Course 2015-2016 a.y.

20278 - PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND FUNDING OF INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS


CLMG - M - IM - MM - AFC - CLAPI - CLEFIN-FINANCE - CLELI - ACME - DES-ESS - EMIT

Department of Social and Political Sciences

Course taught in English

Go to class group/s: 31
CLMG (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - M (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - IM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - MM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - AFC (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - CLAPI (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - CLEFIN-FINANCE (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - CLELI (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - ACME (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - DES-ESS (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07) - EMIT (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/07)
Course Director:
GIOVANNI FATTORE

Classes: 31 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: GIOVANNI FATTORE


Course Objectives

The project approach is a major mean for promoting socio-economic development. The World Bank, UN agencies, European Union, national governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and private foundation rely on projects and programs to allocate funds,  to promote and sustain endogenous economic grow and societal development and to face exceptional events (peace-keeping, natural disasters, Olympic games). The knowledge of these development programs and the underlying mechanisms is relevant for public, private and non profit entities, which could benefit from the financial opportunities offered by or intend to cooperate with these international Institutions. The course exposes students to the main systems used by international organization to fund and evaluate projects carried out by enterprises, non governmental organization and public institutions. Students also learn how to design and manage project in a variety of challenging contexts (e.g. in poor countries: after natural disasters: as well as in mature economies affected by social challenges). The course pays specific attention to European financial programs, devoted to EU countries but also to external regions (the EU is one of the largest international donors).
The course has three main objectives:

  • to illustrate the main types of projects/initiatives endorsed by the EU and other international organizations and the financial approaches used by these agencies (grants and subsidies, project finance, mezzanine financing, public/private venture capital).
  • To let students acquiring practical skills about projects calls for proposals and tenders issued by international organizations.
  • To make students familiarize with approaches and techniques of project cycle management (from writing a good project proposal to monitoring and evaluating an international program/project).

Course Content Summary

  • International funding and development programs managed by EU, BEI, World Bank, National Governments, Major donors:
    • Principles and approaches to international project funding.
    • Managing Institutional lobbying with International Institutions.
    • Funding mechanism for local public Institutions (mainly for infrastructures and development programs, i.e. structural funds and project financing).
    • Funding tools for enterprises: grant, guarantees, equity finance, mezzanine financing.
    • International cooperation and aid programs.
    • EU funds for domestic development and international co-operation.
    • Managing Institutional lobbying with International Institutions.
    Program design and evaluation:
    • Methodologies for the program design (appropriate financial tool selection and beneficiaries selection).
    • Ex ante and ex post analysis.
    • Impact evaluation.
    Projec management of international development projects:
    • Project cycle management.
    • Logical framework.
    • International public procurement.
    • How to write a successful project proposal/offer (within call for tenders and call for proposals).
    • Major issues in managing international projects.
    • Strategic approach to public funds and grants.
    • International partnerships and alliances.
    • Budgeting, accountability & reporting.

In order to equip students with managerial skills and competences that can be concretely applied in their professional life. Teaching methods include: lectures, class discussions, exercises,case and incident presentations and discussions of student's presentatios. Notably, students are requested to develop a technical offer within an international call for tender to test project management skills and project proposal to get access to a grant program.Some guest speakers are hosted during the course to expose students to the main challenges of international project management.

Detailed Description of Assessment Methods

For non attending students:
Written exam.

In case of partial attendance, due to internship reasons, it is suggested to contact instructors to arrange the partecipation to class' activities (even in distance) and the evaluation methods.

For attending students:

  • One individual assignment (10%).
  • Group assignment 1: Preparation of a technical offer within an international tender (20%). 
  • Group assignment 2:  Preparation of a grant request (30%). 
  • Written exam (40%)

Attendance is valid for all exam session of 2015/2016.

There is no partial exam for this course.


Textbooks

  • V. VECCHI, EU Funds, strategy & management, Milano, Egea, 2012. 

Further readings are available on the e-learning platform.

Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library).

Exam textbooks & Online Articles (check availability at the Library)

Prerequisites

NONE
Last change 27/03/2015 12:44