Laos LSS Report Q1 FY23

The program's outcome highlights for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2023 include private sector engagement, knowledge transfer by university partners, experience and knowledge exchange, leadership development, and financial management skills development. Private sector engagement is a key area of focus for LSS, with the program supporting two regional universities, Souphanouvong University (SU) and Champasack University (CU), to finalize a private sector partnership agreement. The universities provided service-learning to local organizations in Luang Prabang and Champasack provinces, respectively, and signed Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) with the Luang Prabang Provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) and the Champasack Provincial CCI. The primary area of collaboration is for the universities to provide evidence to inform local Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) and provide management and entrepreneurship skills to local SMEs, startups, business associations, and other local organizations. LSS also organized a training in December on value chain development to prepare representatives of CU, Champasack CCI, and Coffee and Cassava Associations for agricultural value chain studies. Thirty-two people participated and exchanged their experiences in this training, which is part of producing evidence for PPD. Additionally, more than 30 master trainers, empowered by LSS training, delivered a management capacity development (MCD) program in December, while ten SU master trainers organized the Leadership Development Program (Expedition I) for 69 trainees from SU faculty, private companies, the provincial CCI, and business associations. Experience and knowledge exchange is another key area of focus for LSS, with the program organizing a Recruitment Day and Student Pitching Competition in November, which brought together over 1,000 students, professors, and corporate employers. LSS facilitated discussions to improve socio-economic benefits between the three groups by providing an opportunity to discuss how to close the gap between university students (as job seekers), academia (as personnel producers), and private companies (as market recruiters). LSS also offered a microgrant competition to give university students a chance to win awards for their innovative ideas and project activities. Leadership development is a critical component of the LSS program, with the program successfully conducting the training workshop on the leadership development program, Expedition III, for 63 representatives (24 female participants) of university partners in December. The training objectives enabled the participants to understand and apply different knowledge areas, techniques, and tools for organizational leadership, and the facilitation team conducted an online pre-assessment and post-assessment using Google Forms to measure knowledge and skill level changes. Financial management skills development is also an important area of focus for LSS, with the program organizing a five-day workshop for its project counterparts to broaden their understanding of financial compliance. Twenty-one key personnel from NUOL, SU, SKU, and CU joined the Financial Management Workshop on November 20, 2022. Additionally, LSS completed a Management Online Resources for Education (MORE) launch and tutorial workshop for LSS staff and master trainers of university partners in December, with seventeen participants attending the workshop and registering for and activating their MORE user accounts. Overall, the LSS program is making significant progress in supporting local universities and private sector organizations in Laos to enhance their capacity and promote economic development. The program's outcome highlights demonstrate its commitment to private sector engagement, knowledge transfer, experience and knowledge exchange, leadership development, and financial management skills development.