Successful GIZ Winter School "Democratic Governance" 2016

Interweaving Theoretical and Professional Perspectives:
GIZ Winter School – “Democratic Governance” 2016

From November 28 to December 02, 2016, the ABI hosted the GIZ Winter School on “Democratic Governance – Integrating Theory and Practice”. Development professionals from diverse institutional and international backgrounds came together to learn about Southwest Germany’s policy experience and to discuss insights and implications for ongoing development cooperation. The thematically cross-cutting training interweaved theoretical and professional perspectives with hands-on project dimensions. It benefited from the mutually reinforcing cooperation between the ABI, the Studienhaus Wiesneck, the GIZ Advisory Program ‘Promotion of Good Governance’, and the GIZ Academy.

The 2016 Winter School, which took place for the second time in Freiburg and Stuttgart, focused on the virtues and pitfalls of democratic governance. It dealt in particular with the mechanisms to promote democratic accountability and enhance citizen participation. Applying a balanced mix of methods and instruments, the Winter School provided a palpable link between the overarching concepts on good governance, constructive state-society relations, and a rich blend of project experiences from 15 different countries. Thematic lectures, expert panels, peer-counselling, and exposure visits to government institutions in the state of Baden-Württemberg (city and provincial level) addressed central questions as to how citizens and civil society can participate effectively in policy-making processes. Gender and ICT perspectives featured prominently in theoretical and professional discussions and, hence, constituted cross-cutting themes in the joint learning experience.

Winter School participants, who represented a wide range of institutions (BMZ, GIZ, KfW, consultancy firms, and international partner institutions), could experience a rich blend of multifaceted insights: during face-to-face discussions with administrative and political representatives in Freiburg (pertaining to issues of participatory/gender-sensitive budgeting, responsive city planning and political inclusion) as well as with state-level actors in Stuttgart (responsive policy making and conflict moderation). Particular emphasis was placed on interactive learning and transdisciplinary reflection, which provided a valuable foundation for a thoughtful, engaging and refreshingly candid discussion on democratic governance. Some of the voices on the Winter School included the following:

“I always read in books about participation, here I learnt how it could really happen. I also learnt about similar challenges that can be found in my home country and other countries.“

“Before I came here, I had no clear idea of democratic governance, now I have gained new perspectives to take home to my country.”

 “A very rich and thought provoking experience”

“This Winter School has been a great experience. Now we face the continuous challenge of translating and utilizing newly gained insights into actual development contexts.”

“Looking back at the trainings I have attended thus far, this has been one of the most rewarding and inspiring experiences to date”