Course dates:

13 – 16 June 2024

Application deadline:
19 May 2024

Introduction

Democratisation is a complex process that requires long-term engagement and commitment to democratic values by national stakeholders and international partners alike.

Elections are the crucial milestones for every new-born democracy and the international community, or at least part of it, continuously supports electoral processes and democratic institutions encouraging political inclusion and participation all over the world.

For almost thirty years Election Observation Missions (EOM) have played an important role in development cooperation, strengthening the public’s confidence in the electoral process. International electoral observers contribute to increase transparency and discourage frauds thus providing a comprehensive, independent, and impartial assessment of an electoral process. One of the main task of an EOM is to issue recommendations aiming at promoting democratic reforms and enhancing the legal framework of relevant institutions such as Electoral Management Bodies (EMB), Civil Registration Offices, National Assemblies and Governments.

To allow an effective follow-up on EOM recommendations and build a shared process that aims at strengthening the system of governance of a given country, international development partners and sending authorities fund direct Technical Assistance (TA) missions. These missions are purely technical and are often comprised of several experts in different fields of expertise such as Legal Framework, Political Party Development, Cyber Security, Voter Education, Logistics and more.

About the Course

Technical assistance missions assist partner countries in meeting medium- and long-term goals as outlined by EOMs recommendations. They aim at building sustainability and strengthening recipient technical capacity and policy through long-term reforms. Technical assistance missions are also supporting investments in projects’ planning, funds, and partnerships or concentrate on the acquisition of technical material in specifically identified areas, including media and cyber security.

With this newly designed training on Strengthening Political Processes through Technical Assistance, the Global Campus of Human Rights aims at channelling its vast expertise in the field of election observation, towards a more direct operational endeavour, providing a practical understanding of the technical assistance cycle through the professional expertise of its trainers.

Why choose this course?

  • debates with experts and representatives of sending authorities
  • exchanges and networking with peers
  • small class size to increase interaction and communication between instructors and participants
  • role plays and case studies recreating specific country situations
  • availability of experts and lecturers to provide feedback and answer individual questions

Key Facts

 

 
 
Dates 13-16 June 2024
Application deadline 19 May 2024
Duration 4 days
Tuition fee € 600.00 (VAT included); 10% discount for IEO alumni
Language requirements Fluency in English (written and spoken)
Location Monastery of San Nicolò in Venice, Lido
Certificate Upon completion

Rationale and objectives

 

 
 

One of the available tools at the disposal of the International Community to support democratic institutions and inclusive elections in partner countries is the Electoral Technical Assistance. Such support goes beyond Election Day, and it concretely shapes into the reform in the medium- and long-term run promoting democratic values and enhancing beneficiary institutions' accountability, transparency, and efficiency.

Technical Assistance also generally involves stimulating stakeholders' dialogue, and strengthening the active role of citizens, civil society, and the media in the democratic debate.

It is therefore paramount for any service provider in the field of technical assistance to count on skilled candidates enabling the technical assistance mission to successfully contribute to increasing recipient’s capacity building thus fostering sustainability and reforms, and overall to make international aid sustainable.

Learning objectives

By taking this course, you will be able to:

  • fully grasp the linkage between the electoral observation and the technical assistance
  • acquire a thorough knowledge of the existing activities in the areas of electoral technical assistance
  • deepen the understanding of the various areas targeted by technical assistance
  • learn how to benefit from the capacity building process, as a professional in the area of international cooperation, with a specific focus on the electoral technical assistance cycle

Target audience

The course addresses all participants who are interested in deepening their knowledge on the functioning of electoral technical assistance from a multi-disciplinary approach. It is specifically aimed at training staff who already has a background on international election observation and mission functioning, but who wants to focus more on the theoretical and practical elements of electoral technical assistance, and to remain updated on the contemporary challenges to the election management. This training will therefore benefit electoral observers, staff employed in Election Observation Missions as well as technical assistance beginners.

Structure and content

 

 
 

The aim of the course is to deepen theoretical and practical expertise on electoral technical assistance by providing participants with knowledge and practical skills that are applicable to the daily functioning of technical assistance field missions.

Course dates: 13 - 16 June 2024

The course covers the following core themes:

  • the EU programming cycle
  • UN programming cycle
  • USAID programme assistance for democracy
  • electoral assistance in politically challenging environments
  • the dynamics of a politically closed context (case studies)
  • discovery of the ecosystem around the election cycle
  • strategic planning (case studies)
  • legal framework governing the electoral cycle
  • the challenges represented by technology in the management of elections
  • the practical application of the challenge of biometry (case studies)
  • implication of artificial intelligence to the electoral assistance.

Methodology and coordination

 

 
 

The Technical Assistance training course is coordinated by Demetrio Lazagna and tutored by various experts, whose plurennial experience in this field will guide participants throughout the various sessions. Their competence will ensure academic quality and consistency of instruction throughout the course and will provide guidance in identifying and responding to participants’ needs while actively coordinating with and managing the interventions of other lecturers and experts.

Participants will particularly benefit from sharing a learning experience that will allow them to have direct confrontation with peers, build networking links, and listen to experts who will share their know-how and good practices.

The training will take place in presence in the seat of Global Campus of Human Rights at the Monastery of San Nicolò in Venice, Lido.

Before the beginning of the training and contemporary to the participation to the daily sessions, participants will have at their disposal an online platform where materials regarding the topics dealt with during the sessions or regarding general information on Technical Assistance will be uploaded.

The course will be delivered through a combination of:

  • thematic frontal lectures with Q&A
  • presentation of real-life case studies which serve as reference and exercise for the understanding and application of theoretical tools acquired during the thematic frontal lectures
  • realisation of role-plays in the form of practical exercises to test new knowledge and skills in the field of Technical Assistance
  • meetings with lecturers and experts
  • individual reading and study time.