CALL FOR APPLICATION

Professional Course on Policy Research Methodology & Policy Analysis

October 24-26, 2012 at the WACSI Secretariat in Accra-Ghana

Civil society organisations (CSOs) across West Africa are increasingly influencing national policies. These attempts to re-direct policies through policy research and advocacy are one of the difficult challenges that bedevil the sector. In order to identify, analyse, effectively communicate these existing policy gaps and proffer solutions to policy makers, stakeholders and governments, the onus lie on CSOs to conduct evidence-based research that is responsive to the challenges they encounter in conducting policy research.

As a commitment and intervention mechanism to provide a lasting solution to the policy gaps through policy research and analysis, the West Africa Civil Society Institute has specially designed a three-day course in Policy Research Methodology and Policy Analysis for CSOs to equip their staff with the requisite skills and techniques to critically examine policies and make recommendations that can engender the desired development for their constituencies and target groups. This course will equip participants with requisite skills needed to clearly define a policy research problem; understand exploratory research design (qualitative and quantitative research); and, formulate and disseminate research reports to relevant stakeholders.

Benefits: This course will enhance the participants’ skills in policy research and policy analysis, research report writing and data collection techniques. Participants will learn how to adopt the appropriate methodology and apply the right techniques to enhance their research work.

What to Expect: The Course will enable participants to:

§  Clearly define the policy research problem;

§  Better understand policy research techniques: - qualitative and quantitative;

§  Key techniques to formulate and present a comprehensive research report; and

§  Effectively communicate research outcomes to stakeholders;

How to apply?

Kindly complete, sign and submit the attached application form by email to Bela Emile () or Harrison Owusu () or , on or before October 1, 2012.

Alternatively, you can apply online through the link: http://www.wacsi.org/en/site/programmes/177/Policy-Research-Methodology-and-Policy-Analysis.htm before the course application deadline.

Application Deadline: Monday, October 1, 2012

Contribution Fees: $300.00 (Three hundred U.S. Dollars) only is to be paid by Friday, 5th October, 2012 to be eligible to participate in this course.

Participants are encouraged to apply early in order to benefit from a 10% discount on the course contribution fee, i.e. on / or before Monday October 1, 2012.

Also, two (2) or more participants from the same organisation will attract a $50 (Fifty Dollar) discount per participant if contribution fee is paid on or before Friday October 5th, 2012.