Governance Curriculum/Steering Committee 230408

Minutes of Teleconference 23 April 2008
(Teleconferencing facility courtesy of the Commonwealth of Learning)

Participating: Dr Tanyss Munro, Ms Kara Irwin, Prof Garton Kamchadzera, Dr John Barker

1. Updates

Additional assistance:
•	Frank Madsen, an experienced practitioner and specialist on economic crime, has offered substantial support to the Initiative for two-to-three years. He will be based in New York for one year and will engage with the UN, American research institutions, private sector and NGOs on behalf of the Initiative.

•	discussions have commenced with Major Dan Kuwali, Deputy Director of Legal Services/ Judge Advocate, Malawi Defence Force, presently with the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Sweden, to provide research assistance from Sweden and Oxford where he will be studying.

•	Thoko Ngwira has proposed Sarai Chisala to help out as a research assistant to contribute from Malawi and involve institutional support from Chancellor College and University of Malawi.

•	Ms Bethel Masauli, Acting Principal of the Malawi College of Distance Education is the Commonwealth of Learning Focal Point for the country for the Commonwealth of Learning and will be invited to take part in a GCI conference call in early May

Core Content Development
•	Work is under way to create a structured overview of the subjects to be covered

•	The next step is to provide concrete examples of training modules once teaching partners have been identified in the pilot country (Malawi). Examples of the teaching partners include NGOs and formal or other training institution.

•	Examples of areas of focus to be considered: rights of the child, administrative law, service delivery

Wiki site
•	Reports of 2nd April meeting and photos have been posted on the site

Governance structure for initiative
•	A4ID advice is that, at least for the time being, it is not necessary to establish a separate institutional framework for the Initiative. It is sufficient for it to continue as a collaboration among various supporting institutions. To date those that have committed resources are Commonwealth of Learning, the University of Cambridge, the Commonwealth Foundation, the University of Malawi, Advocates for International Development, BPP Law School Pro Bono Centre, Molecaten Ltd and Good Governance Group (G3)

•	Any funds to cover expenses (research, coordination costs) to flow through partner organisations

•	An application will be prepared for formal A4ID backing so that content contributions, logistical support, legal advice can supported

2. Plans for July meeting

To be addressed at next meeting

3. Action points:

•	JB to put GK in contact with Frank Madsen to prepare overview of topic and consider first concrete examples

•	JB and GK to brief High Commissioner from Malawi on initiative •	TM to post photos and remove content box on wiki site

•	KI to send institutional collaboration details to TM for posting on the site

•	JB to draft proposal for submission to A4ID (others to comment)

•	JB to draft statement of purpose (others to comment)

•	JB/TM to continue recruiting research assistants


 * TM to contact Bethel Masauli regarding this initiative and her availability for a teleconference call in May

•	JB/others to plan telecon with Malawians (Thoko Ngwira and others) for around 20th May

4. Next Interim Steering Committee Meeting:

Teleconference 5pm (London time), Wednesday 7th May 2008