Throughout its training and capacity building programs EDS First is committed to the principles of interactive adult learning and places particular emphasis on a practical approach with applied outcomes.  This means participants or clients learn through practical examples, case-studies, site visits and simulated, real life situations, on how to apply policy measures or strategies in their workplace or community.

A number of EDS First staff and associates have, either in the past or at present, lectured in economics, business, international trade and international development courses and as such possess a vast range of experience in applying often complex and theoretical material to practical real life examples based on interactive adult and student based learning.  It also means EDS First staff need to maintain up to date knowledge of key issues and trends facing the global economy and the implicit development challenges associated with globalisation and technological innovation.

In the Indo Pacific region and in Africa, EDS First have designed both long-term and short-term courses on economic policy, governance, corporate social responsibility, trade policy and practice, negotiation skills, program design, project identification, trade and gender, aid for trade, the role of foreign aid, SME development, project management, evaluation techniques and the development of consultative processes.  Examples of projects include:

  • The design and implementation of short-term management courses targeting the capacity building needs of an Australian aid agency’s country program managers and of Australian Government (DFAT) regional program managers in the South and West Asia region. The key objective was to provide training in negotiations with partner government officials so as to link development opportunities with aid investment priorities and public diplomacy dividends.
  • The design, implementation and evaluation of long-term trade policy and negotiation skill courses for trade officials in the Pacific and Africa which included exposure to simulated trade negotiations, in-country site visits, ensuring awareness of the development and gender dimensions of trade policy and agreements and thorough course monitoring and evaluation procedures.
  • EDS First designed, coordinated and taught a three-month training course for government officials from the State Ministry of Cooperatives and Small to Medium Enterprises, Indonesia. Focus of the course was on supporting SMEs in Indonesia. Content included training on best practice in policy design, including Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA), project management, and evaluation techniques and developing consultative processes.