Building Development Capacities in Asia and the Pacific: Good Practices and Ways Forward for ADBI’s Capacity Building Programs

Abstract

Since its establishment in 1997, the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) has led innovative research and capacity building in the Asia and Pacific region. As the think tank of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), ADBI is mandated to identify effective development strategies and support the development of ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs). The objectives of ADBI’s capacity building and training (CBT) activities are (i) to enhance government officials’ awareness and understanding of development policy issues and the challenges DMCs face; (ii) to provide policy ideas; (iii) to share effective practices and country experiences; (iv) to provide forums for dialogue and information sharing; (vi) to build consensus on priority issues; and (vii) to create a strong professional ADBI alumni network (ADBI 2017). To achieve these objectives, CBT activities are designed to be demand-driven, target driven, and collaborative. CBT activities are delivered via four proven modalities: policy dialogue, course-based training, e-learning, and publications. The number of CBT activities has increased over the last 3 years, with training workshops dominating 2018. CBT activity themes are guided by ADB’s strategy and operational priorities.1 In 2018, the majority of CBT activities focused on poverty reduction and inclusive growth, with activities related to infrastructure development and support for middle-income countries following closely behind.