4th Microfinance Training of Trainers: A Blended Distance Learning Course

Purpose

The Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Tokyo Development Learning Center (TDLC) of the World Bank, and the World Bank Institute (WBI) are pleased to announce the fourth delivery of the Microfinance Training of Trainers (MFTOT) from August to November 2007. MFTOT is a unique blended distance learning course which aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of microfinance in the Asia-Pacific Region to better serve the poor by enhancing the knowledge of microfinance practitioners.

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Background

Microfinance is recognized as an effective development intervention in improving the livelihoods and reducing the vulnerability of poor and low-income people. While the gap between the supply and demand for microfinance services is huge, the main constraint is the lack of capacity in operating sustainable institutions, not the lack of funds.

To address this constraint, ADBI, TDLC, and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) launched the Microfinance Training of Trainers (MFTOT) Course in 2005. MFTOT aims to make high-quality microfinance training accessible to more decision-makers and practitioners in the field of microfinance by increasing the number of accredited microfinance trainers in the Asia-Pacific region.

In three previous MFTOT courses, nearly 150 participants from 14 countries studied the course with online tutoring support, and 91 were accredited as trainers of the UNCDF course. In addition, approximately 1,000 participants completed self-study without online tutoring. In total, more than 1,500 sets of learning materials (workbook and CD-ROM) have been distributed to participants. All three courses have been favorably evaluated by participants. The course also received the highest evaluation among distance learning courses in the Global Development Learning Network (GDLN) system.

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Course Description

The course features a unique, blended approach consisting of:

1. Self-paced study using interactive digital learning materials developed by UNCDF. The Microfinance Distance Learning (MFDL) package explores why and how microfinance operations grow to provide financial services to poor and low-income people on a sustainable basis. It brings together advice and best practices from successful practitioners and institutions from Asia, Latin America, and Africa. The package is available online at http://www.uncdf.org/mfdl/. A CD-ROM version of the MFDL is also available.

2. Online tutoring. The course engages tutors who are top graduates of previous MFDL courses to support the learning process. Tutors assist participants throughout the course in completing the course assignments and grade the assignments. The tutors communicate with participants primarily through email, under supervision of the course organizers. In countries where there is a large number of participants and where accredited trainers are available, tutoring could be done in local languages, possibly with some face-to-face sessions. The tutors’ service fees are subsidized by the donors.

3. Meeting with international microfinance experts through four three-hour videoconference sessions at the local GDLN center or through live webcasting. The videoconference sessions will feature presentations and discussions on current issues and best practices in microfinance. Please review the webcasting details.

4. E-discussion forum moderated by experts.

For participants who wish to be certified as trainers of the UNCDF course, an accreditation examination will be offered at the conclusion of the course. All participants, including those from previous courses, can apply to take the examination for accreditation. Details will be announced at a later date.

In addition, there will be locally organized activities in selected countries. Utilizing the training capacity built by the previous three courses, Vietnam, China, Mongolia and Sri Lanka and other selected countries will offer their own local courses in local languages running parallel to the regional MFTOT course.

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Objectives

To strengthen the institutional capacity of microfinance in the Asia Pacific Region to better serve the poor, by enhancing the knowledge of microfinance practitioners and building the capacity of trainers to make high-quality training accessible to more decision-makers and practitioners in the field of microfinance.

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Participants

This course is for development practitioners, microfinance professionals, policy makers, donor staff, socially responsible investors, students, and others who want to improve their knowledge of best practices in microfinance.

Participants who wish to become fully certified trainers of the MFDL course will have the option to take the accreditation examination at the conclusion of the course.

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How to Apply

Course registration is open at http://mftot.jointokyo.org/.

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Language

The course will primarily be delivered in English. For participants aiming for certification, English proficiency is crucial. The videoconferences, e-discussion, assignments and final examination will be conducted in English. However, for those taking the course for knowledge, a high level of English proficiency is not required.

For selected languages, including Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, Khmer, Lao, Thai and Vietnamese, preliminary versions of translated course materials are expected to be available in August.

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Cosponsors

Tokyo Development Learning Center
Global Development Learning Network
World Bank Office