The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) will work with the State University of New York (SUNY) to expand its Microfinance Distance Learning (MFDL) course. SUNY will further develop the program and distribute it to a broader audience in the United States and abroad.
The MFDL is a free, web-based, distance-learning tool for new entrants into the microfinance industry. The program draws from successful examples across the world, and provides supplementary materials, including a course work book and additional readings. Also, the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs offers a text-book version as a graduate-level course.
Not only trying to reach as broad an audience as possible, the UNCDF is looking also to create training programs on microfinance. They believe this could lead to partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), development agencies, and governments. The UNCDF also intends to include academics and businesspeople via symposiums.
The UNCDF is affiliated with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and was established in 1966. It supports microfinance projects and small-scale operations, by offering investment capital, capacity building and technical advisory services in the world’s poorest countries. Furthermore, its programs focus on creating inclusive financial sectors- i.e. an array of financial services for the entire population of a country. MicroCapital has covered stories on prior UNCDF microfinance projects as well as its reports on women and microfinance.
The Global Development Research Center (GDRC) provides a list of other microfinance training programs. The GDRC is a “virtual organization that carries out initiatives in education, research and practices, in the spheres of environment, urban, community and information.”
by Jennifer Lee
Additional Resources:
UN News Centre: “UN Capital Development Fund signs agreement to expand microfinance education”, March 5, 2008.
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