KiP-UN.org / ILS LEDA

Innovations for human development

The IDEASS programme is one of the working tools of the preparatory phase of the International School. Set up in 2001 by ILO, UNIFEM, UNDP, and UNOPS, the programme seeks to enhance the capacity of public and private territorial actors to meet the needs of the local population by using innovative working methods and tools that have been effectively used both at the national level and in other countries. In order to reach this objectif, the programme facilitates the identification, promotion, and transfer of the innovations which have demonstrated their contribution to human development, the enhancement of environmental resources and the reduction of poverty and social exclusion.

The Programme involves the competent national institutions in the realization of the projects for the transfer of innovative methodologies and technologies, in order to guarantee the innovations’ potential national impact. These activities are realized in collaboration with the authors of the innovations, coming from countries of the north and south, through specific projects of technical assistance.

IDEASS also supports national institutions in charge of promoting science and technology in elaborating strategies and instruments for the benefit of territorial development actors. These activities are carried out through south-south cooperation, valorizing those countries that already have established decentralized national science and technology systems oriented towards solving overriding problems in their own country.

The framework of IDEASS is the commitment of the main international summits of the ‘90s and the Millennium Assembly, with priority given to cooperation among Southern actors, and with the support of the more industrialized countries.

As remarked by Edgar Morin in his book The Way, published in 2011, in all countries there are already many experiences of change that are little known and valorised at international level. Morin suggests carrying out a specific work to promote and disseminate the innovative know how of these experiences. IDEASS colaborate in the framework of the International School to reach this objective. The IDEASS web site, with visitors from over 130 countries, is an important instrument of the International School’s permanent cultural campaign.

Local Economic Development Agencies

ILS LEDA Programme (International Links and Services for Local Economic Development Agencies) is one of the working tools of the KIP International School.

The programme provides support to the elaboration and implementation of territorial economic development policies and strategies and to the creation of Local Economic Development Agencies (LEDA), with the aim of strengthening democratic governance in the territories, developing participatory strategic development plans, enhancing endogenous potentials, facilitating access to financial and non financial services, promoting innovation, social economy, gender equality, social inclusion and green economy.

ILS LEDA capitalizes on the experience and knowledge accumulated mainly in the framework of programmes for human development of the United Nations (UNDP, ILO, UNOPS, UNIFEM and others), and the European Union, in Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Since 1998 the programme has been cooperating in the implementation of more than 60 LEDAs, operating in 18 countries in a self-sustainable way. These LEDAs are associated with a global network supported by ILS LEDA that provides promotional services, technical assistance, training, assistance in the drawing up of international projects, quality improvement, and in particular, in fostering partnerships with LEDA and economic actors from other countries.

ILS LEDA involves in its activities several partners such as: universities, centres of excellence and high-profile international experts.

ILS LEDA participates in the activities of the KIP International School by supporting the implementation of strategic projects for comprehensive development, by organizing workshops for systematization and dissemination of knowledge and by designing and carrying out training courses and university education. All these activities carried out in cooperation with national and local governments and other partners upon their request, aim at promoting economic development processes and enabling the population of a territory to improve collective and individual welfare by increasing inclusive and sustainable employment and income.