We have extensive experience in arranging short and long-term training programs in the U.S. and abroad. Our programs in the U.S. often include field visits, meetings with professional counterparts and cultural activities. Our extensive network of strategic partnerships and linkages with government agencies, academic institutions and international organizations ensure that programs are relevant to the needs of our participants and client organizations. The following list of projects illustrate our experience and capabilities as we have worked throughout the world. Italy Members of the Italian Agriculture Confederation participated in a Graduate School, USDA program to explore U.S. federal government agricultural biotechnology and hunger reduction strategies. Participants observed various agricultural production methods including organic, conventional, and biotechnical farming. Participants also discussed trade between the United States and Europe related to trade disputes concerning point of origin labeling. Germany The Graduate School, USDA implemented a program for the Directorate General for Internal Policy at the European Parliament to discuss: the U.S. Congressional decision making process, the role of think tanks, the media and academic institutions play in the development of U.S. foreign policy and Transatlantic relations-especially in the areas of terrorism and security (data privacy), and environment and transportation. The Netherlands Examining U.S. approaches to religious tolerance and integration of immigrants into society. This program focused on immigration and border security issues as well as human rights and civil liberties issues in the U.S. European Union This program was designed to facilitate understanding of the internal functioning of U.S. federal antitrust enforcement agencies while examining U.S. merger control laws and policies. Participants surveyed the contact between U.S. federal and state agencies related to competition enforcement and the role of the U.S. judicial system at the federal and state levels in trade competition issues. Romania The Graduate School, USDA arranged a two-week observational study tour for Romanian officials designed to strengthen Romanian law enforcement capabilities, and enhance regional cooperation in investigating and combating trans-border crime. The program focused on enforcement of regulations relating to cyber crime and money laundering; mechanisms used to prosecute cyber crime and money laundering cases; cooperation between law enforcement agencies and banks, credit card companies and Internet companies; and information on how e-fraud cases are handled, from complaint to prosecution. Participants represented the cyber crime prosecutor’s office attached to the Supreme Court, the Compliance Department of the Romanian Commercial Bank, and the Cyber Crime and Credit Card Frauds Unit, General Directorate for Countering Organized Crime and Illegal Drugs. Belarus To examine public and private sector roles in providing social safety nets in health care, social security, employment and labor, an intensive two-week exchange program was arranged between members of the Belarus Parliament and U.S. federal and state-level officials. Sister-city relationships between Minsk and Detroit focused on aspects of economic and public/private cooperation followed by exchanges in New York City. Bulgaria Under a program sponsored by USAID, the Graduate School worked with Bulgaria to enhance the sustainability of local government operations through institution of improved delivery of training and management of training services. The School provided a three-week observational study program for Bulgarian officials from universities, municipal associations, training centers and trainers from private training and consulting practices. Participants learned how organizations provide and fund their training activities, create revenue streams through member services and more closely tie their organizations' training to market changes and training trends. In addition, the program increased participants' under standing of the use of various training methods, marketing techniques and operation of municipal in-house training. Croatia By examining the legal frameworks of food safety policies in the United States, participants had the opportunity to build best practices in agricultural research and development and quality control. Additionally, participants observed the role consumer demand plays to influence federal and state food safety policies. Poland To strengthen procurement practices in Poland's Ministry of the Environment, the Graduate School, USDA provided a three-month program consisting of classroom training and workshops in Warsaw and study in the United States. The Graduate School helped participants draft new procurement legislation in support of system reforms. As a result of the program, a government procurement standards manual was produced for use by the Ministry and new procurement legislation in support of system reforms in Poland was enacted. Poland The Graduate School, USDA designed an individual observational study program for a representative from the Warsaw School of Economics. Training included an overview of the formulation and implementation of U.S. monetary policy and the impact such policies have on national, regional and local economies. Additionally the program provided a synopsis of how U.S. economic agencies, the private sector- including stock and derivative exchanges and commercial and investment banks- influence economic policy. Russia A three-week seminar, including classroom and observational meetings, on American banking and securities practices was designed for Moscow's Soyuznyy Bank officials. The seminar focused on financial reporting and audits; capital asset pricing models and valuation; investment opportunity schedules and cost of capital; project finance; and practices of investment banks and brokerage firms. On-site visits were made to facilitate dialogue and observation at investment banks and brokerages, the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Russia Advancing Russian efforts to enhance the elections process, the Graduate School designed developed and implemented ten sessions of a two-day program for 540 Russian government leaders and officials. A full range of support services was provided, including travel logistics for observational study tours in cities across the United States held in conjunction with local Councils of International Visitors and language translation. Russia A three-week study program was designed and implemented in the United States to enable Russian judges to study the U.S. judicial system and to exchange views with their U.S. counterparts. The program acquainted the trial judges from both countries with the structure, operation and administration of their respective judicial systems; examined their similarities and differences; allowed a dialogue to take place on mutual concerns and issues; examined education and training programs; and provided a forum to share judicial solutions to problems facing the two societies. Tajikistan This three week study program provided a five member delegation understanding of how American artists and craftspeople market their products and develop profitable business practices. Delegates met with individual artists and galleries that utilize Internet as a business tool and marketing resource. Participants learned how U.S. guilds and organizations help artists organize and effectively grow their businesses. Participants developed strategies to use vacation destinations to combine the promotion of handicrafts through tourism. Indonesia Training developed in support of Indonesia's efforts to comply with World Trade Organization sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards for export. Micronesia With ongoing assistance from the Asia Development Bank, the Graduate School is supporting Micronesia's financial management reform by assisting senior and mid-level public sector managers to install a performance-based budgeting structure, and develop supporting budget and performance measurement software. Training is provided for the use of automated budget systems, the integration of newly developed software into existing financial management systems, and creation of performance measures and output indicators. Legislative leaders also are instructed how to use performance-based budgeting tools. India Working with the Government of India, Ministry of Telecommunications, the Graduate School designed and delivered a customized, four-week training program to enhance effectiveness of the market privatization process and financial, accounting and human resource skills of officials. Classroom training focused on financial statement development, capital budgeting, business valuation, financial forecasting, investment analysis and corporate risk management and structuring. Japan This observation study tour highlighted the role of government, NGO, academic and corporate institutions in fostering entrepreneurship. Participants developed an understanding of how transparent and open industrial policies benefit the U.S. economy’s development of entrepreneurial business incubation. The program also emphasized U.S. programs that foster creativity and entrepreneurship in youth. Participants examined the ethnic and cultural dynamics of the United States and how this helps to foster dynamism, entrepreneurship, self-reliance and cooperation in U.S. society. Mongolia The Graduate School, USDA designed a 3-week long training program for the Mongolian Civil Defense Force to develop systems for the coordination of interagency exercises and training, to determine lines of control and responsibility, and to implement an education and training curriculum for disaster preparedness. Participants visited national and regional, civilian and military entities to learn how the U.S. government administers its disaster preparedness/reaction/mitigation programs and how the structure of U.S. federal and state programs interact to protect assist communities during emergencies. People's Republic of China The Graduate School designed and delivered training for 20 municipal auditors from Shanghai in principles, methodologies and best practices in performance auditing of public sector programs and services. The School also provided training on managerial systems and incentives to support effective use of natural resources in environmental auditing. People's Republic of China The Graduate School arranged with the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, two 6-week feasibility study trips by experts in expressway management and information systems to the PRC. Subsequent six-week programs for PRC officials were arranged in the U.S., including seminars, workshops, observational site visits with computer companies and surface facilities to learn expressway management and database systems management. U.S. Insular Areas Launched in 1992 as a long-term capacity building partnership, this project provides eleven insular governments training, organizational development support and technical assistance supports for performance improvements in financial management, accounting, strategic planning and budgeting, procurement, information system, management controls, auditing and human resource development. Training events include classroom sessions, on-the-job consult-training, technology enabled learning, conferences and seminars. Technical experts work with all levels of the governments to conduct intensive needs assessments and develop and implement comprehensive, short-term and long- term plans to achieve sustainable improvement in financial management performance. More than 15,000 employees have received training or technical assistance support. Egypt The Graduate School designed, developed and delivered two 10-day training programs in Arabic for Egypt's Ministry of Public Enterprises and various agro-industrial and affiliate companies. The program gave participants an applied understanding of the principles and best practices of enterprise valuation, specifically supporting Egypt's economic reform and privatization goals for the agro-industrial sector. Egypt To enhance the public's awareness of agricultural issues affecting the populace, the Graduate School supported the Institute for International Education by providing classroom training and site visits for Egypt's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation managers to improve organizational performance and management techniques. West Bank/Gaza Delegation members participated in the Graduate School, USDA’s Rule of Law and Judicial Reform training program to gain an understanding of principles of U.S. judicial independence, the federal court system, and the structure of federal, state and municipal courts. Workshop topics included: a comprehensive overview of the role of the judiciary in preserving and strengthening democratic concepts, prosecutorial involvement in criminal investigations and effective crime prevention strategies in urban and rural areas. AGOA Regional Training Program Created in 2000, this regional training program plays an essential role in providing African business men and women information and training necessary to access opportunities provided by the African Growth and Opportunity Growth Act (AGOA). Participants build linkages with U.S. public and private organizations to further develop business opportunities between the U.S. and African countries. Nigeria Partnering with the State Agricultural Development Authority, a six-week educational program in financial management and managerial accounting was designed and delivered with World Bank support. Tanzania Responding to the need to cultivate improved fiduciary capacity among prospective recipients of international aid, the Graduate School developed a specialized program in NGO Financial Management for USAID/ Tanzania. This one-week course trained the financial managers of various local NGOs in fund accounting, enabling them to comply with the reporting requirements of donor agencies and improve organizational accountability. Working in collaboration with ministry officials and a local accounting firm in addition to the USAID Mission, the course also provided an overview of salient issues with respect to local laws and regulations. Caribbean The Graduate School has designed and delivered a program for officials in government, the private sector and NGOs that facilitated examination of democratic processes at all levels of government; a review of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in promoting and sustaining democratic institutions; and an evaluation of how civic education and citizen activities at the grassroots level influence democratic society. Brazil Program designed for staff member of Brazil’s congress to observe education initiatives in the United States. Topics included: Teacher training programs, Literacy, Special needs services, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Professional/vocational education, Workforce development and training, the relationship between schools and local business and the use of technology in education. EI Salvador In support of initiatives to enhance the capacity of government oversight, training was custom designed and delivered in Spanish to auditors in San Salvador. Guyana Custom-designed training was delivered over five months in environmental auditing, fraud and forensic auditing and performance auditing for the Office of the Auditor General. Supported by the World Bank, the program was integral to the president of Guyana's approach to partner with the government and the auditor general's office in implementation of specific strategies to improve management of public resources and accountability of government expenditures and increase public confidence in government. Regional Developed in response to requests from participants in the International Consortium of Government Financial Managers (IGGFM), the Graduate School, USDA has partnered with the Consortium to provide a series of training programs over a three-year period. The program explores each of the major components of financial management and examines techniques and best practices to enhance their government’s activities in each area. The areas of training are budget and finance (2003), financial management information systems (2004), and auditing accountability (2005). |
|