Online Course: Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Tools for Local Transformation

The world organization United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and the Barcelona Provincial Council, through the Observatory for Decentralized Cooperation and UCLG Learning, are launching the 4th edition online course “Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Tools for Local Transformation” with new updated content and innovative good practices, adjusted to the latest times.

Considering the new post-pandemic global reality of COVID-19, and the global challenges that are imposed at the local and regional level, the 2030 Agenda emerges, with a broad global consensus, as the frame of reference to guide the recovery process after the health crisis, as well as protect the environment, equality, justice and other universal rights, and thus achieve global sustainable development.

To this end, the course aims to train and provide tools to local and regional governments (LRGs) and their associations to implement and adapt the SDGs at the local level, a process known as “localization of the SDGs”.

In order to enable the participation of as many countries as possible, the course will be available in three languages: Spanish, English and French. This entails a greater diversity of visions and experiences that can only enrich the training.

This training is based on the 3 learning modules on the SDGs localization and the roadmap designed by the UCLG and Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, UNDP-Art and UN-Habitat, to support local and regional governments in the formulation, planning and implementation of policies in order to create an environment that facilitates action for sustainable development

Target audience:

The training program is intended primarily for technical and political authorities in the fields of international relations, development cooperation, strategic and public policy planning or any other field of government work related to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It also encourages the participation of profiles that guide and manage sustainable local development policies or programs at other public levels.

Course objectives:

By the end of the course, participants will be able to conduct SDG-compliant policies and align their municipal or regional action plans with the 2030 Agenda. Thanks to the theoretical foundations and the applied experience, the following skills are sought:

• Identify new international challenges facing local and regional governments;
• Mobilize local stakeholders to ensure ownership of the 2030 Agenda by local and regional governments around the world;
• Identify the benefits of localizing the SDGs in general local policy making and in development strategies in particular;
• Internalize the leadership culture of local and regional governments to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs;
• Gain practical knowledge in the managing instruments for localizing the SDGs: planning tools, advocacy tools, project implementation tools and monitoring and evaluation tools;
• Share different real life experiences of localizing the SDGs;
• Contribute to strengthening the global alliance for sustainable development.

Syllabus:

Chapter 1: Introduction to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Chapter 2: Awareness raising, advocacy and dialogue for the localization of the SDGs, based mainly on the UCLG’s ToT SDGs Module 1

Chapter 3: Localizing the SDGs. Aligning local and regional development plans, based mainly on the UCLG’s ToT SDGs Module 2

Chapter 4: Preparation of the National and Local Voluntary Reports on the SDGs, based mainly on the UCLG’s ToT SDGs Module 3, the VLR guidebook, the VSR guidebook and UCLG HLPF annual reports.

Methodology and profile:

The training is designed taking into account that the profile of the participants is entirely that of people who have a professional activity in the public sector. It is not mandatory to be connected to the Campus at specific times, so each participant may adapt the schedules of the activities to their own agenda.

Furthermore, this online course is clearly designed to be practical. Accordingly, there is a strong bias towards activities, most notably those that generate a substantive debate and interaction between the participants. The aim is that the participants’ own experience operates as a pillar on which the training is structured. This combination makes it possible to delve deeper into the content through critical analysis, while encouraging the application of concepts and tools.

Before starting the training as such, the course includes a Module 0 that introduces students to the dynamics and strategies of online training. This enables them to get acquainted with the virtual work environment and its main tools for communication and interaction with the group. Likewise, there will be a teacher and a reference tutor to walk the group through the course materials and activities associated with each subject.

Admission criteria:

A total of 35 places are offered for each of the three language modalities. The course carries no cost for participants since it is fully funded by the Barcelona Provincial Council and UCLG.

Any person, regardless of nationality and whose professional activity consists of managing public development policies in any country may enroll in the course. Once all applications have been received, the Evaluation Panel will review the different profiles and decide who are the 35 individuals selected for each of the three modalities. The selection process will take into account the adjustment to the target audience profile described above and it will attempt to ensure a balanced composition of the group with as many different countries as possible.

The training will take place over 3 months and will have a total duration equivalent to 63 teaching hours.

The students will develop several short assignments and those who have completed the assignment successfully will receive a certificate.

Interactive webinars (in total 6, 2 per language) will allow exchange with experts and technical colleagues of the institutions involve.

Key dates:

September 9, 2022: End of registration period

September 26, 2022: Beginning of the course

December 12, 2022: Course completion

More information:
Contact: ocd.bcn@diba.cat / learning@uclg.org

Registration

4th edition of the online Course “Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals: Tools for Local Transformation” | Observatori (observ-ocd.org)