The network will also contribute directly and indirectly Regional Research Capacity through the joint development and application of integrated assessment tools, undertaking joint regional and interdisciplinary analyses, and research management and participatory methods between network partners on collaborative research projects.
Several network members already offer a variety of educational and training programmes in areas of their competence. Sumernet will seek to enhance the value of these offerings by widening their resource base, linking the various offerings to each others and to other similar programmes, filling in visible gaps by developing additional training programmes, and by developing plans for an integrated degree programme in sustainable development at one of the partner universities.
A key goal of capacity building is the development of a Sustainable Mekong Decision Framework (SMDF). The SMDF will build upon the work previously undertaken by several of the Sumernet partners through the SEF platform, whose goal is to integrate diverse tools and data into an interactive and coherent structure. The SDF needs to be developed as a software-based, decision-support tool. It represents the next generation of project assessment technology. Over the years, conventional cost-benefit analyses have been modified in a number of ways in order to integrate hitherto neglected concerns (e.g. environmental conservation, local rights, social and environmental vulnerability, cultural diversity, transparency, and others). This has led to the emergence of several complementary, often competing, methodologies for assessment. However, neither the information base required for such assessment, nor a dynamic learning process has been available.
The SMDF is aimed at making decision making easier, first by creating a data warehouse, which will structure and organize the relevant information in order to make it readily accessible to the decision maker; second, by providing a menu of assessment methodologies, which can complement each other, and which policy makers can deploy in conjunction with each (rather than in a piecemeal fashion as is being done currently); third, by providing concrete, detailed, and context-specific guidance on participatory tools; and fourth, by establishing a framework and platform through which new knowledge will constantly be added to the existing database.
Decision makers who have the SDF platform at their disposal will be able to use a user-friendly menu to search for information on social and economic data, future scenarios, stakeholder groups, development plans and other areas that are relevant to decision making. They would also be able to obtain step-by-step guidance on the application of alternative assessment methodologies, their relative strengths and weaknesses, and the results from the application of such methodologies to earlier projects. In this regard, in particular, they would have access to guidance on participatory tools; more importantly, the SEF platform would provide a degree of transparency to the decisions by making them available to a broader group of stakeholders. Finally, the data generated by new decisions and new projects would be fed back into the platform to keep it up to date and to enable continuous learning.
To our knowledge, while the technology for creating such a platform does exist, it has neither been conceptualized nor developed in any other region in the public sphere. There are analogies to this approach in the private sector, for example to guide the investment decisions of transnational corporations. However, it is time that it was developed more extensively in the public sector. As the first example of its type, the SEF can provide the template for replication and imitation in other parts of the world.
The specific areas in which SEI-A can make an impact are regional futures, impact assessment of development trends on key sectors (water, energy, climate, pollution, livelihoods), and the relationship between globalization and sustainable development (especially the impact of trade liberalization, development cooperation, investment, and technological development). This information can help champions of sustainable development in government, business, NGO, media, and donor institutions, to advocate the optimal policy choices more effectively.
Enhancing individual and collective skills in members of the policy community to access, organize, interpret, and apply analytical tools and use data. SEI has expertise in a number of analytical tools that can help illuminate options and trade-offs; these can be made available to stakeholders through training workshops, manuals, meetings and discussion groups, and participation in research and assessment processes. These actions can enable decision makers within government and financial agencies to make more informed decisions, at the same time as they enable a closer scrutiny of public decisions by informed civil society groups.
