Source: Austrian Chamber of Commerce, May 2007

September promises to be a defining month for Human Dynamics with the launch of their largest EU financed project to date. Human Dynamics will work closely with the Government of Ukraine and the Coal Ministry to implement the “Coal Sector Policy Support Programme“ during a 28 months period which will see the project run until 2010

The Human Dynamics team will work with Ukraine’s stakeholders to advance substantially the development of the coal mining industry in a socially responsible and cost effective manner as well as improving on current safety standards. More specifically, the team’s activities will comprise:

• Institutional Strengthening in the Ukrainian Coal Mining Industry:
  Provide assistance to the Ministry of Coal Industry to build up adequate structures and qualified personnel to optimise management of the coal mining sector and in particular fulfil the obligations under the Restructuring Plan;
  Provide training to various stakeholders to prepare them to the challenges of the restructuring plan
• Master Plan for the Development of the Ukrainian Coal Industry:
  Support the MoCI to develop an integrated Master Plan for the restructuring of the coal mining industry taking into account the role of the coal sector in the Ukrainian energy strategy
• Social Policy: Setting up a Social Development Fund:
  Assistance to the MoCI to conceive adequate tools, measures and policies to fulfil the social obligations arising out of the coal restructuring process including setting up a Social Development Fund and training qualified personnel for fund management
• Improving Occupational Safety:
  Support MoCI and other stakeholders to improve the safety standards substantially by developing a pilot scheme for the further development of occupational safety standards and providing technical assistance to prepare innovative pilot projects in the field of safety
• Catalogue of Contaminated Sites:
  Provide assistance to MoCI with a comprehensive overview of contaminated sites (catalogue of contaminated sites), adequate proposals on how to rectify them and training for remediation specialists

Following the successfully delivery of the 2005 VET Reform Phase II in Serbia,  a consortium with Human Dynamics will launch work on “Additional Support to Reform of Vocational Education and Training (VET)” in May 2008, seeking to build upon the successes of Phase II

This 11 months EU financed Project will continue to develop the results by the CARDS 2005 VET Reform programme for  Vocational Education and Training, and Adult Training.

The overall objective of the Project is to contribute to the Serbian Government’s efforts to promote national socio-economic development and cohesion through a coherent VET system and a well skilled labour force, adapted to the needs of the labour market. This is to be achieved through:

• Institutional capacity building for the Ministry of Education (MoE) and other national stakeholders to develop and implement a policy and strategy framework for vocational education and training based on partnership, and ensuring the link between training provision and economic development.
• Strengthening the capacity of national and local actors to design and implement new vocational education and training programmes for young people and adults (Human Resource Development (HRD) and curricula development).
• Upgrading the school infrastructure (supporting EIB Education Sector Loan for building and equipping of new schools and rehabilitation of others, and supporting delivery of VET equipment to pilot schools).

Starting from May 2008 the Human Dynamics Team is assisting for 24 months the Ministry of Economics, Commerce and Business Promotion of Equatorial Guinea

The EU financed project “Program of good governance in Equatorial Guinea – Technical Assistance to the projects of Civil Society Support (PASC), Decentralization Support (PAD) and Regional Integration support (PAIR)” has been designed to create and improve institutional and human capacities which shape Rule of Law in Equatorial Guinea. The project is seeking to guarantee peace, economic development and social progress in the country as the only way to secure the participation of the whole population in the efforts of development and the use of resources to fight poverty.

The Project will address three major components:

• PASC (Civil Society Support): its goal is to strengthen the civil society and its participation in the politic, social and economic development of the country.
• PAD (Decentralization Support): seeks to improve the services of the local administrations and this way contribute to consolidation of the decentralization of the local corporations.
• PAIR (Regional Integration Support): its goal is to strengthen the production and export capacities of the small and medium national enterprises. This is specially focused in those sectors where Equatorial Guinea produces Added Value.

Human Dynamics is working for the Georgian Ministry of Economic Development and its National Agency for Standards, Technical Regulations and Metrology on implementing a Quality Management System. The Human Dynamics Team will kick off during June 2008 and will provide services until 2010

For this EU financed service contract the Human Dynamics Team will develop an overarching strategy for Quality Infrastructure ensuring that Standards and Accredited Testing, Measurement and Conformity Assessment functions will be aligned along EU requirements and compatible market standards are available within Georgia.

This will include the continuing adoption of European Standards, improving functions of the competent bodies in Standardisation, Measurement, Testing and Conformity Assessment as well as the Accreditation Service enabling Mutual service Recognition.

The short and medium term goals of individual Quality Infrastructure components can be summarised as follows:

• Institutional Development of Quality Infrastructure Bodies to demonstrate accountability and transparency of operations in line with the relevant membership requirement of appropriate international organizations (CEN/CENELEC, EA EUROMET etc)
• Enhancement of the operations of the Standardisation Body, enabling it to participate in, and access the Standards necessary for the Georgian Economy, and to supply information, support, copies of relevant standards to Georgian Stakeholders and Customers
• Training and support in the development of operations of the Accreditation Centre towards meeting the requirements of a Multilateral Agreement (MLA) with EA (European Accreditation) demonstrating that the services that it accredits are equivalent to those provided in other trading partners
• Development of Laboratory and Conformity assessment facilities and operations to provide recognised competent services that are accepted by trading partners. This will include the initiation of a programme of Proficiency Testing to assure that the results of tests are equivalent to tests carried out by other trading partners.

As of May 2008 Human Dynamics Team will be providing assistance for 24 months to the National Coordinating Unit (NCU) in Belarus  

The project “Support to the National Coordinating Unit (NCU) in Belarus” has been designed to make best use of EC assistance. It will support EC services to increase effectiveness, efficiency and visibility of EC assistance in Belarus by:

• Enhancing the capacity of the NCU in assisting the Government of Belarus in identification, coordination and diversification of the technical assistance
• Providing technical support/advice to wider stakeholders to improve their participation in the ENP and other EU programmes
• Providing regular and timely policy and cooperation related information flows and inputs on EU assistance
• Improving visibility and public awareness of European Commission programmes in Belarus

Following the very successful delivery of the project “Support to Justice” in Kosovo, the Human Dynamics Team in March 2008 commenced implementing Phase II of the 15-months follow-up project “Further Support to the Justice Institutions in Kosovo” , seeking to build upon the successes of Phase I

The project “Further Support to Justice Institutions in Kosovo” has been designed to assist the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in defining effective and efficient functional procedures. Following-up on the Human Dynamics implemented project “Support to Justice”, the current project will further define mechanisms for the efficient functioning of the judicial sector in Kosovo. More particularly, the project will address the following:

• Administration procedures within the MoJ: through a number of targeted and specific activities, the project will design internal functions and mechanisms to improve: the capacity for the storage of file; the HR policies; the administration and security of the buildings; the financial and budget management; the auditing and internal controls capacities; the procurement and contract functions; and the general protocol procedures.
• Management of the Ministry of Justice: the project will provide assistance to the MoJ in defining internal communication guidelines, reporting mechanisms and internal controls procedures to ensure that the decision-making process can rely on efficient reporting and reliable information
• Legal drafting capacities: enhancing the capacities of legal drafters to design laws in accordance with European standards is an essential aspect of the project. Continuous assistance will be provided through on-the-job capacity building activities for legal drafters of the MoJ. Moreover, the project will introduce procedures for regulatory impact assessment (RIA) to determine the potential effect of a law before it is presented for adoption
• Further development of the Court Management Information System (CMIS): this IT system has been installed in municipal courts and prosecutor’s offices to improve case management within the court system. In order to ensure that the sophisticated system is effectively used by judges and administrative staff, additional training and retraining must be provided to further develop the capacities to make use of the system in the most efficient manner
• Support the Legal Aid System: with the inauguration of the Legal Aid Commission in September 2007 and the establishment of 5 District Legal Aid Bureaux, the framework regulating the legal aid system is finally in place. The project will support the Commission in defining additional secondary acts for the provision of legal aid services and the monitoring of legal aid providers (be it the district offices, the NGO or the Kosovo bar association).  

• To support urban integrated gymnasiums that offer education in ethnically mixed classes.
  The project will implemented qualification courses for gymnasium’s teachers to work in multicultural and ethno-sensitive environment.

• To support rural focal point schools to improve the quality of education offered.
  After-class education and out-of-school activities in focal point schools in rural areas will be implemented.

• To undertake a needs assessment analysis and a feasibility study for updating of the present Information System for the Education Management.
  The project will seek to upgrade and update the existing National Information System for Education Management.

• The enhancement of the regulation of the insurance sector by the Ministry of Finance (MOF);

• Enhancing supervision of the insurance sector by the Federal Service for Insurance Supervision;

• Supporting the All Russian Insurance Association in their efforts to develop a competitive insurance sector;

• Assisting insurance companies in the transition to the International Financial Reporting Standards and in the application of corporate governance best practice.
  

• Specific objectives and results include:
  To assist Turkmenistan’s institutions (mainly the MoEF and MoA) in ensuring an effective and efficient management of the State’s natural, financial and human resources.

• To support the design and adoption of the legal framework needed to implement the economic reforms related to budget and agriculture development.
  

• Developing systems and procedures for assessment, monitoring and control functions as set out in the Civil Service Law within the NACS and applied to filling  the gaps in NACS capacities to effectively manage its revised responsibilities in the Human Resource Management field (HRM).
• Developing and implementing public policies for HR management in the Romanian public administration as well as monitoring and co-ordination system; through strengthening the inter-institutional co-ordination mechanisms in the field of HRM to ensure a proper transfer of know-how to the local level.
• Developing and implementing mechanism and procedures for ensuring the civil service transparency and accountability.

• Revising the legal framework (Civil Service Law) for policy design for improving the NACS structural capacities to enforce HRM regulations.
• Assisting in the implementation of public policies for HR management and monitoring the coordination mechanism established for reinforcing inter-institutional cooperation at national and local levels.
• Improving transparency and accountability of Romanian public service
• Developing a training model for human resources management in the frame of public administration reform.

• Improving the legal framework for the development of mediation in Croatia: The project will provide assistance for revising the existing legal acts on mediation, but will also facilitate the access to mediation through the definition of standard contractual clauses establishing mediation preferably to court-based settlement for dispute resolution in civil and commercial contracts.

• Improving the structural framework for the functioning of in-court and out-of-courts mediation centres: The project will seek to reinforce the system for mediation both in-courts and out-of-courts by establishing mechanisms for the functioning of in-court mediation centres (following the model developed in the pilot courts), improving the functioning of out-of-court mediation centres and establishing a national register for mediators. These structures will be overlooked by a monitoring unit ensuring the proper application of the principles defined.
• Developing a training strategy to train trainers and conduct basic and advanced training sessions: The project will design a curriculum for a Train the Trainer seminar building on existing experiences in Croatia and bringing in the experiences from other EU Member states. 
• Disseminating information about mediation to increase public interest: A coherent communication strategy will be adopted in close cooperation with all stakeholders involved. A national website on mediation will be created to facilitate access to information about mediation in Croatia.

• Amending the Law on Apprentices and Bar Exam (or drafting a new Law on Apprentices and Bar Exam) and improvement of selection procedures for judges and prosecutors.  The project will develop a unified judicial exam and unified training to prepare judges and prosecutors for their work ahead. 

• Designing and implementing a strategy for recruitment, career management and training of future judges and prosecutors, including training, selection and recruitment of Apprentices and Advisors.   

• Developing a sustainable training system for apprenticeship, as well as piloting of training modules in selected regions under the responsibility of the Judicial Academy.  A structure within the Judicial Academy will be developed to carry out training for prospective judges and prosecutors, while designing a dual system for apprenticeship.  

• Improving access to legal information for apprentices, court advisors as well as strengthening of the training networks.  Will strengthen communication on judicial training and interlink with other training institutions and legal actors in Croatia.  Furthermore, increase access rate to legal databases for judicial staff.