The workshop series aims to provide members of missions to international organisations in Geneva with the knowledge and tools necessary to play an effective role in governing bodies.
Finance and Oversight Issues form part of the core of effective governance, yet are regarded by many members of governing bodies as unfamiliar, difficult and dry. We intend to make them accessible and to demonstrate why and how they are important and interesting.
Each workshop has a strong practical focus. The key learning objectives are that participants should be able to produce a well-informed and critical analysis of official documents presented to governing bodies on the subjects in question. Such analyses might take the form of a written or oral briefing of colleagues; or be the basis of an intervention in a governing body session; or serve as an aide-memoire for bilateral discussions with other delegations or members of the secretariat. More generally, participants can expect to develop an appreciation of current thinking about the management of resources in the public sector; and to know how to follow up issues in which they have a particular interest. The workshops should therefore have value outside the immediate context of international organisations.
By the end of the workshop, you should be able, for example, to distinguish a good from a poor strategic plan; to understand what results-based management is all about; the find the key numbers of a Financial Statement; and to know what questions to ask about external and internal audit. Equally important, you will also know where to look for information and further resources on the subjects covered.
