| Overview : Demonstrating the relevance of innovation as a critical design principle for programming is a key priority for the UNDP Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific (RBAP). Particular emphasis has been placed on nurturing innovative tools, techniques and approaches and the use of technologies for development. As a result, RBAP established the Innovation Fund to support Country Offices in the region to advance the innovation agenda by providing the creative space and discretionary resources to prototype innovative solutions and experiment with new ways of working to tackle complex development challenges outside the traditional business cycle.
The RBAP Regional Centre is a regional hub focusing on providing policy and programmatic support to UNDP activities in the Asia and Pacific region. Throughout UNDP´s programmatic focus areas, it assists Country Offices in development and implementation of initiatives and at the regional level, it conceptualizes and implements activities in partnership with a wide range of partners. The structure of the Regional Centre is composed of policy/programme teams consisting of specialists and advisors that work cross-thematically and issues-based through Development Solutions Teams in support of country and regional level activities and supported by the Operations Team. The Regional Centre administers the Innovation Fund established by RBAP and supports applicants from the Country Offices.
This initiative is a way to deliver on the new corporate Strategic Plan’s call for more “agile” programming. Building on notable innovation successes in the region, RBAP is doubling its efforts in this area to open up opportunities for UNDP staff to get first hand, on the job experience of new development tools and to provide the space to scan for available expertise, experiences and partners outside UNDP beyond “the usual suspects”, working out aloud via online communications and engage in upfront risk management through prototyping by reaching out to new partners to co-design innovate solutions. |
