Best practices

As part of its management of the University Partnerships in Cooperation and Development (UPCD) program, AUCC has developed a number of tools and resources to support project directors and their team members in the design and implementation of UPCD projects. You will find some of these helpful guides and reference documents on this page. Other individuals interested in universities’ contribution to international development will also find these resources useful.

Download the documents

	Higher education: A major force for international development (November 2008) This bilingual card highlights some of the successes and impacts of the UPCD program since 2001. Find out more... (pdf)
	Building vibrant economies and good governance through knowledge partnerships (November 2007) This brochure articulates the overall value of harnessing higher education as an instrument of development and highlights the specific achievements of a few of the 150 partnerships funded so far through the UPCD program. Find out more... (pdf)
	Contribution of the UPCD program to basic education (November 2006) This report presents the findings of a desk study commissioned by AUCC to assess the contribution of the UPCD program to the basic education commitments set by the international community and, more specifically, the goals set for the Education for All program in the Dakar Framework for Action adopted by the international community in 2000. Find out more... (pdf)
	Effective decision-making in UPCD projects: use of the case method (May 2006) The author, Dr. Frederick Keenan, notes that the most widely shared characteristic of effective managers of development projects is the thought processes they go through to make decisions. One of the most powerful tools for developing the ability to make good decisions is the case method, which he applies here to decision-making at different points in the implementation cycle of UPCD projects. Find out more... (pdf)
	How UPCD partners make the most of research (April 2006) As the use of knowledge does not automatically follow its production, various strategies must be implemented to ensure that it reaches policy-makers, practitioners and the general public. This document highlights some of the innovative strategies through which UPCD partners have succeeded in broadening the reach of their research-related results. Find out more... (pdf)
	Applying results-based management to UPCD project design (January 2006) Establishing a simple and clear RBM framework that is agreed upon among partners and that is well grounded in a strong analysis and reflective of the project description is a foundation for project success. A strong RBM framework will guide decision-making and facilitate the monitoring of progress, ultimately making joint management of the project much easier. Find out more... (pdf)
	Gender equality in UPCD project design (January 2006) Gender equality is expected to be effectively addressed in all CIDA-funded projects within the context of the projects' goals and with sensitivity to the diversity of local cultures. Since gender equality is a cross-cutting theme of all CIDA projects, the gender component of projects will be an important part in evaluating their success. Find out more... (pdf)
	Research Roundtable – Summary of Results (November 2005) This brief report summarizes the results of the research roundtable held during the November 2005 UPCD project directors’ meeting. The discussions revealed that research activities are often central to the projects and thus have a direct influence on achieving results. Research also helps partners identify appropriate solutions to local problems and fosters ownership of the project by the developing country partners. Find out more...(pdf)

Please contact Jen Avaz at javaz@aucc.ca, (613) 563-3961 ext. 243 or Chalanne Matheson at cmatheso@aucc.ca, ext. 319 if you have any questions regarding the resources.