CEF’s Approach to Learning and Knowledge Sharing Showcased at the HLM2 in Korea

The development achievements over the past decades have relied not only on financial resources and technical assistance, but also on innovative practice-based solutions designed and adapted by national institutions. Knowledge sharing is increasingly recognized to play an important role for domestic scale-up of successful solutions and ideas. As such, national institutions are becoming aware of the role knowledge flows can play in contributing to more effective delivery of government and public services across the country.

At the invitation of the World Bank, the CEF joined the 2nd High-Level Meeting on Country-led Knowledge Hubs (HLM2) that took place from June 23–26, 2014 in Seoul, Korea. We presented our case of how we have been continuously developing CEF’s institutional and operational capacity in support of learning and knowledge exchange among our member institutions. In addition, we were invited to speak about our approach to learning and evaluation.

500 participants from 76 countries followed the invitation by the Republic of Korea and the World Bank to share and discuss lessons learned on how to develop systematic capacity of institutions to capture and share development experiences. The sessions at the HLM2 focused on institutional and operational areas that contribute to good knowledge management and sharing practices in institutions. Institutionally, we shared and learned from good practices on (i) developing a knowledge and learning culture, (ii) developing an operational governance model for knowledge management and sharing, (iii) developing sustainable financing and business models for knowledge sharing, (iv) fostering partnerships at domestic at international levels and (v) the role of non-state actors for knowledge sharing. Operationally, we shared and discussed lessons and strategies to foster (i) identification, capturing and validation of operational experiences and lessons learned, (ii) packaging development experiences as learning materials, (iii) systematic results-oriented sharing modalities, (iv) measuring and documentation of results from knowledge sharing programs, and (v) the role of technology for systematic scale up of learning and knowledge sharing.

In order to support capacity development of member institutions, the CEF will continue to participate in exchanges and learning offerings in the context of the Knowledge Hubs Community of Practice (CoP) hosted at www.knowledgehubs.org. We invite our member institutions and other interested organizations to join us and many others in this very relevant CoP with an aim to share their good practices and lessons learnt and as a result contribute to development achievements of their countries.