2007 HRDWG Annual Work Plan

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2007/HRDWG29/004

2007 HRDWG Annual Work Plan

Purpose: Consideration

Submitted by: HRD Lead Shepherd

14

HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT WORKING GROUP (HRDWG)

INTERIM 2007 WORKPLAN (To Be Revised After the APRIL HRDWG Meeting)

April 2007

I. Proposed Work Plan and Concrete Deliverables for 2007 in Response to Leaders/ Ministers/SOM Decisions and SCE Priorities.

This document sets out the 2007 work plan for the Human Resources Development Working Group (HRDWG) based on its strategic goals and objectives.

The (HRDWG) conducts projects on developing human resources, touching on issues ranging from education to labor/social safety net to capacity building. In addition, the HRDWG has responsibility for building cultural awareness and gender equity. The HRDWG conducts its work program through its three networks: the Capacity Building Network (CBN); the Education Network (EDNET); and the Labor and Social Safety Network (LSSN).

As part of 2006 APEC-wide reform, that included the consolidation of the CBN-SSN with LSPN into HRDWG, HRDWG has revised its Terms of Reference (ToR). In turn, the new HRDWG ToR revises the former goals and objectives for HRDWG by aligning them with APEC-wide goals established by the Steering Committee on ECOTECH (SCE). These new goals and objectives not only affect HRDWG but also its three Networks. The ToR clearly establishes strategic project operations for achieving the goals and objectives for the working group and the networks.

The 2007 HRDWG Work Plan proposes to support the key provisions in the new ToR, as well as direct taskings from the APEC Ministers, through the following activities:

APEC Ministers’ Taskings

Activity 1: Integrate SSN-CBN into the LSPN network, now re-named LSSN:

·  Ministers endorse the recommendation approved by SOM to integrate SSN-CBN into the LSPN Network at their 2006 meeting in Hanoi.

·  Lead Shepherd coordinates lines of communication between the LSPN and SSN-CBN chairs to make this happen at SOM I in Canberra.

·  Chairs of LSPN and SSN-CBN develop draft LSSN objectives and priorities for Network discussion at the 2007 HRDWG meeting in Brisbane.

·  Chairs of LSPN and SSN-CBN transition their responsibilities at the 2007 HRDWG by serving as co-chairs (the current LSPN and the current SSN-CBN chairs) in Australia (If Chair SSN-CBN is unable to attend, then time will be provided for discussion of his proposals for the new LSSN’s goals, objectives and priorities).

·  Chairs report on the agreed upon LSSN goals, objectives and priorities at the Australia meeting of SSN-CBN.

·  Chairs transmit the new goals, objectives, and priorities in the form of an LSSN ToR to the Lead Shepherd by September 2007.

·  Lead Shepherd transmits a report on the creation of the new LSSN to the SCE.

Activity 2: Develop a Strategic Plan for English and Other Languages in the APEC Region

·  APEC Ministers encourage HRDWG to continue to work on the initiative of “Developing a Strategic Plan for English and Other Language Learning in the APEC region” at their 2006 meeting in Hanoi.

·  EDNET again assumes responsibility for this activity at the EDNET meeting in Brisbane (STEPS FROM HERE ON DOWN ARE ONLY SUGGESTED AND NEED TO DEVELOPED BY EDNET)

·  EDNET Coordinator works with the Network at the Brisbane meeting to develop a plan of action for developing the strategic plan, building on the work done in Pattaya City in 2005 (see Appendix 1 to Pattaya City, Thailand-June 22-23, 2005 (21st Meeting)).

·  EDNET Coordinator presents the key elements for the Strategic Plan for English and Other Languages in time for presentation at the Chile-Chinese Taipei Symposium on developing standards for English and Other Languages in December 2007.

·  EDNET Coordinator receives feedback on the key elements of the strategic plan through the SCE in early 2008.

·  EDNET Coordinator submits final strategic plan at the APEC Ministers in Lima, Peru in 2008.

In Support of HRDWG ToR

Activity 3: Finalize HRDWG Terms of Reference (ToR)

·  Lead Shepherd circulates the final draft ToR to Network Coordinators and member economies the week prior to the HRDWG meeting in Brisbane.

·  Lead Shepherd briefs the Network Coordinators and the economy members on the final draft ToR at the HRDWG meeting.

·  Lead Shepherd requests Network Coordinators work with their Networks to develop network-specific goals, objectives, and priorities for insertion into the proposed HRDWG ToR.

·  Networks review and propose revisions to the ToR during the Network meetings in Brisbane

·  Lead Shepherd accepts motion to finalize the TOR by the closing session of the 2007 HRDWG meeting in Brisbane.

Activity 4: Implement the Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation (AME) Framework Incorporating HRDWG ToR Into Project Assessments and Evaluations

·  Lead Shepherd incorporates criteria to reflect the HRDWG ToR into the AME Framework criteria prior to the 2007 HRDWG meeting.

·  Lead Shepherd asks for volunteers from two developing and two developed economies to serve on the HRDWG AME Committee to provide an independent rating of 2008 project proposals, including self-funded projects, using the incorporated AME Assessment criteria (Network Coordinators may want to establish their own AME Committees).

·  The AME Committee completes the QAF for all 2007 proposed projects.

·  The Lead Shepherd makes sure that the member economies have available to them the AME Committee’s rating when HRDWG members rank the Network-approved proposals to send to the Budget and Management Committee for funding.

·  Project Overseerers of approved projects, both central and self-funded, respond to the project assessment and revise the project proposal before projects start.

·  Network Coordinators monitor ongoing projects and ensure that projects report their progress at Network meetings using the Monitoring Framework beginning at the 2008 HRDWG meeting.

·  The AME Committee evaluates projects completed by the close of the 2007 HRDWG Brisbane meeting.

Activity 5: Hold HRD Ministerials in Education and Labor in 2008 to help set the goals for the TOR

·  Secretariat and Lead Shepherd canvas members for their interest in hosting a 2008 Ministerial Meeting.

·  Member economy agrees to serve as the Ministerial host.

·  Host economies with the Network Coordinator responsible for Education or Labor establish a plan for developing content for Ministerial deliberations, including proposed goals.

·  Member economies volunteer to help in the development of the content and to lead goal areas.

·  Lead Shepherd works with Network Coordinators and host economies to ensure Ministerials are held by Spring 2008.

Activity 6: Make available the current and former body of knowledge of HRDWG projects.

·  Network Coordinators develop and validate a list of on-going and completed projects for their 2007 Network Meetings.

·  Network members review the list for accuracy and completeness at the Network meetings.

·  Network Coordinators appeal to Network members to provide digital or hard copies of project products past, present, and future (e.g., academic papers, PowerPoints, training manuals, websites, etc.) to upload into the new Network websites.

·  Network Coordinators provide the revised list to the Lead Shepherd and the Secretariat representative.

·  Lead Shepherd updates the project list and shares it with the Secretariat.

·  Network Coordinators, in consultation with Project Overseers, provide the Lead Shepherd with copies of project products as they become available.

NOTE: A list of current projects is found as Attachment 1. It is an interim 2007 list that will be revised after the April HRDWG meeting in Brisbane, Australia.

Activity 7: Enhance HRDWG ICT capabilities through AIMPS, HRDWG Web Site, and Wiki Electronic Collaboration.

·  Communicating with AIMPS. With the Secretariat’s creation of the AIMPs Collaboration System and Project Database, APEC leaders and economy members now have tools to communicate with one another.

n  Project Overseers are responsible for entering their proposed projects, project updates, and evaluations into the AIMP database prior to the 2007 HRDWG meeting in Brisbane.

n  Secretariat Staff provide training on the AIMPs System at the HRDWG meeting in Brisbane.

n  Network Coordinators, following the 2007 HRDWG meeting, ensure that their Network’s information is up-to-date and send reminders to Project Overseers if the information is dated.

n  The Secretariat, Lead Shepherd, and Network Coordinators communicate with their Network members via the AIMP database for collaboration henceforth.

·  Creation of HRDWG Portal, Network Websites, and Knowledge Banks. The advent of technology as a means for sharing information via an expanded HRDWG web presence is now viable. In 2006, APEC Ministers called for the expansion of the EDNET Knowledge Bank for all of HRDWG.

n  Lead Shepherd presents mock-ups of an HRD Portal and Network Websites at the HRDWG Meeting.

n  Network Coordinators, in consultation with their Network Members, write the content for entry into the website shell.

n  Network Coordinators lead a discussion with their members on the viability of creating Knowledge Bank for their Network’s topic areas.

n  Network Coordinators report to the Lead Shepherd at the HRDWG meeting on the outcome of their Knowledge Bank discussion and provide the Lead Shepherd with the content for their Network Website.

n  Lead Shepherd, in consultation with the Network Coordinators (or their designee) oversees the development of the Network Websites.

n  Lead Shepherd, based on the results of the Network discussions on the creation of three individual Knowledge Banks, is posed to take action on their development.

·  Building Knowledge via Wiki Electronic Collaboration. Technology now affords the opportunity for members to work together on projects and other activities to create and share knowledge. A WIKI is a form of decentralized, web-based collaboration that should work well within the collaborative APEC framework with a relatively small Secretariat and bottoms-up project operations. However, online collaboration will have to be carefully evaluated in terms of ensuring the appropriateness and quality of the web-based content developed through the WIKI process.

n  Lead Shepherd will form an HRDWG study group to evaluate the potential for using WIKI electronic collaboration approaches to strengthen economy and expert participation in HRDWG projects throughout the APEC region.

n  Economy members will volunteer to be members of this exploratory study group.

Activity 8: Publicize HRDWG products.

·  Project Overseers use the expanded HRDWG website presence in the three network areas to showcase their project products.

·  Lead Shepherd will work with Project Overseers to build relevant links to other websites;

·  Lead Shepherd’s Advisory Council will develop a communication and dissemination plan for projects and activities to include including model press releases and suggestions for presentations of HRDWG projects at professional meetings.

II. Anticipated Activities and/or Proposed Work Plan with outside organizations

The HRDWG will systemically canvas its projects to determine opportunities for external coordination with outside organizations. In 2006, the Vietnam meeting on APEC Symposium on Open Source and Open Course for E-Learning invited representatives from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to deliver a keynote address and other workshops. However, the HRDWG recognizes that its overall lack of coordination with outside organizations is limiting its effectiveness. The review to assess external organization coordination possibilities will cover:

§  International organizations, such as OECD, SEAMEO, and UNESCO, to take advantage of their collections of APEC HRDWG statistics and assess possibilities for joint work.

§  Nongovernmental organizations including foundations and the private sector for joint sponsorship of HRDWG projects.

§  Professional organizations in education, labor or business management to present HRDWG findings at their meetings.

III. Anticipated Activities and/or Proposed Work Plan to Coordinate Issues Across Fora

The HRDWG recognizes that Human Resources Development is a priority across many APEC Fora with potential benefits in project effectiveness and efficiency accruing from cross-fora cooperation. However, HRDWG projects are operated with little or no connection with other related Fora activities. The 2007 work plan proposes a project review to examine opportunities for across-Fora cooperation including with:

·  Gender Focal Point on gender issues affecting education, labor, and trade opportunities.

·  Industrial Science and Technology on math and science education.

·  SME on business management and trade activities particularly with CBN;

·  Former Cultural Focal Point Group in terms of incorporating its goals

·  With many fora as the Strategic Plan for English and Other Languages is developed.

IV. Expected Outcomes/Deliverables For 2007

Expected accomplishments derived from 2007 HRDWG work plan activities are:

Activity 1: Integrate SSN-CBN into the LSPN network, now re-named LSSN. New network called the Labor and Social Safety Net Network (LSSN) is formed combining former SSN-CBN LSPN of HRDWG by September 2007; this network is part of a streamlined new HRDWG Terms of Reference.

Activity 2: Develop a Strategic Plan for English and Other Languages in the APEC Region. EDNET identifies the key elements for the strategic plan for English and other languages for presentation at the Chile-Chinese Taipei Symposium on developing APEC standards for English and other languages.

Activity 3: Finalize HRDWG Terms of Reference (ToR). At least one project has significant involvement of an organization outside of APEC and at least one project has significant across-fora cooperation.

Activity 4: Implement the Assessment, Monitoring, and Evaluation (AME) Framework Incorporating HRDWG ToR Into the Project Assessment and Evaluations. At least one HRDWG project area is identified in which HRDWG projects have made a significant contribution to strengthening knowledge or skills in a HRDWG topic area.

Activity 5: Hold HRD Ministerials in Education and Labor to help set the goals for the TOR. Education and HRD Ministerials are finalized for Spring 2008 and analytic activities are underway to prepare rich content for Ministers as they decide on HRDWG priorities.

Activity 6: Make available the current and former body of knowledge of HRDWG projects. Past and present project products are available via the HRDWG Portal and the three Network websites no later than August 2007.

Activity 7: Enhance HRDWG ICT capabilities through AIMPS, HRDWG Web Site, and Wiki Electronic Collaboration. New HRDWG Portal is in place with access to a library of HRDWG project results and a target of a 50 percent increase in web site monthly hits. A managed WIKI pilot is evaluated to assess the feasibility and best practices for taking advantage of new WIKI methodology for expanding HRDWG project participation.