Project Management on the Field: a workshop in Madrid to learn from professionals of the sector

Our fellows of the Master PMC – Project Management for International Cooperation joined the staff of the School in the Head Quarters of Madrid for a workshop about Project Management on the Field. The workshop took place from the 24^th to the 27^th of May and was led by Alessio Di Carlo, Master PMC Director and CooperAction ONLUS Vice-President, and Jaime de Alfonso, Consultant for Social Organizations and Development Cooperation.

Alessio Di Carlo started the workshop in the morning of the 24^th of May with a focus on Monitoring and Evaluation –  its principles, tools and strategies. During this workshop, the students tackled topics like Project start-up, the Logical Framework Approach as a tool for Project Management, Participatory Project Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation’s definitions and objectives and Efficiency Monitoring.

The following day, Di Carlo discussed Monitoring in Project Management in further detail, concentrating on its Efficiency, Effectiveness and Context. The lecturer helped students understand different Matrices and how to use them in different contexts of Project Cycle Management.

Students particularly enjoyed the lecturer’s approach, appreciating the “important and practical tips for our future to manage challenges on the field” Alessio Di Carlo gave them.

The following two days, lectures were delivered by Jaime De Alfonso. During his first workshop, the focus moved to Project Management on the Field, with a first workshop on management of supplies, costs, timings, activities. At the end of the workshop, fellows were better equipped to manage EU contracts and to implement grants according to donor’s requirements.

On Sunday, the last day of this cycle of workshops, De Alfonso concentrated on The Financial Reporting of a Project, analysing the principles and tools of a narrative and financial report of a project. Thanks to this workshop, students are now able to apply project management tools based on the requests of the donors. The passion and participative approach of the lecturer had a strong impact on PMC fellows, who really enjoyed their time in class with Jaime De Alfonso.