EROPA Bulletin Volume 34 Nos. 3-4 | Page 8

8 EROPA Bulletin Vol. 34 Nos. 3-4 (July-December 2013) A YEAR IN REVIEW: 2013 EROPA Activities and Programs What follows is a summary of the activities of EROPA during the year, as it moves to strengthen its network, expand online presence, and foster public administration theory and practice. Last year, a number of activities and programs have been conducted by EROPA in pursuit of its goals to promote the study and practice of public administration in the Asia-Pacific region. During this period, the organization strived to establish working linkages with other public administration institutions. In August 2013, COTI conducted its first training session on the Three-Year Capacity Enhancement Program for Vietnam’s Strategic Leaders, and in December, it started the Public Sector Development Program for Indonesia’s Executive Officials. Apart from the training activities, the institute also publishes it annual COTI Highlights. Building linkages Despite busy preparations for the 2013 Conference, the Local Autonomy College (LAC), which houses the EROPA Local Government Center, continues to conduct lectures, training activities and seminars for both local and foreign government officials. LAC annually organizes a Group Training Course in Local Governance, which tackles relevant topics on local government. The course includes a half-day program comprised of lectures and facility visits. A total of 13 participants from Nepal, the Philippines and Vietnam, were accommodated in the said program for the year 2013. Meanwhile, LAC hopes to release the next volume of Comparative Studies of Public Administration soon. EROPA worked with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) in developing a proposal on “Building Capacity for the Use of Evidence” (BCURE), as part of a bid for proposals by the Department for International Development (DfID) in the United Kingdom. Secretary-General Orlando Mercado, along with Ms. Ann Masson, Director of International Programs, IPAC, met with different institutions in the Philippines and India that may possibly serve as partners for the said project. SecretaryGeneral Mercado also met with some of the staff from the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA) and the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. The proposal was not shortlisted; however, this served as a learning experience for EROPA to work with new institutions as well as reconnect with inactive member organizations. EROPA also continues its publication program and expanding its online presence. It also maintains its status as one of the Online Resource Centers (ORCs) of the United Nations Public Administration Network (UNPAN). The EROPA Centers The EROPA Development Management Center at the Central Official ́QɅ