85500 - Project-Cycle Management in Development Cooperation

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Claudio Triani
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: IUS/13
  • Language: English
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Ravenna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in International Cooperation on Human Rights and Intercultural Heritage (cod. 9237)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the seminar is to give the students the basic elements of the Project Cycle Management actually in use among the main international donors, Ngos, United nations agencies and European Commission, Minister of foreign affaires The main objective of the course is to provide the students whit a comprehensive vision of the whole process and of the different phases for the appraisal, description, evaluation of a development project At the end of the course the student is will be able to do a feasibility study, evaluation, conception of a development project. The skills will focus in particular on the use of the Logical framework.

Course contents

The course will focus on the development of project proposals as well as on the management of projects. This will allow to provide a clear and precise work methodology in terms of progression/ dimension/ elements, based on best practices. Moreover, the course will Analyse key concepts and guidelines for an effective project management through tangible examples based on lessons learned.

The course is articulated in 8 lessons (6 lessons of 3 hours and 2 lessons of 6 hours)

1) What is a project? pro and cons of project approach, Introduction to PCM (project cycle management): the project cycle steps : ( programming, identification, formulation, implementation, evaluation). 3 hours


2) Identification: tools and best practices for the conception of a project : stakholders and SWOT analysis, problems and objectives trees. 3 hours

Creation of groups and exercise I: problems and objectives trees. 3 hours


3) Formulation I: Presentation of most used templates fo project proposals ( concept notes and full proposals) . Introduction to logical framework and vertical logic: Objectives, outcomes, outputs and activities - the assumptions column. Introduction to horizontal logic. 3 hours

Exercise II: development of the logical framework.3 hours

4) Formulation II: Indicators and sources of verification. What is an indicator? the different kind of indicators. SMART indicators, how to measure project progresses. ( excercise III complteing the logical framework). 3 hours


5) Formulation III: Budget. Presentation of most used budget templates. how to develop and analyse a budget. ( exercise IV from logical framework to Budget) 3 hours


6) Implementation and monitoring: Advices for the correct implementation of a project, tools for implementation: workplan and budget forecast. Introduction to monitoring, presentation of some monitoring tools (indicator tracking table, monitoring plan) and main data collection methods. 3 hours

7) Reporting. Presentation of templates of main donors. advises for the development of a good report ( exercise V reporting an under-achievement). 3 hours


8) Evaluation. why we need to evaluate a project? external and internal evaluation. key issues. how to coordinate an evaluation. 3 hours

Readings/Bibliography

Attending students

Being a practice based course there are no compulsory readings.

Detailed, presentations will be provided for each lessons and will represent the main tool to be used for the completion of exercises and exams.

Optional / recommended reading:
-Eurpean commission:Aid Delivery Methods - Project Cycle Management Guidelines Vol 1 - Guidelines: Link

-Managing Multilateral Projects in the Lifelong Learning Programmed - Survival Kit: Link 

- UNDG-UNDAF-Companion-Pieces-7-Theory-of-Change: Link

-Theory,of,Change,Basics A,PRIMER,ON,THEORY,OF,CHANGE:Link

-Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation Using the Logical Framework Approach: Link

-UNDP, Handbook on planning, monitoring and evaluating for development results: Link

Non-attending students

The bibliography for non-attending students is partially different from that to be prepared by the attending ones and might include additional readings. For this reason non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the instructor in due time before the exam.

Teaching methods

The course foresees lectures , project work and problem based learning in groups and role play.

The course will adopt a practice based approach. Attending students will be divided into groups and will be requested to work on proactical exercises both in classes and at home. This will allow them to develop the main documents of a project proposal. The completed exercises will be the central element of evaluation of this course.

The methodology adopted for group work and exercises will be further defined at the beginning of the class taking into consideration its size.

The aim of the teaching methodology adopted by the course is to facilitate the interaction between the instructor and the students and to provide students with practical knowledge about PCM and ensure they will be familiar with main tools used in development and humanitarian sectors.

Assessment methods

Attending students

The assessment of the acquisition of expected knowledge and abilities by the attending students is based on the following components: 1. Final group oral exam (70% of the final grade); 2. Participation in class discussion (30% of the grade); (3. Optional written exam).

Participation in class discussion will be assessed taking into consideration the student's ability to actively participate in class activities, including group exercises, her/his overall level of attention, contribution/participation to class discussions.

The final oral exam will take place after the end of the class and will consist in a group presentation of the exercises undertaken during the course. The final version of the exercise documents developed should be shared with the instructor at least one week before the presentation. This exam is aimed at monitoring and assessing the acquisition of the expected knowledge as well as of methodological and critical skills by the student.

Attending students who miss or fail the oral exam/ exercises completion or that are not satysied of the grade obtained, will undergo the written exam on the entire syllabus after the end of the class.

The optional final written exam is a ninety-minute text that consists of closed and open questions on the topics discussed in class and aimed at assessing the student’s level of knowledge of some of the most important topics addressed by the course. The test will be based on the material shared during the course.

The final evaluation will be the weighted average of the score of the oral exam and of the participation in class discussion (and of the possible written exam).

The ability of the student to achieve a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the topics addressed by the course, to critically assess them and to put them into practice will be evaluated with the highest grades (A = 27-30 con lode).

A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of the course's contents together with gaps and deficiencies in terms of language, critical and/or logical skills and practical application of the skills will result in grades ranging from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21-23).

A low level of knowledge of the course’s contents together with gaps and deficienciesin terms of language, critical and/or logical skills and practical application of the skills will be considered as ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20) or result in a fail grading (E).

Non-attending students

Non-attending students will undergo a written exam on the dedicated syllabus provided by the instructor. For this reason, non-attending students are kindly requested to contact the instructor in due time and at least once before the exam.

The written exam is a ninety-minute text that consists of closed and open questions on the topics discussed in class and aimed at assessing the student’s level of knowledge of some of the most important topics addressed by the course. The test will be based on the material shared by the instructor including the presentations used during the course.

The ability of the student to achieve a coherent and comprehensive understanding of the topics addressed by the course, to critically assess them will be evaluated with the highest grades (A = 27-30 con lode).

A partial acquisition of the course's contents together with gaps and deficiencies in terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will result in grades ranging from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21-23).

A low level of knowledge of the course’s contents together with gaps and deficienciesin terms of language, critical and/or logical skills will be considered as ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20) or result in a fail grading (E).

Teaching tools

Lectures will be held with the support of audio-visual tools (ppt, web, videos). Detailed templates and guidelines for the exercises will be provided.

Office hours

See the website of Claudio Triani

SDGs

No poverty Gender equality Reduced inequalities

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.