IDIA Training on Managing Innovation for Impact

A training course on collaborative innovation and scaling.

Finding innovative solutions to address complex development challenges is essential for driving progress towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. As the breadth and diversity of development innovation tools and approaches continue to increase, the ability of organisations to efficiently and effectively manage innovation processes, resources and relationships becomes ever more critical. 

To help address this challenge, the International Development Innovation Alliance (IDIA), in partnership with the Global Innovation for Impact Lab (GIIL) at Stanford PACS, has supported the development of a unique training course of dynamic learning and skills for innovation funders, practitioners and adopters. Designed and delivered by some of the world’s leading innovation thinkers and practitioners, this course provides essential training for organisations and individuals who are committed to developing the mindsets and competencies that efficiently translate their ambition into impact at scale. We do this by curating and convening diverse cohorts to collectively explore and apply innovation tools, scaling processes and systems thinking that will make a difference for the communities they serve.

Principle-Driven

Three fundamental principles provide a core reference point for informing the (continuous) development and delivery of training curricula:

  1. Respect for contextual sensitivity: Innovation and scaling partnerships and processes are most impactful when they reflect and respond to the realities of our participants - not just in terms of their individual needs but also with regard to their institutional settings and local environments.

  2. Awareness of power dynamics: The Training focuses on equipping participants who hold senior leadership positions in their organizations with the tools and mindsets to surface and respond to inequitable power dynamics.

  3. Mobilizing diverse social resources: Challenge assumptions underpinning development innovation including that funding is the most impactful resource and expertise from the Global North is best positioned to create and determine solutions to development challenges.