Cross Cutting Issues

Due to the vast overall scope of ecbp’s work in Ethiopia there are certain work packages that do not fall solely under one of its components. Topics such as Technology Transfer, the Regions, Public Private Partnerships and Impact Studies cannot fall under the guidance of one particular component, but what are known as cross cutting issues and receive input from each component. All of ecbp is involved in these cross cutting issues as can be seen here:

Technology Transfer

Technology Transfer (TT) refers to the process of sharing technological information across research, training and private company platforms. ecbp embraces TT as a crucial step forward in the industrial reform of Ethiopia. Through the reform of the university system, the newly established Institutes of Technology are more focused on applied research – finding solutions to real problems in Ethiopia. This research is becoming increasingly demand driven as private companies and government institutions understand the value that applied research can bring to their products and services. The process of TT could not be completed without the technical knowledge of how to apply the research. To ensure that skilled laborers are available and understand the new technology the reform of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) system holds TT as a crucial element. Lastly, the Quality Infrastructure reform component of ecbp provides international standards and measurements to ensure that the new technologies are acceptable and meet safety requirements.

Regions

Ethiopia is as federal state, comprised of nine regions and two city administrations with their own powers, duties and responsibilities. The ecbp reform programs, which are developed on the federal level, have many activities implemented in the regions with an effect and impact on the regional and local development.  In the end, the impacts of the reform programs should fuel agricultural and regional economic development for export and import substitution. The ecbp regional offices coordinate, integrate and support the regional Ministries (known in Ethiopia as Bureaus) and other public and private stakeholders to implement the ecbp reform program. To integrate the regional stakeholders from private and public sectors across all components, ecbp has established four regional offices as a part of the Bureaus of Civil Service in Amhara, Oromia, Southern Nations and Nationalities People's Region (SNNPRS) and Tigray. The Regional Coordinators act as connectors and organizers to bring together all key actors in the regions, from Bureau Heads and staff to educators and administrators to company owners and managers. The regional coordinators further support these stakeholders through Capacity Building activities, initiation and the coordination of cooperation between them. In addition, the regional coordination office supports the implementation of the ecbp supported reform package as part of the regional Growth and Transformation Development Plan.

Public Private Partnerships

A Public Private Partnership (PPP) is a partnership between a private company or association and a government or community body. A PPP centers on the fact that the private company is gaining new contacts and sources while helping to achieve development goals such as job creation, introducing new technology and training people in new fields. In Ethiopia, ecbp helps to create and manage these PPPs, which are leading to the establishment of national training centers for welding, sustainable energy solutions utilizing wind, and the sustainable sourcing of bamboo, amongst many other things. Since PPPs often involve elements of training and technology transfer, ecbp’s University and TVET Reform components become involved in addition to the Private Sector component. For more about PPPs, visit the German government’s website: develoPPP.de.

Impact Studies

ecbp’s goals and objectives cover a breadth of sectors locations throughout Ethiopia. In order to measure the impacts that the program and its components are having through the intervention areas, ecbp is undertaking a series of studies. These studies are done in cooperation with the GIZ sector project "Employment-oriented development strategies and projects " and the research institute RWI Essen. For the educational components, University and TVET Reforms, this is done through tracer studies measuring the employment effects the program has on graduates. At the same time a survey with companies is done to measure changes in the competencies and skills of the graduates. For Quality Infrastructure the satisfaction of the companies with the services rendered by the QI-Institutions is measured through a survey. The Private Sector is further questioned how they are progressing towards international competitiveness and how they perceive the support of the program. Together these impact studies give ecbp and the individual components a snapshot of how effective the interventions have been to-date and what areas need additional focus.