Who is eligible?
Approximately 25 participants from developing countries are accepted to each programme. The profile of the participants could vary, depending on the aim and direction of the programme. However, one common factor for participants is that they should be key persons in their respective organizations. Concerning their background, there is room for flexibility; the participants can be politicians, officials and even members from different non-governmental organizations dedicated to the promotion of local governance.
By mixing particpants with different backgrounds as well as including at least two participants from the same organization and country in the same training programme our goal is to both strengthen and facilitate synergy effects and learning within the countries as well as capailze on the dynamics and opportunities for comparative learning that a heterogeneous group of participants can bring about. The goal is therefore to find a good balance between on the one hand synergy effects and on the other hand a dynamic mix between the participants.
The selected programme participants, together with the programme management and the other actors that participate in the programmes (lecturers, representatives for government agencies and municipalities), are first and foremost cooperating partners. It is therefore of utmost importance that all participants actively take part in the programmes by sharing their knowledge and experiences with the other participants. The focal point of the training programmes is to expose the participants to the Swedish way of doing things, whether it is by showing them practical aspects through a study visit or through lectures that focus on Swedish development and experiences in a more theoretical manner. In addition to presenting and sharing Swedish experiences, it is equally important to facilitate mutual learning by the participants by letting them share experiences from their respective countries with each other.
