Sport Participation and Community Capacity Building in Disadvantaged Urban Communities

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between sport and community by examining the role played by sports participation in community engagement and community capacity building in disadvantaged urban communities.From a conceptual standpoint,the study is based on the sociological theory of the community and Community Capacity Building(CCB)theory,which provide overviews of the concept of community and community capacity and its characteristics.Four disadvantaged urban communities were investigated.Two of these communities had sports programs,while the other two did not.The online questionnaire methodology was adopted to assess the socio-demographic characteristics and community engagement of the participants(knowledge of programs and participation in community activities),and subsequently,an analysis of the online social media narratives of the community members themselves was developed to measure the characteristics of their community capacity building.We found that community engagement and community capacity values were higher in the communities with sports programs.These findings are promising and suggest that approaches based on sports participation development could be fruitful,particularly in disadvantaged communities.

Capacity Building Needs for Manual and Computer Assisted Teaching of Pattern Drafting for Entrepreneurship in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

This study investigated the capacity building needs for manual and computer assisted teaching of pattern drafting for entrepreneurship in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.The study was conducted and guided by two research questions and two hypotheses.This study adopted an ex-post facto research design.The population for the study consisted of 131 Home Economics lecturers from the Universities,Polytechnic,and Colleges of Education in South East Nigeria.The entire population was studied because of its manageable size,hence there was no sampling.The results of this study showed that the Home Economics lecturers are competent in drafting patterns using manual method.Technical skills required for lecturers of Home Economics to advance from manual to computer-assisted teaching of pattern drafting were identified.They include ability to grade patterns,ability to use software packages,and ability to discuss procedures of pattern drafting among others.Based on the findings,it was recommended among others that computer assisted teaching of pattern drafting should be incorporated and applied by Home Economics lecturers to ensure that students acquire technical skills that will enable them to enter into entrepreneurship.

Clinical Nurses’Research Capacity Building in Practice—A Systematic Review

The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate evidence of clinical nurses’ research capacity building in practice. A systematic review of studies of nurses’ research capacity building in practice was performed. The quality of the articles was evaluated and reflected on in accordance with the Quality Assessment and Validity Tool for Correlation Studies. The literature searches identified a total of 4748 abstracts and titles. Eight quantitative studies were included in the evaluation. Three themes emerged from the analysis: Failure to ensure research quality and standards, Developing a research culture and Collaboration and organization of research utilization. The first theme has one sub-theme: Lack of knowledge about how to increase research utilization. The second theme is based on three sub-themes: Ability to identify clinical problems, changing nurses’ attitudes to research and research supervision. Finally, the third theme has one sub-theme: Funding as a success factor. In conclusion, research capacity building requires the development of research competence to generate knowledge that enhances quality and patient safety. Nurse leaders are essential for establishing evidence-based practice and a research culture, thus enhancing nurses’ scientific attitudes and capacity.

The China tuberculosis clinical trials consortium network:a model for international TB clinical trials capacity building

Background:With the second largest tuberculosis(TB)burden globally,China is committed to actively engage in international TB clinical trials to contribute to global TB research.However,lack of research capacity among local sites has been identified as a barrier.Main text:The China Tuberculosis Clinical Trials Consortium(CTCTC)was initiated by Beijing Chest Hospital with investment from the US National Institutes of Health and technical support from Family Health International 360 in 2013,as a nationwide collaborative clinical trial network to strengthen selected clinical site research capacity and attract TB clinical trials.The program aims to:1)recruit leading hospitals that care for TB patients;2)conduct on-site assessment to identify capacity gaps and needs for improvement;3)design and deliver capacity building activities;4)attract and deliver high quality results for TB clinical trials.A total of 24 sites have joined CTCTC,covering 20 provinces in China.Twenty-two sites have been accredited by the National Medical Products Administration(NMPA)to be qualified to conduct TB clinical trials.The onsite assessment,extensive trainings among the CTCTC sites and young investigators have resulted in better understanding and improvement of the site capacity in conducting TB clinical trials.The establishment and growth of the CTCTC network has benefited from the good leadership,effective international cooperation and local commitment.Issues in human resources,regulatory environment and sustainability have been challenging the network from continuing growth.Clinical researchers have full-time clinical responsibilities in China and it is thus important to build a cadre of other human resources to assist.The regulatory environment is becoming friendlier in China to introduce international clinical trials to the CTCTC network.Conclusions:The CTCTC,with mature management structure and sustainable development model,which are distilled five key lessons for other developing countries or investigators of interest.They are the respectively using assessment-based approach to design tailored training package,understanding the availability of clinical researchers,providing solutions to maintain sustainability,understanding local regulatory environments and working with an international organization with local on-site team,respectively.Although,the experiences and capacity of China’s TB hospitals in conducting clinical research vary.Considerable efforts to continue building the capacity are still needed,although the gap is smaller for a few top-tier hospitals.

Operational research capacity building through the Structured Operational Research Training Initiative(SORT-IT)in China:implementation,outcomes and challenges

Background:Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention(China CDC)introduced the Structured Operational Research Training Initiative(SORT IT)into China to build a special capacity and equip public health professionals with an effective tool to support developing countries in strengthening their operational research.The paper aims to investigate and analyze the implementation,outcomes and challenges of the first cycle of SORT IT in China.

Enhancing Tax Administration Capacity Building in Developing Countries: A New Zealand Perspective

For developing countries,raising revenues and protecting their tax bases are more important than ever in recovering from the pandemic.As a small developed country,New Zealand endeavours to provide capacity building assistance to developing regions,especially the Pacific Islands.Assistance provided encompasses the development of core taxation systems as well as international tax matters such as the establishment of exchange of information programmes and the implementation of international tax standards.Working in partnership with international and regional organisations has proved beneficial,as demonstrated in the Pacific Initiative delivered over the last two years.Cost-effective and well-organised virtual delivery of training courses has functioned particularly well during the pandemic and will continue to feature prominently in future assistance work.

Improving capacity building by implementing comprehensive eye care project,experiences from Kuandian County,China

The global campaign “Vision 2020： The Right to Sight” was officially launched in Geneva byDr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the Director General of World Health Organization （ WHO ） in February 1999. This represents the global initiative for the elimination of avoidable blindness by the year 2020.1 Seven months later, the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness （IAPB） General Assembly was held in Beijing, China. During the IAPB General Assembly, the Chinese Ministry of Health, China Disabled Person＇ s Federation together with WHO launched the national campaign “Vision 2020： The Right to Sight” in China.

Enhancing Tax Administration Capacity Building in Italy

This article focuses on the means and strategies envisaged and adopted over the years by the Italian Revenue Agency to provide excellent,agile and more taxpayer-centred services through innovation and digitalization.All these measures have been implemented to strengthen the effectiveness of tax system to guarantee a continual flux of domestic resources essential for good governance,investments,sustainable growth and stability in response to the needs of the country.In particular,due to the continuous and steady communication with taxpayers,the Italian Revenue Agency has embraced new and innovative ways to grant fair taxation and respond to changes in society.This innovative approach resulted in a full kit of accessible e-services to millions of taxpayers.

Enhancing Tax Administration Capacity Building: Macao SAR Experience

The fast pace of development in the international tax matters requires enhancement of tax administration capacity building.The outcomes of the Final Report of the Enhancing Tax Administration Capacity Task Force released in September 2021 confirmed the increasing demand of the BRI jurisdictions for capacity building in international taxation.This article reflects on possible areas and approaches for capacity building enhancement.It proposes some initiatives that may be developed to help address the gaps among the BRI jurisdictions and contribute to building the capacities of their tax officials.This reflection is made with a view drawn from the experience of the Macao SAR as one of the first Belt and Road Initiative tax academies.

Enhancing Tax Administration Capacity Building

This article tracks how OECD capacity building has evolved since 1992,alongside the evolution of international taxation,tax administrations,and their needs for support.In doing so it identifies some of the key lessons for tax administrations and their partners in building the capacity to respond to the current challenges and opportunities.It places a particular focus on digitalisation and the implications for tax administrations,both in respect to the implementation of the Two-Pillar Solution to the taxation of the digitalising economy,and digitalisation of the tax administration itself.

Building Capacity

Chinese companies in Africa are improving infrastructure and benefiting local communities

Embracing different languages and local differences:Coconstructive patient simulation strengthens host countries’clinical training in psychiatry

BACKGROUND Global education in psychiatry is heavily influenced by knowledge from Western,high-income countries,which obscures local voices and expertise.AIM To adapt a human simulation model to psychiatric education in a context that is specific to local languages and cultures.METHODS We conducted an observational study consisting of six human simulation sessions with standardized patients from two host countries,speaking their native languages,and following an adaptation of the co-constructive patient simulation(CCPS)model.As local faculty became increasingly familiar with the CCPS approach,they took on the role of facilitators—in their country’s native language.RESULTS Fifty-three learners participated:19 child and adolescent psychiatry trainees and 3 faculty members in Türkiye(as a group that met online during 3 consecutive months);and 24 trainees and 7 faculty in Israel(divided into 3 groups,in parallel in-person sessions during a single training day).Each of the six cases reflected local realities and clinical challenges,and was associated with specific learning goals identified by each case-writing trainee.CONCLUSION Human simulation has not been fully incorporated into psychiatric education:The creation of immersive clinical experiences and the strengthening of reflective practice are two areas ripe for development.Our adaptations of CCPS can also strengthen local and regional networks and psychiatric communities of practice.Finally,the model can help question and press against hegemonies in psychiatric training that overshadow local expertise.

Building the Capacity of Health Professionals in Monitoring and Evaluation in a Public Health Institution: Experience of the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) of Côte d’Ivoire

Background: In the context of the fight against HIV, a lack of skills in monitoring and evaluating the personnel in charge of activities has been identified at the national level. It was the subject of a priority axis of the national plan for monitoring and evaluating the fight against HIV (2006-2010) that was aimed at strengthening the capacities of actors in this area. To increase the critical mass of competent human resources in the short term, the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) of Côte d’Ivoire organized monitoring and evaluation training sessions for healthcare professionals from 2011 to 2016. Methods: A single case study with multiple levels of analysis was carried out, combining a qualitative survey and a literature review. An evaluation was carried out six months after each training session. In addition, the results of the pre- and post-tests and of the daily and final evaluations that accompanied the various training sessions were used to provide further information. The qualitative data collected were analyzed using INVIVO 15 software. Results: Some 89 health professionals (69% men and 31% women) working at the national level (51% at the central level, including 58% in health programs) and in development partner agencies (37%) participated in this capacity building program. Most participants were senior health managers (56%), data managers (23%), and statisticians and computer scientists (10%). Almost all the trainings were financed by 16 technical and financial partners (85%), mainly the MEASURE Evaluation project (27%). Conclusion: M&E training, despite all its imperfections, has made it possible to identify M&E training needs at the national level and to increase the critical mass of national skills and to have some culture in M&E.

Implementation of Capacity Development and Public Awareness for CTBT Verification Regime in Myanmar

Myanmar signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty(CTBT)in 1996 and ratified it in 2016.As a CTBT ratifying state,Myanmar needs to implement the capability development and public awareness concerning with CTBT verification activities.When implementing the CTBT verification regime,Myanmar considered the linkage between CTBT and sustainable development goals(SDGs).A National Data Centre(NDC)is needed in the country for collecting the data from the stations,differentiating the data quality,prioritizing and storage of the data to conduct with International Data Centre(IDC)of Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization(CTBTO).The seismic,hydroacoustic,infrasound and radionuclide technologies are important for identifying the signals generated by a nuclear explosion.Various capacity development and public awareness are important for initial step before the ratification process of the state party.Civil society,change school curriculum,participation in process,organizing workshops and seminars are carried out by policy makers’decision.International collaboration and citizen awareness are needed to understand the CTBT verification system for monitoring the nuclear explosions in a global context.The Atomic Energy Division(AED)will collaborate with external funding agents like CTBTO to improve skill of human resource for NDC implementation in Myanmar.Young scientists,science administrators and representative will be achieved from this national development initiative.This is focused on research and development in areas potentially relevant to the Treaty’s verification regime.

ECOLOGICAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC REHABILITATION IN THE KARST OF SOUTHWEST CHINA

The Karst of Southwest China is a typical representative of poverty stricken region with impoverishment-degradation spiral. To essentially break away from this vicious circle, the local ecology, economy and society should be rehabilitated, and hence to strengthen the self-development capacity building of the localities. Two considerations are stressed in this article: (1) Poverty alleviation is a system project with great complexities. Any single approach is difficult to success and integrated measures should be taken. (2) Some typical and feasible areas should be selected to demonstrate the project of poverty alleviation and ecological, socio-economic reconstruction. Then, they can be used as a model to promote the sustainable development of the whole region. Based upon these ideals, a project entitled “Reversal of Impoverishment-Degradation Spiral in the Karst of Southwest China' was proposed and has been listed in 《Priority Programme for China's Agenda 21》.

Differential Impacts of Wind Energy on Sustainable Power Generation in Ghana

Ghana has a yearly development interest for power at a rate of 83.8% in 2010, and to 12% from 2020 to 2040 but this opportunity has been farfetched with the shocks in energy generation during 1983, 1994, 1997-98, and 2006-2007 era pushing the energy sector into crisis and a consequent adverse impact of 1.5% to GDP. This study, therefore, investigated the differential impacts of wind energy to sustainable power generation in Ghana by assessing the determinants of energy supply, energy demand and supply mix for energy development, the capacity of the energy sector to develop wind power and possible challenges in developing wind power energy in Ghana. An exploratory design that adopted both qualitative and quantities approaches was applied to the study. The study population involving 34 sample sizes was accessed from a 46 population made up of management/ministers of energy and counsellors or energy experts. The study concluded that the demand for energy in Ghana has increased over the years but without a commensurate increase in energy supply. Major reasons for the shortfall in energy supply have centred on the monopoly enjoyed by the major power producer which invariably places stress on its ability to supply energy to meet the increasing demand. It also came out that wind energy has the potential to contribute to the overall energy fortunes of Ghana. However, a focus on wind energy may not produce the required results of reducing the energy supply gap due to a preference for solar and natural gas oils. It was also noteworthy that the need to build capacity to develop and maintain wind energy through critical, current infrastructure stance of the Ghanaian energy sector would not make this agenda of developing wind energy a reality. More so, it is important to note that the need to enhance the current weak national policy, financial backing and bridge technology gap for wind energy would be needful to realise a vibrant investment into wind energy development.

Train-the-Trainer Course on Energy Efficient Operation of Ships

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) expanded, in 2011, its air emissions control regulations by encouraging energy efficiency and added them to MARPOL Annex VI. To assist national implementation of these new regulations, the IMO-KOICA partnership sponsored the development of a Train-the-Trainer (TTT) project on energy efficient operation of ships. The first project objective was to develop a comprehensive training package, which covers company policy and shipping contracts, port/ship interaction, ship technical solutions and day-to-day ship management. The second objective was to enhance capacity building in developing countries by creating a pool of instructors able to raise awareness in their respective regions using the dedicated training material. During each session, pedagogic support tools backed the content delivery. Forty-one participants from thirty-two countries attended two sessions of the TTT course. The TTT training formula, blending content and pedagogics, demonstrated its efficiency by committing and challenging each participant during the entire course. The outcome of the final day assessment showed that participants captured the essence of the issues and were able to absorb the basics of pedagogy to support the distribution of the training content and spread awareness. Know-how gained through TTT will contribute to the advancement of knowledge in promoting sustainable maritime transport development as advanced by the IMO. It is the authors’ strong belief that the way that the TTT course is designed, developed and delivered provides unique benefits for the participants and their countries.

Enhancing the Capacity of Tax Administrations to Develop Tax Policy

Building capacity in tax administrations will be key in coping with the new challenges arising from the new ways of doing business.This article discusses three topics that will require the building of new assessment and tax collection capabilities within tax administrations,namely:the digital economy,cryptocurrency taxation,and environmental taxation.It proposes issues that will require further attention and consideration by tax administrations wishing to collect the rent attributed to these activities.It is contended that new capacities will have to be developed not just to handle the“new”forms of doing business,but also to generate income and to allow for a harmonized environment that facilitates and draws investment to Belt and Road Initiative jurisdictions.The transformation ought to occur while“traditional”issues in international tax administration and cooperation persist.

Enhance Tax Administration Cooperation in the Spirit of the Silk Road:A Glance at BRITACOM on the 10th Anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative

In April 2019,the Belt and Road Initiative Tax Administration Cooper-ation Mechanism(BRITACOM)was inaugurated in the spirit of peace and cooper-ation,openness and inclusiveness,mutual learning,and mutual benefit,to ensure unimpeded cross-border capital flow and facilitate trade and investment through tax administration cooperation.During the past four years,it has produced promising outcomes in tax cooperation,capacity building and mutual learning.Going forward,the BRITACOM will carry out practical cooperation of a wider scope,in broader ar-eas,and at elevated level,to revive the spirit of the Silk Road in the new era.

Transnational Dialogues on Interdisciplinary Approaches for Advancing People-Centered Warning Systems

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the World Meteorological Organization launched in 2022 the executive plan of the world program "Early Warning Systems for All" to be implemented from 2023 to 2027.This program champions an investment of USD 3.1 billion into the four pillars of warning systems and calls for multi-hazard and peoplecentered warning systems(PCWS).However,there is a scientific gap concerning interdisciplinary approaches to promoting them.Motivated by the call for action of "Early Warning Systems for All" and warning research gaps on the lack of interdisciplinarity,a workshop series "Interdisciplinary Approaches for Advancing People-Centered Warning Systems" was held in early 2023.This short article shares the preliminary findings and recommendations of this research,which involved a transnational virtual dialogue between one scientific organization in Brazil and one from the United States.The findings and recommendations discussed in three virtual sessions and one collective working paper were centered on three aspects:promoting interdisciplinary integration in research;the need to discuss the characteristics of a PCWS;and promoting problem-and solution-based programs with people to integrate them at all phases of the warning system.