113. Name: Capacity Development.
Credits: 7,5. Grading scale: TH. Assessment: Individual Paper
Code: 0213. Name: Group Assignment.
Credits: 0. Grading scale: UG.
Admission
Admission requirements:
- 120 credits from an internationally recognized university
The number of participants is limited to: 40
Selection: Credits remaining for the degree.
The course might be cancelled: If the number of applicants is less than 16.
Reading list
- Becker, P.: Sustainability Science: Analyzing and Managing Risk and Resilience for Sustainable Development. Amsterdam: Elsevier., 2013.
- Becker, P. & Abrahamsson, M.: Designing capacity development for disaster risk management: A logical framework approach. Karlstad and Stockholm: MSB., 2012.
- Bolger, J.: Why what and how of capacity development. 2000, Capacity Development Occasional Series, 1(1), 1-8.
- CADRI: Basics of capacity development for disaster risk reduction. Geneva: Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative., 2011.
- OECD/DAC: The challenge of capacity development - working towards good practice. OECD/Development Assistance Committee, 2006.
- Hagelsteen, M., & Becker, P. : Forwarding a challenging task: Seven elements for capacity development for disaster risk reduction. GRF Davos, 2014.
- OECD: Paris declaration on aid effectiveness: Ownership, harmonisation, alignment, results and mutual accountability. Paris: OECD, 2005.
- Örtengren, K.: Logical framework approach - a summary of the theory behind the LFA method. Stockholm: Sida., 2003.
- Schulz, K., Gustafsson, I., & Illes, E.: Manual for capacity development. Stockholm: Sida., 2005,.
- Baaz, M. E: The paternalism of partnership: A postcolonial reading of identity in development aid. Zed Books, 2005.
- Bakewell, O. & Garbutt, A.: The use and abuse of the logical framework approach. Sida, 2005.
- Davies, R: Scale, complexity and the representation of theories of change. 2004.
- DFID: How to note on capacity building in research. DFID, 2010.
- Eyben, R., Kidder, T., Rowlands, J. & Bronstein, A: Thinking about change for development practice: A case study from Oxfam GB. Oxford, 2008.
- Gasper, D: Evaluating the logical framework approach - towards learing - oriented development evaluation. 2000.
- Green, D: What does a theory of change look like?. Oxford, 2011.
- Hagelsteen, M & Becker, P: Forwarding a challenging task: Seven elements for capacity development for disaster risk reduction. Elsevier, 2013.
- Lowery, C & Iao-Jörgensen, J: Report of West Africa disaster management capacity building project final report 2008-2011. MSB, IFRC and SRC, 2011.
- UNISDR: Hyogo framework for action 2005-2015: Building the sesilience of nations and communities to disasters. UN, 2005.
- Watson, D: Combining the best of two worlds in monitoring and evaluation of capacity development. Earthscan, 2010.
Contact and other information
Course coordinator: Magnus Hagelsten, magnus.hagelsten@risk.lth.se
Further information: Active participation in group work is mandatory. Each group member must be able to present and answer for the contents of the joint report. Members who do not meet the demands of active participation by the others, or disregard their obligations, can be replaced or failed by the examiner.