3a3e30ca

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 14:48:33 GMT

Using AI without losing touch with what matters

AI is no longer a concern of the future for those involved in evaluation — it’s a present one. Whether we realize it or not, tools like ChatGPT, Copilot, and others are already influencing how data is collected, processed, and synthesized in the way we work.

At OpenCities, we’ve started integrating AI tools into our workflows. They’ve made some processes leaner, some faster. But we’ve also learned where they fall short — and where they risk undermining the values at the heart of good evaluation: trust, transparency, and technical rigour.

This piece reflects on the practical benefits and ethical boundaries of using AI in evaluations. We believe AI is the future. It can help us work better. But let’s be clear: AI isn’t a substitute for human insight. It can’t replace the experience or judgement that evaluators bring to their work. As we explore what AI can do, we must stay grounded in what matters the most: our responsibility to our clients and the communities they serve

1. Trust is Earned, Not Automated

Our starting point is simple: Evaluation is a human-to-human process. It’s built on trust between evaluator and client, between facilitator and participant, between teams and their constituents. While AI might help us crunch data faster or write neater summaries, it can’t build relationships, read a room, or navigate complex dynamics.

And it certainly can’t replace the responsibility that consultants bear to deliver thoughtful, high-quality work. Clients aren’t paying for shortcuts – they’re investing in expertise, contextual understanding, and care. That’s why we see AI not as a solution in itself, but as a tool to augment human insight.

2. Three Ways We’re Using AI — With Caution and Care

When used thoughtfully, AI can help us work smarter – saving time, surfacing patterns, and supporting reflection. But we understand that AI is not suitable for every use case. That’s why our approach at OpenCities is shaped by caution, care, and commitment to quality.

Below, we share three ways we’re currently using AI in our work – where it helps, where it doesn't, and what to watch out for.

Summaries

We’ve used tools like Otter.ai or even Microsoft Teams to generate transcripts and quick summaries of interviews and workshops. These tools save hours – especially for long sessions – and are useful for indexing and searching large volumes of qualitative material.

But AI transcriptions aren’t perfect. They mishear, drop nuance, and sometimes garble emotion. So, while they’re a useful first pass, we always cross-check with our own notes to capture the tone, context, and moments that matter most to our clients.

Synthesis

Tools like MaxQDA can now apply codes, cluster themes, and draft summary paragraphs for large volumes of text – from stakeholder interviews to open-ended survey responses, or policy documents. This can be especially useful when we rapidly need a “first cut” of the data to identify points of concurrence, points of contention, or simply points that need further evidencing.

But we’ve found that AI tools miss subtlety. They don’t understand our clients like we do and the decisions they need to make. They don’t understand the difference between what's said and what's meant. They don’t know what’s politically sensitive. Simply put, they flatten differences that matter.

So, we treat AI-based synthesis like scaffolding, not structure. It can help define themes – but it can’t define their meaning. That’s why our synthesis is always manual at the final stage. Because nothing can replace hard graft when it comes to interpretation and triangulation.

Spot-Checks

One emerging use we’re exploring is having AI “sense check” outputs. AI can act as a kind of thinking partner, helping to expand – not narrow our thinking. For example, we’ll often prompt AI to review out draft inputs with questions like:

· Are our responses clearly aligned to the evaluation questions?

· Are we consistent across the document?

· Are our findings well-evidenced?

· Are there perspectives or sources of evidence we may have missed?

· Are our recommendations actionable and useful to the client?

These small-scale applications help tighten quality — a sort of AI-enhanced proofreading for coherence and clarity. But again, this only works when you already know what good looks like.

3. The Lines We Won’t Cross

While we’re open to exploring what AI can do, we’re just as clear on what it shouldn’t do.

There are boundaries we don’t cross — not because the technology can’t, but because it shouldn’t replace the care, discernment, and responsibility that good evaluation demands.

Here’s what we don’t use AI for:

· Analyzing Sensitive Data — Especially when privacy, confidentiality, or participant trust is at stake.

· Interpreting Emotion or Intent — AI misses tone and hesitation – the subtle clues that often matter most.

· Drafting Sensitive Conclusions or Recommendations — These require political judgement, contextual awareness, and careful phrasing.

· Writing Final Reports without Full Human Revision — Because delivering work to clients is a matter of accountability, not automation.

These are moments that call for human presence. They’re where experience makes the difference, and where trust is either built or broken.

4. How We Make AI Work for Us?

So, producing meaningful results with AI requires careful guidance by skilled humans. We’re not just passive users, but facilitators and interpreters of AI’s outputs. Evaluators seeking to strengthen analysis with this new technology must invest more — not less — expertise, time, and attention in things like: strategic segmentation of data, cycles of inquiry and refinement of prompts, testing and verification, and careful interpretation.

In fact, pioneering practitioners tend to describe a more deliberate and layered analytical process, not a shortcut. Every step still relies on human judgment

That’s why it’s troubling that AI is entering the scene just as careful analysis seems to be increasingly undervalued — evaluations are often under pressure to cut corners, shrink budgets, rush timelines, and skip the hard thinking.

We see that trend — and we’re pushing back.

We use AI not to replace deep thinking, but to enhance it. AI can lighten the load. But it’s our insight, judgement, and care that makes the work count.

5. Ethical Questions Every Evaluator Should Ask Before Using AI

As this space evolves, we’re encouraging teams to ask:

· Transparency: Have we told our clients or participants how we’re using AI?

Transparency isn’t just about disclosure. It’s about jointly defining boundaries. That means clearly explaining: (i) what tools we’re using and why; (ii) what data is being fed into them and how it’s handled; and (iii) how we’re ensuing compliance with data protections and ethical standards. Trust is built through openness. If AI is being used in any part of the analysis, the people affected by that analysis deserve to know.

· Bias: Could the tool reinforce stereotypes or erase minority voices?

AI can reduce some human bias — like recall errors or confirmation bias when collecting data — but it also inherits bias from the data it’s trained on. And much of that data reflects deep-rooted inequities: racial, gendered, geographic. Left unchecked, AI can amplify dominant voices and miss marginal ones. We must interrogate not just what the tool says, but who it’s speaking for — and who might be missing.

· Oversight: Who reviews and takes responsibility for the outputs?

Even the most advanced AI systems are prone to errors — whether it’s confidently stating incorrect facts (hallucination) or misinterpreting tone. That’s why human oversight is essential at every step. Evaluators must take responsibility for verifying accuracy, interpreting meaning through a human lens, and making final judgments based on contextual, relational, and strategic understanding. There’s no “handing off” responsibility to a tool. If something’s wrong, that’s on us — not the model.

· Value: Does this tool help us deliver better work — or just faster work?

There are times where we need to work fast. The sort of predictive modelling AI can handle could save lives in times of crisis. But rarely are the stakes so high during evaluations – at least in the immediate term. When we have time, we should use it. Time allows us to go deeper, reflect longer, and interpret more carefully. When space is available, we owe it to our clients — and the work — to take it.

Conclusion: AI as Partner, Not Proxy

There’s a lot of hype about AI. And yes, it can help – especially with grunt work. But evaluation isn’t just about processing information. It’s about sense-making. About relationships. About reading between the lines. And no machine can do that better than we can.

We see AI as a junior assistant: helpful in parts, but not in charge. The job of the evaluator remains the same — to listen well, synthesize carefully, and build the kind of trust that no algorithm can replicate.

In that sense, the real question isn’t can we use AI in evaluation — it’s how we do so without losing the values that make evaluation matter.

PH197193 — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 09:59:11 GMT

How Evaluations Can Foster Learning: a Video Brief

From Compliance to Co-creation: How Evaluations Can Foster Learning Among Senior Leadership

In organizations with strong learning cultures, evaluation is not a tick-box exercise. It’s a critical tool for generating knowledge, guiding evidence-based decisions, and fuelling strategic and organizational evolution. When evaluations are embedded in such organizations, part of a shared vision, and adequately resourced, they transform from compliance exercises into moments that senior leadership actively champions. The best evaluations serve not only to assess performance, but to challenge assumptions, surface lessons, and drive continuous improvement.

But how do we at OpenCities ensure that evaluations actually facilitate learning among senior management teams?

Below we outline four Core Principles – and some practical tactics – for turning evaluations into reflective, inclusive, and ultimately transformative experiences for leadership.

1. Position Evaluation as Reflection, Not Judgment

Too often, evaluations are framed as performance assessments – something to be “gotten through” rather than learned from. To foster meaningful engagement from senior leaders, evaluations should be structured as opportunities for reflection on the “how” rather than delivering verdicts on the “what”.

2. Co-Create the Process with Senior Leaders

Evaluation is most impactful when it is co-owned by those it seeks to inform. As academics such as Bamberger (2008) have observed, participatory evaluation leads to greater utilization. Involving Senior Management early – in the design, priority-setting, and interpretation phases – not only increases buy-in but enhances the relevance and use of findings, including for learning purposes. This is where tools like Action Learning can shine: by posing real-time challenges and encouraging collaborative problem-solving, evaluation becomes an active, not passive, experience.

3. Create Safe, Constructive Spaces for Dialogue

Leadership engagement in evaluation requires more than good intentions – it demands trust, openness, and a willingness to listen. While factors like staff capacity, incentives, leadership, and organizational vision all shape how and why evaluations are conducted, it is a psychologically safe environment that enables honest dialogue about what worked, what didn’t, and why.

We’ve seen this first-hand in evaluations with several development giants we’ve worked with: when we invest time in building relationships, foster trust with stakeholders, and create incentives for meaningful engagement with evidence, we open the door to deeper reflection and learning.

4. Stay Use-Focused, Not Academic

Even the most rigorous evaluation will fall flat if it doesn’t meet the needs of its users. The goal isn’t just a credible report. It’s to deliver a process that yields actionable insights. The most effective evaluations are designed with a clear understanding of who the users are, what decisions they face, and how evidence can help.

Evaluation leaders must thus act as critical friends – not just technical experts, but trusted partners who help clarify the purpose of the evaluation, identify the decisions it should inform, and tailor methods accordingly. This approach helps embed learning within planning cycles, transforming evaluation from a retrospective exercise into a strategic asset for decision-making and adaptation.

5. Leverage Organizational Transitions as Catalysts for Learning

Periods of transition – such as the appointment of a new CEO, Director, or other senior team member – often create uncertainty, but they also present a powerful opportunity: the chance to reflect, reorient, and reset. Evaluations conducted during these windows can offer a timely and structured way to assess what’s working, what’s not, and where to go next.

Rather than viewing leadership turnover as a disruption, organizations with strong learning cultures use it as an impetus to take stock and steer strategically. Evaluation in these moments provides incoming leaders with an evidence-informed understanding of the landscape they’re entering and helps teams align around refreshed priorities.

By intentionally capitalizing on these inflection points, evaluation can serve as a bridge – connecting past experience with future direction and reinforcing a culture of continuous learning and strategic responsiveness.

Tactics to Embed Learning in Evaluations

Bringing the Core Principles to life requires being thoughtful about design and facilitation. The following tactics offer practical entry points for making evaluations about learning not audit.

1. Adopt a Reflective Model to Structure Evaluation Conversations

Use structured reflective frameworks – like Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle or our own OVID approach (Observations, Views, Interpretations, and Decisions) – to guide conversations beyond surface-level reporting. These models encourage leaders to unpack experiences through critical questions such as: What happened? How did you feel about it? What sense can we make of the situation? What could we do differently next time? Embedding these models within evaluation workshops or leadership sessions helps shift the tone from defensiveness or defensible results toward inquiry, insight, and intentional learning.

2. Incorporate Peer Input to Broaden Perspective

Evaluation shouldn't be a top-down exercise. Encouraging peer-to-peer feedback – across functions, departments, or regions – in Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) helps surface insights that may be missed in hierarchical reviews. This peer input fosters shared ownership of learning, builds understanding across teams, and supports a more collaborative interpretation of evidence.

3. Engage Skilled Facilitators to Enable Deep Dialogue

Effective evaluation conversations often require someone to hold the space, ask difficult but constructive questions, and help leadership teams navigate complex group dynamics. Facilitators play a vital role in encouraging psychological safety, reconciling and interpreting views, surfacing assumptions and blind spots, reframing failures or conflicts as learning opportunities, and keeping discussions anchored in evidence and practical.

Conclusion: A Learning-Driven Future

Strategic evaluations should not merely assess performance – they should help shape it. In this sense, evaluations become coaching opportunities for Senior Management – chances to pause, reflect, adapt, and grow. Just as “every great player needs a coach” – even generational talents like Lionel Messi or Serena and Venus Williams – senior leaders benefit from structured, evidence-informed reflection that surfaces insight and drives improvement.

By embedding reflection, co-creation, safe dialogue, and user-centered design into the evaluation process, we help organizations turn these moments into catalysts for smarter strategies, stronger cultures, and more resilient futures.

Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Strategy 2030

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:42:05 GMT

Strategic review (2025)

OpenCities, in consortium with Agulhas, supported the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) to carry out a mid-term review of its organizational strategy and develop recommendations for the remainder of the strategy to 2030. Dr Marc Stephens led a team of 9 consultants during the period August 2024 through to completion of the assignment in June 2025.

The purpose of the review was to generate evidence-based learning to help shape the GGGI’s future in a changing external environment. The Evaluation was formative in nature, providing an opportunity to examine how Strategy 2030 has enabled GGGI to pursue its Green Growth ambitions in collaboration with its Members and partners. The final report explored how GGGI can build on the progress made throughout the first five years of Strategy 2030 as it moves into the second half of Strategy 2030’s implementation period. The Review included visits to 5 countries, surveys of GGGI staff and its external stakeholders, interviews, focus groups, background papers, moderated discussions with the senior management team and a desk review.

GGGI said: 'We are grateful to the team, led by Dr Stephens, for its outstanding work, particularly its collaborative approach, its ability to get to the root of a broad set of complex issues, and the actionable recommendations that it generated.'

FOLU Phase II: Catalyzing Delivery of Ten Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use.

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 16:12:43 GMT

A Mid Term Review: progress towards national and global efforts to transform food systems

In early 2024, OpenCities undertook a mid-term review of Phase II of the World Resources Institute’s Food & Land Use Coalition (FOLU). Established in 2017, FOLU brings together a global network of changemakers to catalyze systemic change in how land is used and food is produced, distributed, marketed, and consumed. By focusing on evidence-based solutions, co-created by farmers, policymakers, businesses, and civil society in countries such as Brazil, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, and Kenya, FOLU seeks to address the unsustainable nature of current food systems has resulted in nearly $12 trillion a year in hidden costs, including environmental degradation, poor public health, and loss of biodiversity. With two billion people lacking access to sufficient and nutritious food and one-third of global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions stemming from food and land use systems, the importance helping FOLU to become more effective and efficient has never been more critical.

In 2019, FOLU published the landmark report “Growing Better: Ten Critical Transitions to Transform Food and Land Use,” outlining a comprehensive framework to drive global food and land use systems toward sustainability. These transitions span a broad range of objectives, including promoting healthy diets, scaling regenerative agriculture, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring inclusive economic development. The overarching goal is to enable food systems to meet both local and global needs while contributing to the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2020, the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) committed NOK 240 million (approximately $18.7 million) to support the implementation of FOLU’s vision.

The Mid-Term Review (MTR) covered the period from 2021 to 2023, focusing on how effectively FOLU has advanced toward its objectives in this timeframe. The MTR examined programmatic progress on national and global efforts to transform food systems, as well as FOLU’s engagement with international actors, and its ability to mobilize additional resources. The review has placed particular emphasis on two countries, Colombia and Ethiopia, to gauge FOLU’s effectiveness at the national level. Associates of OpenCities conducted visits in these countries, while other insights were sought through online interviewing and Focus Group Discussions.

Review of UK Aid for Trade Program

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:23:59 GMT

In collaboration with Adam Smith International

Aid for Trade (AfT) refers to development assistance provided by the UK Government designed to enhance the capacity of developing countries to engage in and benefit from international trade. In a recent exercise commissioned through FCDO’s EACDS Framework, and in collaboration with Adam Smith International, OpenCities provided an independent review of the UK Government’s portfolio of AfT programmes. The review assessed the performance and strategic coherence of the AfT Portfolio, In so doing, the Review aimed to offer the newly established Centre of Expertise for Trade a basis for enhancing the strategic alignment of trade interventions, identifying opportunities and roadblocks for improving the effectiveness of future and current AfT projects, particularly in terms of benefiting the poor; and providing learning opportunities for wider UK Government department.

The approach to this Review involved desk-based research using publicly available data sources such as DevTracker, the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), and the OECD-DAC Creditor Reporting System (CRS). Some 100 programs with AfT features were identified and examined. A significant component of the Review was the development of a Data Tool, led by OpenCities, designed to offer a fact-based perspective on the AfT Portfolio. The Data Tool provided a complete picture of ongoing and previous Aid for Trade programmes delivered by the UK Government since 2015 – including a detailed overview of all significant programme details and their alignment with overarching strategic priorities. The Data Tool was designed to account for future use and represents a foundational resource for ongoing enhancement within the Centre of Expertise for Trade, with a view to supporting evidence-based decision-making.

Leveraging Investor Influence to Reduce Deforestation

PH197193 — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 14:11:49 GMT

Mid-Term Review of Investor Influence program on behalf of CERES of Norway International Climate and Forest Initiative

In early 2024, OpenCities was commissioned by CERES to conduct a Mid-Term Review (MTR) of Ceres’ ‘Leveraging Investor Influence to Address Deforestation Project,’ funded by NORAD through the Norway International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI). The review aimed to assess the Project's progress and effectiveness in leveraging investor influence to combat deforestation—a critical element in mitigating climate change, achieving Net Zero targets, and reversing biodiversity loss.

Running from 2021 to 2025, the Project focuses on mitigating deforestation and forest degradation by mobilizing investor action. It focuses on shrinking import markets for deforestation-linked commodities and establishing Deforestation and Conversion-Free (DCF) supply chains. Its core objectives are to: (i) influence companies to adopt deforestation-free supply chains, (ii) integrate deforestation-free commitments into overall greenhouse gas (GHG) goals, and (iii) promote awareness of forest carbon credit standards,

To achieve this, the Project leverages investors' considerable potential to address the critical issue of forest loss driven by agricultural commodity production. Major institutional investors hold a unique position to influence corporate practices through their direct access to company management and boards. Unlike consumer-led campaigns which tend to be executed over short timeframes, investor-based advocacy can provide a sustained, multi-year push for companies to take systemic action against deforestation.

Despite the potential, investors and companies often undervalue sustainability, resulting in harmful investment, production, and consumption patterns. These impacts are not in the ultimate self-interest of companies or their owners, or of vulnerable communities or society at-large. From the investor perspective, the case for action is motivated primarily by the significant financial risks associated with deforestation for multinational companies, including regulatory, reputational, physical, and legal risks, which threaten the resilience and long-term value of their portfolios. However, many institutional investors lack the capacity to effectively track and address these issues due to constraints in analyzing disclosures, identifying weaknesses, and collaborating with other investors.

Experience shows, however, that when confronted by investors equipped with a clear ask and informed about the risks of inaction, companies tend to act. This MTR thus aimed to provide an independent assessment of the Project's progress in making a compelling case for and supporting investor action against deforestation. The assessment focused on the DAC criteria of Effectiveness and Coherence, with specific objectives including evaluating the continued relevance and potential achievement of the project’s objectives, understanding how the project aligns with NICFI’s outcomes, and offering actionable recommendations for adaptive management to optimize impact. The review covered all inputs, outputs, and outcomes from January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2023.

Sustainable Cities

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 09:18:26 GMT

Independent Commission for Aid Impact review of UK support for Sustainable Cities

Marc Stephens led a team assessing the UK's support for Sustainable Cities in middle and lower income countries, including case studies of South Africa and Indonesia, on behalf of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact and its delivery partner Agulhas. OpenCities associate Claudette Forbes was lead peer reviewer for the ICAI review.

Cities and rapid urbanisation are priority areas for global sustainability and central to the United Kingdom’s efforts to address climate change, generate inclusive economic growth and promote sustainability and resilience. Recognised as key drivers of economic growth, innovation and job creation, cities create more than 80% of global GDP. However, with more than two-thirds of the global population projected to live in urban areas by 2050, rapid urbanisation presents challenges to effective poverty reduction, sustainability and resilience to economic and climate shocks.

Between 2015 and 2022, UK aid support for sustainable cities amounted to £861.3 million and was announced as one of four priority areas in the March 2023 International Climate Finance Strategy. The majority of sustainable cities aid programmes are managed by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), with some smaller portfolios managed by other departments. They have a range of objectives, including: climate change mitigation, adaptation, promotion of economic growth, poverty reduction and the development of safe and inclusive cities.

The review found that the UK is supporting urban development globally, but needs to pay greater attention to helping countries adapt and adjust to climate change threats, alongside work to reduce emissions. The full report, together with the UK Government's response, is available here: https://icai.independent.gov.uk/review/uk-aid-for-sustainable-cities/review/.

A performance evaluation of the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G)

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:38:47 GMT

A portfolio review of 75 public-private partnerships delivering green growth across six countries in Africa, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2022, OpenCities, in collaboration with Agulhas, conducted a performance evaluation of the Partnership for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G). The review encompassed a portfolio of 75 partnerships across six countries in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, spanning sectors such as food, water, and energy

This evaluation aimed to validate the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) results reported by P4G’s partnerships, focusing on their core indicators to ensure confidence in the outcomes. By developing a ‘Validation Framework’ based on M&E best practices that helped define the level of confidence that could be assigned to Phase I results, the evaluation team conducted a thorough review for P4G, supported by document gathering, interviews, surveys, and both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Beyond validating core indicators, OpenCities also evaluated non-core indicators and proposed additional metrics to strengthen P4G’s M&E framework, with the ultimate goal of informing strategic decisions for Phase 2.

Additionally, the evaluation assessed P4G’s overall impact in delivering market-based, green, and inclusive solutions aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement. As the evaluation unfolded, its scope expanded to include an assessment of the partnerships’ alignment with the Rio markers for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and environmental protection. This broader analysis enabled the evaluation team to capture contributions to P4G’s climate and SDG ambitions comprehensively.

The feedback from P4G’s leadership team was overwhelmingly positive, with particular appreciation for the evaluation team’s intellectual engagement. P4G commended the team for their hard work, exceptional thinking, and seamless collaboration throughout the project. They also complemented the Team's timely delivery of meetings and outputs was praised as exemplary. This feedback underscored the value of the evaluation process, which has helped the Partnership enhance its future work significantly.

The Global Resilience Partnership’s 2020-2024 Programme Cycle

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:20:50 GMT

A Formative Evaluation (2022)

In 2022, OpenCities and Malawi-based C12 Consultants undertook a formative evaluation of the Global Resilience Partnership’s 2020-2024 Programme Cycle to assess its progress toward set goals and interactions with partners and funders.

Over this period, the world has faced an increasing number of natural and manmade shocks, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the war in Ukraine, which has amplified GRP’s role in equipping vulnerable communities to persist, adapt, and transform in the face of crisis. Amidst these global challenges, GRP operate as a critical convenor and knowledge broker in the resilience space, and its mission to foster collaborative solutions seems more relevant than ever. The Evaluation conducted for GRP was thus designed for internal learning and aimed to provide them with insights that could help them reflect on its successes, challenges, and evolving direction.

The report came at an important time of internal change and reflection concerning GRP’s current trajectory, future ambitions, and organisational structure. GRP is navigating its transition into the third phase of its existence, aimed at balancing its incubator and funder functions with its convening and knowledge brokering ones. The extension of the reach of GRP’s activities and its influence made it an appropriate time to pause and reflect on the partnership’s direction. The report aimed to inform GRP’s many stakeholders as they continue to engage with these important discussions and transitions.

The Evaluation focused on four OECD DAC criteria: Relevance, Coherence, Effectiveness, and Efficiency. It sought to review GRP’s Theory of Change; assess initial results, with a focus on ‘how’ and ‘why’ these were achieved, including flexibility in working around COVID-19; and explore its collaborative actions with other actors operating in the resilience space. In so doing, it aimed to reflect openly, and honestly, on GRP’s work to date, and its strengths and weaknesses, in order to continue best fulfilling its Mission.

Recognising that GRP is a partnership, and that the Secretariat’s role is to add value to the existing work of partners through its convening role, a participatory approach with both the Secretariat and its partners was prioritised for this evaluation. This involved carrying out individual and group interviews with more than Secretariat members, donors, partners, and external stakeholders. It also included an extensive document review.

New Climate Economy

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 14:45:34 GMT

Mid Term Review on behalf of the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

OpenCities was commissioned by the Green Diplomacy and Climate Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark. It took place during February to May 2022 by OpenCities with support from Agulhas. It assessed the preliminary results of Danish support to New Climate Economy (NCE) during the period 2020–2022 and whether the program is on the right track in relation to the DAC criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact. It assessed progress of the Danish Support to New Climate Economy 2020-2022. The review also assessed the continued relevance and alignment of the program and its components given contextual changes and developments since the inception. It draws out lessons to help shape future options for NCE funding and management.

Review of World Resources Institute Strategic Plan 2018-2022

Thu, 13 Jan 2022 22:22:54 GMT

A strategic review (2021)

In March 2021, OpenCities together with Agulhas were selected to undertake a strategic assessment of the World Resources Institute’s progress in implementing its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan as well as an in-depth review of its Africa strategy. WRI is one of the world’s leading environment and development organizations with a staff of over 1500 people.

The 2018-2022 Strategic Plan seeks to address seven “Global Challenges” relating to: Food, Forests, Water, Energy, Sustainable Cities, Climate, and Oceans (adopted at the outset of the current Strategic Plan). These Challenges are all, individually and jointly, profoundly significant for the health of the planet. Key to the 2018-2022 Strategic Plan is WRI’s “Count It, Change It, Scale It” approach which aims to address the political and financial barriers, psychological inertia, vested interests, and outdated infrastructure that are major barriers to progress.

The Review covered work undertaken by WRI’s Programs, Centers, International Offices, Delivery Platforms, and Core Functions. It included an assessment of the integration of the cross-cutting themes of poverty, gender, and social equity within WRI’s work. The ER also included an in-depth review of the Africa strategy. To address the ER questions, the team collected data using a range of instruments and used the data in combination where possible, to ensure that inferences from the data, and responses to the Review Questions, were as robust as possible:

· Document Review: We reviewed multiple WRI documents, including team strategies, annual plans and the Progress Against 5-Year Strategy documents, which comprise targets and indicators on desired outcomes, using an adapted version of a World Bank methodology.

· Interviews: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 59 WRI staff and 4 Board members. We also conducted 40 semi-structured interviews with individuals external to WRI including: (i) Donors (9); (ii) NGOs/CSOs (9); (iii) Private Sector (5); (iv) Multilaterals (5); and (v) Policymakers (12).

· Focus Group Discussions: We conducted 11 internal Focus Group Discussion(s) (FGD) involving 104 people and 1 external FGD with francophone stakeholders in Africa.

· All-Staff Survey: We designed and distributed a confidential all-staff survey via SurveyMonkey to gather perspectives on the Review Questions. The survey received 520 responses, which amounted to an effective response rate of 33%.

In their response to the report, WRI CEO Ani Dasgupta said: ‘We are grateful to OpenCities + Agulhas for conducting the independent External Review (ER) of the World Resources Institute (WRI) between April and November 2021. We deeply appreciate the way in which the review team engaged with our staff, partners and donors, and for the rigorous methodology they applied to develop an evidenced-based understanding of our network, approach and results to assess progress against our current 2018-2022 Strategic Plan.’

International Seabed Authority

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 11:31:37 GMT

The ISA's contribution to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: a review (2021)

OpenCities was commissioned by the Secretary General of the International Seabed Authority to review the contribution of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to the achievement of the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its constituent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Review was timed to contribute to international efforts to track progress at the halfway point between the framing of the SDGs in 2015 and the 2030 deadline for their achievement.

The ISA Strategic Plan for 2019-2023 explicitly recognises the importance of ISA contributing to the timely and effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular Goal 14. ISA’s High-Level Action Plan for 2019-2023 specifically identifies one indicator to enable ISA to assess its progress towards meeting this objective (performance indicator 1.1).

ISA was established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 10 December 1982 (UNCLOS) and the Agreement relating to the Implementation of Part XI of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (the 1994 Agreement) as the organization through which States Parties to UNCLOS organize and control all mineral-resources-related activities in the Area for the benefit of mankind as a whole. (The international seabed area, known as the “Area”, the part under ISA jurisdiction, is the seabed and ocean floor and its subsoil, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction, i.e., beyond the continental shelf. The Area represents around 50 percent of the total seabed of the world’s oceans.In so doing, ISA has the mandate to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep-seabed related activities.

The scope of the Review encompassed the role and mandate of ISA under UNCLOS and the related 1994 Agreement, including ISA’s core functions and its voluntary commitments. ISA comprises 168 Members (167 States and the European Union) and has granted observer status to more than 90 observers including 30 Observers States, 32 UN agencies and intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and 30 Non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The principal organs of ISA are the Assembly, Council and Secretariat, each with specific responsibilities; the report looked at the contribution of ISA as a whole, including all of its organs and their subsidiary bodies and its Members acting collectively.

The report was based on an analysis of documentary evidence, along with interviews with experts from a broad range of backgrounds. It concluded with some suggestions for ISA on possible opportunities for strengthening ISA’s contribution to the SDGs. The report was written primarily for ISA Members, observers, and implementing partners, including United Nations (UN) agencies, other intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), and contractors. However it is likely relevant for other audiences interested in progress towards the SDGs.

The review was undertaken in several stages. OpenCities first reviewed ISA’s strategies and results frameworks to clarify what ISA intends to achieve in relation to the SDGs, as set out in its formal planning processes (Strategic Plan and High-Level Action Plan for 2019-2023). Recent changes in ISA’s operating context were then reviewed, to determine whether and how such changes might affect how ISA operates to deliver against its priority SDGs. Internal and external documents were reviewed to collect examples of ISA’s contribution, as well as critiques relating to risks that might undermine ISA’s achievements in relation to the SDGs. Partnerships were a particular area of analysis in considering how ISA contributes to the 2030 Agenda. Stakeholder interviews were used to explore issues emerging from the documentary evidence, and provided an opportunity to compare perspectives on some contested issues. Mini case studies helped illustrate different dimensions of ISA’s contribution to the SDGs in more detail.

Finally, the review findings and tentative recommendations were tested with the Group of Experts established by the ISA Secretary-General. These leading independent voices in their fields, many of whom were also interviewed for the report, gave valuable advice on the trade-offs, risks, and opportunities facing the ISA in contributing to the SDGs. All the Experts, who are listed in Annex 2, are recognized internationally for their contribution to one or several elements by the SDGs and the work of ISA. The report authors are grateful for the experts’ support in strengthening the analysis underpinning this review and in deriving applicable conclusions and recommendations from it.

In his introduction to the published report, the Secretary General said: ‘It was a pleasure to work with the team from Open Cities, who acted as our consultants on this project.’ The ISA went on to note that: ‘The report is the result of an independent assessment undertaken by a consultant, OpenCities, selected through a global recruitment process. The Secretariat wishes to commend OpenCities on its work.

Strategic Positioning of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 21:23:02 GMT

An evaluation on behalf of UNESCO (2021)

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO) is a body with functional autonomy within UNESCO. It is the only UN body specializing exclusively in ocean science, ocean observation, ocean data and information exchange, and dedicated ocean services such as Tsunami Early Warning Systems. Today the demand for sound ocean science to underpin the sustainable management of the oceans is more pressing than ever. In addition, the UN General Assembly has tasked IOC-UNESCO with the design and delivery of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). The Decade provides a common framework to ensure ocean science can fully support countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In the context of the upcoming UN Decade of the Ocean, the IOC-UNESCO agreed with the Internal Oversight Service (IOS) on the merit of conducting an evaluation of its strategic positioning within the UN system and the broader landscape of ocean-related actors and programmes, taking into account relevant enabling policy frameworks to which the work of the Commission responds.

The evaluation aimed to assess the extent to which IOC-UNESCO is strategically positioned to meet the high demand for sound ocean science in support of sustainable management of the oceans in an oceanographic space that is both expanding and increasingly crowded. It is the first strategic evaluation of the IOC-UNESCO in recent years and reflects not only changing global priorities, but its increasing importance reflected in the upcoming 41 C/4 Medium Term Strategy (MTS).

The evaluation was conducted between December 2020 and June 2021. It followed United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) evaluation norms and standards and ethical guidelines. The evaluation benefitted from an Evaluation Reference Group comprising both internal and external members, such as IOC-UNESCO national focal points, other globally recognized ocean experts, and UNESCO and IOC-UNESCO managers. The evaluation process and tools were in line with UNEG guidance on Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women policy and principles.

The evaluation methodology included a draft Theory of Change to assess and make explicit links and causal linkages between IOC-UNESCO activities, outputs produced and the expected outcomes. The evaluation triangulated data collected from a variety of sources, using a mixed-method data analysis approach including qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods. Furthermore, the conduct of outcome harvesting allowed to validate directly with stakeholders IOC-UNESCO’s outcomes, both intended and unintended.

The evaluation conducted key informant interviews and a survey of a broad range of stakeholders including UNESCO National Commissions. Focus group discussions to further explore the issues of gender equality, Small Island Developing States, and Africa were also conducted, as well as two dedicated case studies on the Blue Economy and Marine Spatial Planning. Interviewees included Member States, UNESCO staff at headquarters and field offices, non-governmental partners, and other ocean science policy actors

Building Resilience post-Covid-19 in London

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 21:59:37 GMT

Employment and Skills Strategy for Kingston Borough Council (2021)

OpenCities worked with CAF Consulting and officers in the London Borough of Kingston during 6 months in 2021 to develop an Employment and Skills Plan in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The request by elected members of the Borough to develop this strategy came in response to what was already seen as the drastic impact of the pandemic on the borough’s economy. The plan was grounded in an evidence based analysis of the impact of the pandemic on the local economy. It found that:

• In RBK the total number of JSA or unemployment-related UC claimants almost tripled from 2,115 to 6,090 in the year ending November 2020. Most of these (68%) are seeking work in ‘Elementary Occupations’ – compared with less than 2% before COVID.

• The number of vacancies in RBK is estimated to have fallen from fell from 2,700 to 1,800. Hence, the ratio of job seekers to job vacancies has increased from 0.8 to 3.3. This ratio is likely to increase in coming months. Without a reduction in the ratio of job seekers to vacancies, the number of unemployed is unlikely to fall significantly in the short term.

• Many of those with elementary skills and sales and service backgrounds are likely to be from the Distribution, Hotels and Restaurants sectors. The number of vacancies matching RBK’S resident experience has fallen disproportionately because of RBK’s reliance on the DHR sector.

• Unemployment among BAME communities in June 2020 (7.2%) was more than twice the RBK average. Whilst unemployment has risen significantly for White ethnic groups, unemployment has also risen for BAME communities – most notably in the Chinese and other ethnic minority category. Hence, unemployment for BAME communities could be more than 10% currently. Efforts should be maintained such communities, as well as extending support to other traditionally non-vulnerable communities.

• Given that current jobseekers have predominantly come from the Distribution, Hotels, and Restaurants sector, and given high transport costs, it is likely that the majority of these individuals would have previously worked in south London and are probably limited to searching in the local area.

• RBK’s JSA claimants are - naturally - looking for work at their current skill level. With DHR shrinking, this means that job seekers with elementary skill levels must look to other sectors and/or upskill.

• RBK residents are employed (in order of scale) in i) banking and finance; ii) public administration, education and health; and iii) distribution, hotels and restaurants. Although employment in distribution and hospitality has shrunk it has held up in PA, health and education and grown in banking and finance.

The Plan’s recommendations focused on i) protecting the most vulnerable and ii) Strengthening cross-cutting policies and processes for Rebuilding Better. OpenCities and CAF Consulting presented the final plan to the elected members of the Council in November 2021.

The African Development Bank: a Review of UK Support

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 21:15:12 GMT

A Review on behalf of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (2020/21)

OpenCities Ltd provided the team leader (Dr Marc Stephens) for a recent review by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) of the UK’s support to the African Development Bank Group, a regional development bank active in all 54 countries in Africa. ICAI is an advisory non-departmental public body in the UK sponsored by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). It is responsible for scrutinising UK aid, focusing on delivery of value for money for UK taxpayers and maximising impact for the intended beneficiaries. The review considered the contribution of the FCDO (previously Department for International Development (DFID)) to the Bank Group, and the Bank’s performance at strategic and corporate-level, and at country level through five country case studies.

The review included a self-standing review of the academic literature relating to the Bank; a corporate level review of documentation; country visits (to Uganda and Nigeria as well as the headquarters of the Bank in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire) and 3 additional country cases. The final report is available on the ICAI website: https://icai.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/The-UKs-support-to-the-AfDB-Group-ICAI.pdf. A webinar hosted by the Overseas Development Institute, with a panel including Dr Marc Stephens and attended by over 65 participants from 15 countries, discussed the report and is available on the ODI website: https://www.odi.org/events/17337-uk-s-support-african-development-bank-group . The report was discussed at the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Committee of the House of Commons.

Measuring Crisis Preparedness

PH197193 — Sat, 08 Jan 2022 20:58:30 GMT

Working with the World Bank's Global Crisis Response Platform (2020)

Developing countries face an increasingly complex risk landscape, marked by interconnected hazards that threaten to roll back the development gains of recent decades and undermine efforts to end extreme poverty by 2030. Natural hazards like floods and extreme weather events destroy crops, livestock assets, and water and sanitation infrastructure, sparking disease and pest outbreaks. Armed conflicts drive refugee flows, exposing vulnerable populations to food insecurity and malnutrition. Financial crises stoke mass protests and civil unrest that can stress the social fabric of a society and create broader instability and violence. The World Development Report 2017 found that many countries are richer not because they have grown faster than poorer ones, but because they have had fewer episodes in which crisis or conflict shrank their economies.

The primary objective of the GCRP is to strengthen the Bank Group’s ability to provide a coherent and strategic approach to identifying and mitigating crisis risks in client countries before they turn into full-blown crises. The GCRP also aims to strengthen the institution’s response to the most serious crises, especially where a combination of shocks can have a devastating impact or spill across borders, as in the ongoing food crises in parts of Africa and in Yemen. The GCRP will focus on the interaction and combination of various risks (“compound risks”), including macro shocks, natural disasters, conflict, food emergencies, and pandemics, and will give priority to the most vulnerable and fragile contexts, where institutional and financial capacity to cope is limited.

OpenCities supported the World Bank to deliver on its February 2020 IDA 19 policy commitments to IDA Deputies, that: ‘the GCRP will support the development of metrics to monitor countries’ progress toward crisis preparedness, with a proposed approach to be developed by end-FY21. Once these preparedness metrics are finalized Management will use them to guide IDA’s country engagements through galvanizing dialogue on their preparedness gaps, and how preparedness may be improved as part of country and regional programming.’ [1] OpenCities provided expertise and support to GCRP in the development of a methodological approach to measuring preparedness, including a set of country-level metrics. Work included the development of a conceptual framework (including definitions of crisis and preparedness), outlining the key elements of preparedness that are in scope, and mapping out the work program through end FY21

World Bank Country Partnership Frameworks & Performance and Learning Reviews (2014-present)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Fri, 07 Jan 2022 16:54:30 GMT

OpenCities have worked on a series of CPFs and PLRs for the World Bank Group (WBG), largely for countries in Africa but also Latin America.

CPFs help to ensure that the World Bank's country driven model is systematic, evidence-based, selective, and focused on ending extreme poverty and increasing shared prosperity in a sustainable manner. CPFs lay out the main country development goals that WBG aims to help the country achieve, and propose a selective program of indicative WBG interventions for this purpose. More specific CPF objectives are derived from these country development goals. These are then used to monitor the program during the CPF cycle and evaluate it at the end. Performance and Learning Reviews (PLRs) are prepared mid-way through the CPF cycle. PLRs identify and capture lessons, and determine midcourse corrections in the CPF objectives and program of interventions.

Since 2014 OpenCities has led the production of CPFs for Chad, Cameroon, Comoros, Niger, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Nicaragua, Ghana, Gabon, Rwanda and others . In this time OpenCities have also led the production of five PLRs, for Burundi, Gabon, Rwanda, Chad, Mozambique and Zambia. These strategies have together shaped over US$8 billion of development spending.

Innovative Finance Strategy for the Global Resilience Partnership (2016-2018)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 16:58:49 GMT

Dr Marc Stephens (director of OpenCities Ltd) provided high level, strategic consultancy support to the Secretariat and sponsors of the Global Resilience Partnership (GRP).

The goal of GRP is to help communities in the Sahel, Horn of Africa, South Asia and South East Asia to better adapt to climatic shocks and thrive in a more resilient future. GRP brokers partnerships and investment opportunities between private, public and not-for-profit bodies around the globe and local communities in vulnerable communities.

It does this by using its knowledge, influence and coordination activities as well as by providing financial resources. Dr Stephens helped GRP by:

1) Researching, preparing options for, and providing advice towards, the design of a new GRP legal entity. The GRP is currently managed as a project by an international, private firm of auditors based in Nairobi, Kenya. This set up has limited capacity for accessing funds from public donors. To address these limitations and to ensure long-term sustainability, Dr Stephens led GRP's efforts to investigate mechanisms and modalities for establishing an independent (not-for-profit) entity.

2) Developing a fund-raising, leverage and engagement strategy for GRP. The GRP was convened with an initial US$150 million. It aims to leverage this x100 in order to be able to utilize US$15 billion towards resilience initiatives. Dr Stephens led GRP's work to develop a concrete strategy to support this ambition. This included researching the context and market of GRP, consulting with GRP stakeholders (current and potential), and analysis of models adopted by similar organisations.

3) Building an innovative finance and markets programme of work in GRP. One of GRP’s four Programmatic Feature streams is Markets and Innovative Financing. This stream deals with identifying unconventional financing instruments that can help mobilize additional private capital for resilience, to optimize the deployment of existing investments and to increase the sustainability of resilience initiatives. Dr Stephens developed a strategy and work plan to support the activation of this work stream and identify early 'quick wins'.

Dr Stephens also brokered potential joint, circular economy, programmatic opportunities between GRP and the Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP). WRAP is the UK's leading circular economy organisation working with businesses (e.g. through voluntary agreements) in the textiles, food and electrical and electronics sectors. It is committed to accelerating the transition to a sustainable, resource-efficient economy.

Dr Stephens is a trustee and board member of WRAP (http://www.wrap.org.uk/about-us/governance).

Review of the International Maritime Organization's Technical Cooperation Programme

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 19:35:33 GMT

Working with the IMO to strengthen maritime shipping capacity around the world

In 2020 OpenCities Ltd was awarded the contract to evaluate the IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) 2016-19. This was the 6 th evaluation we have undertaken for the IMO. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is the United Nations Specialized Agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine and atmospheric pollution by ships. The objective of the ITCP is to assist countries in building up their human and institutional capacities for uniform and effective compliance with the Organization’s regulatory framework, such that the Organization can achieve its mandate of ‘Safer and Secure Shipping and Cleaner Oceans’.

Key components of the evaluation include: detailed analysis of financial and output data and comparison with biennial plans; collecting data and opinion from the IMO Secretariat (regional heads, implementing officers etc.) including through an internal survey; an external survey (in English, French and Spanish) of approximately 1,000 maritime officials, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and other actors located in about 200 countries and territories; six country cases to ask ‘how’ and ‘why’ questions and explore the results of the external survey; focus groups with selected Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States; collation of best practice and what works in capacity building; a review of previous ITCP impact assessment recommendations and action taken; and benchmarking the IMO’s performance and approach against UN comparators (International Civil Aviation Organization, World Meteorological Organization).

World Bank Completion and Learning Reviews (CLRs) (2014-present)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Tue, 04 Jan 2022 10:19:52 GMT

Completion and Learning Reviews (CLR) take place at the end of a Country Partnership Framework (CPF) cycle and aim to identify and capture lessons to contribute to the World Bank Group's (WBG) knowledge base

These findings are used to help the WBG improve how they integrate inclusion and sustainability dimensions into their programs and are also important in the preparation of a new CPF. Between 2014 and 2018, OpenCities have led the production of CLRs for Benin, Bhutan, Burundi, Chad, Gabon, Guinea, Ghana, Mozambique, Niger, the Pacific Region, Tanzania and others.

Stockholm International Water Institute mapping and organizational analysis (2019)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 03 Jan 2022 16:26:57 GMT

OpenCities produced a report for the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) based on research and analysis of African regional and sub-regional organizations.

SIWI were interested in understanding the potential of different organizations to acts as partners in influencing and implementing improved rainfed agriculture.

An initial analysis of 22 organizations formed part of a mapping exercise which gave an overview of relevant institutions and institutional frameworks, and sought to summarize each organization's current engagement with rainfed agriculture and related practices. A complex area of relationships involving overlapping policy frameworks, continental organizations, regional economic communities (RECs), member states and river basin organizations was condensed into a series of slides and diagrams to help our client gain a better understanding of the environment they wanted to engage with.

This research was supplemented by an analysis of available data on REC capacities, as well as an overview of the different areas in which work on rainfed agriculture techniques was being included, for example, Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). OpenCities also carried out seven interviews with representatives from the relevant organisations. This allowed us to glean nuanced and detailed insights into how each of the organisations work, what their experience of working with the other organisations has been like, and where the momentum is moving forward in terms of working on improving rainfed agriculture.

All of this research was outlined in the report and used to make recommendations on where and how SIWI could best engage.

Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) review of DFID (UK) - Business in Development (2015-2016)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Sun, 02 Jan 2022 13:14:26 GMT

Dr Marc Stephens was asked to lead a year long review, on behalf of ICAI, of DFID's direct engagement with businesses (local and global) to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits in developing countries. ICAI is a body set up by the UK parliament to scrutinise UK international development programmes.

The Review examined the full range of DFID's direct engagement with businesses including through challenge fund competitions, development capital (loans and equity) and other direct partnerships with business. It included case studies of DFID's work in India and Ghana. The report is available at http://icai.independent.gov.uk/report/business-in-development

The review examined the advantages and disadvantages of 25 different business partnership models. Models of potential relevance for this tender included: a) DFID's high level modes of engagement with large corporates through sector roundtables, bilateral partnerships, participation in panels and DFID's corporate relationship management system; b) a range of networks, alliances and partnerships including: a £12 million strategic partnership with Discovery Channel, support for the Clinton Health Access Initiative Phase 2, Business Call to Action and many more; and c) eight different models of working with impact investors including investments in wind power in Rajasthan, India. See Annex to the report on pp38-40 for a full list of partnerships assessed. The work included reviewing DFID's partnerships with businesses in large cities such as New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Bombay in India as well as Accra and Tamale in Ghana.

A transcript and video clip of Dr Stephens's testimony to the House of Commons Select Committee for International Development is available here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/international-development-committee/sub-committee-on-the-work-of-the-independent-commission-for-aid-impact.

Evaluation of IMO Contribution to Millennium Development Goals (2017-2018)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Sat, 01 Jan 2022 13:21:02 GMT

This IMO evaluation involved an 18 month program of work that began with an evaluation of the IMO’s contribution to the MDGs over the period 2008-15, including field trips to Thailand and Bangladesh, and resulting in a major report and presentation to IMO members states;

a review of IMO’s existing evaluation manual and the development of a completely new Evaluation Policy and Guidelines - sitting alongside similar documents for all other UN agencies; and a formative evaluation of the IMO’s preparedness to contribute to the SDGs (due to be completed by 31 December 2018).

OpenCities director Dr Stephens led a team of 4 consultants in a comprehensive review and evaluation of the IMO’s normative and technical assistance activities and their contribution to the MDGs. This included field missions to Thailand, Bangladesh and Seychelles. It was the most comprehensive evaluation ever undertaken at the IMO. He also led a team that completely modernised the IMO’s evaluation policies and guidelines. These are now in the process of being approved internally for ultimate endorsement by the IMO’s governing bodies. Dr Stephens also led a short formative/inception review of how well-prepared IMO is to contribute to the SDGs particularly in the maritime sector. This includes reviewing its early theory of change and making proposals for developing a tighter logframe and monitoring infrastructure including supporting members states to develop their own frameworks in the maritime sector.

IMO Ambassador Scheme Evaluation (2019)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Fri, 31 Dec 2021 13:25:59 GMT

OpenCities was asked to carry out an independent evaluation of the IMO's ambassador scheme, the International Maritime Organisation Goodwill Maritime Ambassador (IMO-GMA) Scheme, and produce a report.

OpenCities carried out a document review to help refine the objectives of the evaluation as well as design survey and interview questions.

A survey with a mix of open and close ended questions was then sent out to 150 IMO-GMAs and other permanent representatives. Responses were analysed and charts created to show the trends and distributions of answers and allow comparisons between IMO-GMA responses and non-ambassador responses.

OpenCities also carried out seven bilateral interviews with IMO-GMAs. These detailed, qualitative interviews allowed for the collection of more detailed perspectives on the functioning of the scheme and a richer understanding of the experience of IMO-GMAs, thus providing an important input into the recommendation of the report.

Somaliland Business Fund – Impact Evaluation (2016)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 13:17:29 GMT

OpenCities conducted an impact evaluation of the Somaliland Business Fund (SBF). The SBF was an US$11 million matching grant scheme funded by DANIDA, DFID and the World Bank.

It was managed by the World Bank and designed to provide direct support to the private sector to promote enterprise start-up and growth to create sustainable employment and income opportunities. The Fund comprised an open, competitive scheme that co-financed business development services and physical and capital assets on a matching basis. In total 174 grants were awarded and US$9.2 million disbursed during 2013-14.

The evaluation focused on the following questions: To what extent did the SBF contribute to building stronger, more sustainable markets? To what extent did the SBF achieve an equitable distribution of benefits? How robust were FMU marketing and application processes and which aspects could have been improved and how? How robust were FMU monitoring, disbursement and evaluation processes? What was the contribution of the governance arrangements (Project Steering Committee, Grants Advisory Panel, development partners) and how could this have been strengthened further?

Activities included overall responsibility for the delivery of the project; interface with DANIDA (particularly Mr Michael Thyge Poulsen); design and implementation of the project; drafting the final report. Data were collected in four main ways: 1) one-to-one interviews with key stakeholders; 2) a phone survey of 266 businesses; three focus groups in Hargeisa (primarily manufacturers); Gebilay (primarily agriculturalists); and Burao (mixed agriculturalists, gums and resins and services); interviews with Government officials, development partners, SBF staff, academics and examination of documents. The Report drew conclusions with respect to the evaluation questions and 19 recommendations.

Language, work culture and economic development in Tripoli, Libya

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Wed, 29 Dec 2021 13:59:58 GMT

The MD of OpenCities, Dr Marc Stephens, was invited by the Graduate Academy in Tripoli to present a paper on language, work culture and economic development at its annual linguistics conference.

Dr Stephens, a fluent Arabic speaker, analyzed nearly 1000 idioms in English and Arabic – including both Egyptian Arabic and Libyan Arabic - to draw inferences about the culture of each language. The premise of the study was that the prevalence of certain types of idiom can provide information about the culture of a country. Its overall thesis was that language is a window into culture and values which in turn are key determinants of work ethics, management culture and economic development.

The study found clear differences in the types of idioms used by different languages and cultures. For example English uses more business related idioms – ‘what’s the bottom line’, assets and liabilities, hedging one’s bets – as well as sporting idioms than does Arabic which in turn uses many more household and agriculture based idioms. Between Egyptian and Libyan Arabic there were also marked differences. Dr Stephens presented the findings at the Symposium in Arabic.

Impact review of DFID Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA) with CARE UK (2016):

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Tue, 28 Dec 2021 13:14:25 GMT

OpenCities led a team tasked with evaluating a Programme Partnership Arrangement (PPA).

PPAs are agreements between DFID and civil society organisations. They provide unrestricted funding to CSOs with global reach and expertise, and they achieve real results in terms of poverty reduction and provide good value for money (demonstrated through competitive selection).

The assignment focused on CARE’s work in three areas: Women’s Economic Empowerment, Resilience to Climate Change and Local Governance and Accountability. It addressed 4 questions that are potentially relevant to the planned Partnership Facilitation Unit: How effective was strategic funding in supporting innovation, learning and capacity building? What evidence is there that PPA funding offers value for money and why? How and why are innovative pilot practices funded by PPA adopted and scaled up by third parties to multiply impact? How and when are CARE country offices able to optimise the use of unrestricted funding?

The evaluation included: intensive engagement with CARE staff to define scope of review; development of a methodology and refinement of evaluation questions to enable CARE to unpack dynamics of how pilots are scaled up (opening the ‘black box’); design of country visits to Bangladesh and Kenya as well as assessment of global CARE facilities such as their climate change and resilience partnership and support function; leading mission to Kenya and interviewing banks, mobile operators, NGOs and others to assess process of scaling up village savings and loan arrangements and process of dissemination and take-up of Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Analysis tools; leading development of a model (described by CARE as ‘genius’) to illustrate channels of how innovations are scaled up; overall intellectual leadership and drafting of final report.

Organisational Review for Development Effectiveness Unit in South Asia Department of World Bank (2013)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 27 Dec 2021 10:14:49 GMT

The director responsible for the operational services and quality department (120 staff) in a large organisation (800 staff) asked Open Cities to carry out an assessment of stakeholder views on the services provided by his department.

The purpose was to provide a base line briefing for his successor. The department (whose staff are based in 8 different countries) is responsible for all financial management of projects, procurement issues and operational quality of projects.

Open Cities carried out interviews with senior directors responsible for key sectors as well as directors responsible for country offices. These interviews were carried out by telephone from London as well as in person at the office headquarters in the USA. We also developed and circulated an electronic survey to all staff in the organisation asking for their views on the department's services.

We produced a first draft report based on our findings which we discussed with managers working for our client. Based on their feedback we were able to produce a rounded evaluation and highlight a small number of strategic improvements that would help the department to do better. The report was very well received and managers have developed their own improvement action plans based upon it.

Development Effectiveness department comprehensive review of trust fund management (2011-2013)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Sun, 26 Dec 2021 09:47:07 GMT

The Development Effectiveness unit of the South Asia region of the World Bank in Washington DC commissioned OpenCities to undertake a comprehensive review of the way it manages trust funds on behalf of international donors.

The South Asia region manages large trust funds such as the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund as well as a multiplicity of funds in 8 countries in the region including India and Pakistan.

OpenCities carried out an in-depth analysis of the number and type of trust funds managed by the South Asia region and demonstrated that the South Asia portfolio of trust fund financed grant was relatively fragmented which in turn was increasing the administrative burden on staff responsible for the portfolio even though the dollar value of the trust funds was lower than some other regions in the Bank.

OpenCities produced a strategy based on three pillars namely: strategic consolidation of the existing portfolio; tighter management of the portfolio; and development of a ‘prospectus’ for potential new private and public sector donors aimed at highlighting those sectors in the south asia region where the greatest country needs – eg infrastructure and governance - coincided with core management strengths in the Bank’s.

Organisational Development of the Concessional Finance and Partnership Unit of the World Bank (2011-2013):

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Sat, 25 Dec 2021 09:49:58 GMT

Over a period of three years Dr Marc Stephens provided detailed, operational support to the Vice President of the Concessional Finance and Partnership department in the World Bank to develop the organisational capacity of the department.

The CFP is responsible, inter alia, for the Bank's Global Partnership and Trust Fund operations. The Bank manages over 1000 trust funds (on behalf of third party contributors such as the Danish government) which provide grants to NGOs and private entities as well as governments. Dr Stephens:

1) worked with multiple stakeholders across the World Bank to develop organisational procedures applicable across the Bank (procurement, financial management, social and environmental safeguards, results, monitoring and evaluation, etc) for accelerating and simplifying the processing of "small" trust fund grants (less than US$5 million) and "micro" grants (less than US$0.5 million) including the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other environment trust funds resulting in faster, safer throughput of grants;

2) benchmarked World Bank trust fund management processes and structures against eight other multilateral organisations (UNDP, WHO, IFAD, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, OECD and IMF); the work was requested by the then President of the World Bank and was used to encourage a more standardised approach;

3) developed a results framework for trust funds managed by the World Bank enabling the Bank to adopt a more strategic approach to trust fund management.

The relationship between culture, values and development?

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 14:31:20 GMT

What is the relationship between culture, values and economic development?

Organisations involved in supporting the development of systems and infrastructure in lower income countries have for long realised that changing hearts and minds is a critical part of the reform process. But many have not realised that simply transplanting market-based approaches to human resource management to traditional societies may not work since HR systems themselves make certain cultural and value judgements.

In short what is often called the 'soft stuff' in development is really the hard stuff. OpenCities director Marc Stephens discusses his experience working in the Libyan public financial sector.

WORK CULTURE IN MENA >

LCR Portfolio Analysis (2013)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 16:21:10 GMT

OpenCities were commissioned by LCSDE in 2013 to produce a report entitled 'LCR Portfolio Quality Analysis'.

This analysis, for the World Bank, looked at its Latin American portfolio. The report aimed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of LCR's portfolio with respect to overall project outcomes, and used LCR's own ISR data as well as IEG project ratings. OpenCities also carried out interviews with staff in the region to help develop practical responses to any issues highlighted, and case studies to provide qualitative insights into the causes of good and poor project performance.

IEG and team calculations of project ratings were used to compare LCR project performances with the rest of the World Bank's portfolio. OpenCitie's analysis also found that governance, social protection and education projects were the best performing projects in the latter half of the 2000's while agriculture and urban development lagged behind. The analysis also found that within the LCR portfolio, Haiti, Paraguay and Argentina have much higher shares of commitments at risk than the rest of the region.

An in-depth qualitative analysis identified several core issues with large problem projects: shortages in counterpart funding; management and/or fiduciary and/or other technical weaknesses in implementing units; slow implementation at local levels due to multiple parties or weak capacity; and poor management of works contracts. OpenCities also summarised some practical suggestions to improve LCR projects, in particular focussed on improving the work of TTLs.

World Bank procedures for processing small trust fund grants (2011-2012)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 22 Oct 2018 15:09:22 GMT

As part of a wider piece of work involving development of an abbreviated due diligence processes for small grants our client’s central operational policies department asked OpenCities to conduct a statistical analysis of grants awarded by the client to some 1700 recipients including NGOs and private companies.

The objective was to assess at what level of grant size activities funded by grants began to resemble standard projects funded by the client including goods and civil works as opposed simply to consultancy services.

The work required analysis of the grant funding request forms completed by the client's project managers as applications to trust funds for funding. OpenCities read and analyzed a sample of about 450 grant funding request forms and extracted data regarding the items procured, the nature of the recipient, the size of the grant and a range of other data. This was organized in an excel spreadsheet and analyzed using pivot tables to ensure no loss of information and rapid alternative cuts of the data.

The analysis played an important role in helping our client to determine the new threshold for trust fund grants below which new abbreviated due diligence and other shorter processes could apply.

Protection of Basic Services (PBS III) Results Enhancement Fund (2012-2013)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Sun, 23 Sep 2018 08:52:22 GMT

OpenCities were hired by DFID to help design a performance-based element to PBS III (a multilateral trust fund with funding from the World Bank and a range of bilateral donors) and write the operational manual.

The key feature of the final design was a system of rewarding superior delivery by regional and local governments. It was proposed that the Fund would have a budget of US$75 million (10% of the total budget for the PBS Program).

As part of this work Dr Stephens co-designed (with a counterpart from the Ministry of Finance) a Results Enhancement Fund that aimed to incentivise strong delivery (in water, roads, education, health and agriculture) by regional governments while taking account of the need to build capacity in weaker regions. He travelled extensively around the country, engaging with local government at various levels, and produced a complete operational manual for the fund. Key sections of the Manual included: overall program design, indicators for assessing performance, planning, basic reward mechanism, equity considerations, scheme for ranking of performance, verification of results, payment systems, responsibilities, institutional arrangements, flow of funds, procurement, reporting, monitoring and evaluation, internal and external audit, non-compliance, corruption, modifications, entry into effect.

Language and corporate training arm, Tripoli (2010)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 23 Jul 2018 08:43:38 GMT

In 2010 OpenCities established a language and corporate training arm in Tripoli, Libya providing in-house business training for staff and managers in a range of banks, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds.

Employing a team of over a dozen highly skilled tutors we delivered our training across Tripoli and other cities such as Misrata and intervening towns. Using a combination of established training texts and our materials we delivered bespoke training to hundreds of local managers. OpenCities now offers corporate training in partnership with Strategy and Eduation in London and other cities including Istanbul.

Introduced basic HR processes in central bank, and 2 largest state banks in Libya (2008-2009):

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 23 Apr 2018 08:35:12 GMT

OpenCities was commissioned to develop and roll out a modern performance management system for the central bank of Libya and the country’s two largest retail banks.

We worked with the banks in Libya to develop templates and procedures for conducting individual performance management. OpenCities ran a 3 hour workshop, chaired by the governor of the central bank, and involving all his senior directors which was led by Open Cities MD Dr Marc Stephens.

The workshop introduced participants to the new approach to performance management that was required of them. In particular we showed participants how the strategy of the Bank as a whole should be cascaded down into specific objectives for individual directors and their managers. OpenCities led and facilitated workshops of this nature across the country and involved the top management teams of the banks concerned as well as directors and branch managers around the country. Subsequently OpenCities was also commissioned to facilitate a training workshop on due diligence methods and on risk management, both aimed at senior management in the financial sector.

Development of New Guidelines for Accelerated Processing of Small Trust Fund Grants (2011)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 13:33:19 GMT

The World bank asked OpenCities to develop a procedure for managing small grants. The objective of aligning Bank processes that are designed for very large investment projects with the needs of very small grants had challenged the Bank for a number of years with at least one attempt made to solve the problem previously.

Many of these grants are made to civil society organisations across the world with very little capacity to meet the Bank’s usual demands for information and due diligence. Managing these trust funds is an important aspect of the Bank's work and it was important to the Bank that its due diligence processes were fit for purpose.

The end product was a new set of official Bank guidance representing an entirely fresh approach to small grants in the Bank including standardized templates, streamlined procedures, shorter clearance times etc. The Bank now has a more streamlined yet still safe method of preparing and supervising grants.

Institutional Development in the Financial Sector in Libya (2009-2010)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 09:40:09 GMT

OpenCities director Dr Stephens worked with McKinsey as an external expert (provided by OpenCities) on two key projects: a) reform of the financial sector training academy that was responsible for meeting the professional training needs of the financial sector in Libya; and b) developing an operational manual for the Libya Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Both activities drew on Dr Stephens’s expertise in organisational development, his knowledge of vocational training (based on his experience in London) as well as his fluency in Arabic and background at the Bank of England.

Dr Stephens was the lead expert on content for the assignment on reforming the financial sector training academy. He undertook an analysis of the demand from a range of financial institutions for training; assessed the nature of the Academy’s offer (which was excessively geared to language training rather than professional training); and co-produced the final report and recommendations that were submitted to the Governor of the Bank of Libya. These highlighted the need, among others, for the Institute to be more responsive to the needs of financial institutions in both the public and private sectors.

As part of the project focused on the development of an operational manual for the Libya Sovereign Wealth Fund, Dr Stephens supported and advised a team reponsible for the modernisation of all operational processes in the organisation. He focused particularly on human resource and performance management processes. But won the trust of the CEO of the Sovereign Wealth Fund sufficiently to be able to advise and support on issues of internal communication to staff.

BRIC Prospects to 2050

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 15:44:12 GMT

The BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) continue to exist as an acronym although global appreciation of their differences and the challenges they face has increased alongside a continued fascination with the sheer scale of their economic prospects.

OpenCities director Marc Stephens, who was formerly in charge of the Bank of England's global macroeconomic forecast, and led the establishment of the Mayor of London's office in Beijing in 2005, was commissioned to produce an analysis of the trade and growth prospects of these economic behemoths.

We reproduce that analysis here and will revisit it from time to time to see how close - or far away - we were from what actually happened!

BRIC PROSPECTS TO 2050 >

Business Led Skills and Employment Task force (2006)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Tue, 23 Jan 2018 16:38:27 GMT

Director of OpenCities Dr Stephens was the lead external consultant supporting the Business Led Skills and Employment Taskforce during 2006.

The Mayor of London established the task force to produce a strategy to increase employment and improve vocational training in London. The task force was chaired by Sir Harvey McGrath, former chair of the Man Group, Prudential plc and Big Society Capital, the impact investment group. The majority of task force members consisted of large private sector employers together with vocational training colleges and some local government representatives. OpenCities helped to oversee the development of a comprehensive evidence base on employment and skills; engage with all members of the task force; develop and present ideas to increase employment and improve training; engage with multiple external stakeholders to channel their input effectively.

Design of Sustainable City: King Abdullah Economic City (2007-2008)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 16:50:15 GMT

OpenCities produced a report for the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) based on research and analysis of African regional and sub-regional organisations.

OpenCities was hired by the world's leading management consultancy to help advise one of the largest private sector players in the Middle East on the development of economic cities in Saudi Arabia. Conceived by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, the economic cities were one of the most exciting thrusts yet to promote economic development in the Middle East. The initiative comprised four main components:

• the development of a business friendly environment

• world class infrastructure

• globally competitive business clusters

• the creation of cities, not industrial zones

The largest of these planned developments was King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), the single largest private sector project in the region developed by Emaar the Economic City (Emaar.E.C), a Tadawul-listed company.The Saudi government's vision was for KAEC to create one million jobs and be home to 2 million residents. The City is located between the two Holy Cities of Makkah and Madina and the city of Jeddah. With a total development area of 168 million square meters, the planned City is divided into six districts: the Sea Port, Industrial Zone, Central Business District (mixed use zone including commercial, hotel, retail and Financial Island), Resort District, Educational Zone and Residential Communities (including corniche and souks). SAGIA (Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority), the apex body responsible for inward investments into the Kingdom, is the prime facilitator for the development.

Our work won first prize out of more than 300 entries from across the lead management consultancy in an internal competition.

Mayoral strategy on vocational training and employment (2007)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Mon, 22 Jan 2018 16:43:36 GMT

In 2007 OpenCities developed evidence base for new Mayoral strategy on vocational training and employment for London resulting in new orientation for public spend on adult education.

OpenCities was hired by the London Development Agency to lead the development of a city-wide adult vocational skills strategy on behalf of the Mayor of London. Working with an employer-led skills and employment commission comprising some of London's largest businesses, as well as a team of researchers from GLA Economics, OpenCities helped the LDA produce a strategy and supporting evidence base aimed at tailoring national vocational policy to the specific needs of Londoners.

Prior to this OpenCities represented the Thames Gaateway sub-regional partnership in its submission to the Examination in Public of the London Plan. OpenCities MD Marc Stephens had previously also led the production of LEST, the London Employment and Skills Taskforce report, that set out and remained the fundamental agenda for the achievement of social legacy benefits from the London Olympic Games. He was also the principal author of the Major's second London Economic Strategy in 2004.

Analysis of London’s trade with BRIC markets (2007)

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Sun, 21 Jan 2018 16:02:00 GMT

The Major of London in 2007 commissioned OC to carry out an analysis of the UK’s trade with the large emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China, the so-called ‘BRICs’ and to draw conclusions and make recommendations for London.

This work was requested in the context of an overall drive by the Mayor’s office to build on London’s status as a world status involving initiatives such as stronger links with Beijing, London’s predecessor as an Olympic city, and the attraction of tourists and investors to London.

OC used data from the IMF’s World Economic Outlook database and Direction of Trade database to establish the recent growth trends and future projected growth rates of the BRICS in aggregate and per capita terms. It showed that on plausible assumptions China would overtake the USA as the world’s largest economy in 2027 and that India would do the same by 2050. It also showed, using income distribution data for the BRICs, that the purchasing power of the upper 20% of populations in China and India was equivalent to that of the UK’s top 6 trading partners after the USA. Yet we also showed that, with the exception of India, the UK is lagging behind other industrialized economies in its share of world exports to the BRICs.

Based on our analysis we recommended that the Mayor a) develop a trade strategy based on wholesale opportunities in China and India and retail/consumer opportunities in Russia and top 20% income brackets in China and India with longer term retail/consumer prospects for wider population in China and India; b) investigate the potential for using trade with other emerging economies such as Pakistan, Africa and Near East as element in Mayor’s drive to promote social inclusion; c) assess ways of ensuring that the overall impact of tourism, inward investment and trade promotion spend in London was greater than the sum of its parts; and d) develop a communication strategy to help crystallize for London businesses the opportunity represented by the BRICS.

Development Initiatives Under the Tony Blair Government

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Fri, 22 Dec 2017 15:40:59 GMT

The era when Gordon Brown was chancellor of the exchequer in the UK was a time of great innovation and experimentation in the field of regeneration and economic development with ideas adopted from the US and Europe at breakneck speed.

It was the time of the regional development agencies which were charged with promoting and supporting local businesses and employment. Many of the initiatives adopted by the RDAs have since been abandoned or superseded. But some ideas continue to have merit.

OpenCities research collated some of these initiatives for the Middle East and North Africa department of the World Bank.

IDEAS FOR SME DEVELOPMENT 180213 >

IDEAS FOR ACTIVE LABOUR MARKET POLICIES 180213 >

Universities and the Olympic Games

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 15:35:38 GMT

As the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games draw to a close we reflect back on the London 2012 Olympic Games, widely acknowledged to be among the most successful Games in history.

Part of the reason for London's success was that discussion about the Games' future legacy had begun even before the bid was won. In 2007 OpenCities director Marc Stephens (who was previously in charge of developing the blueprint for the Games' social legacy while at the Mayor of London's development agency) was asked to present a paper at a conference sponsored by the Guardian newspaper in London on how universities in countries such as the USA are an important source of future professional athletes.

The results that came out of OpenCities' research were quite surprising.

UNIVERSITIES & THE OLYMPIC GAMES SUMMARY >

Chair CEO workshop discussions for London Development Agency

websitebuilder-hub@names.co.uk — Fri, 23 Oct 2015 12:59:57 GMT

OpenCities was asked to chair a day long workshop comprising the CEOs of 5 sub-regional business partnerships in the London region. The partnerships were partly funded by the Mayor of London’s development agency the London Development Agency (LDA).

Their key task was to support and ultimately retain businesses in London, including new arrivals, and hence play a role that complimented and supported that of the main London inward investment agency, Think London.

OpenCities facilitated the discussion between the 5 CEOS, capturing key insights and recommendations as well as ensuring that the conversation remained structured and on track. Following the workshop OpenCities developed a report together with a number of recommendations aimed at addressing the core concerns of the partnerships. The report was very well received and its recommendations formed the basis for subsequent action by all 5 partnerships the majority of which received a second contract from the LDA.