What We Do and Who We Are

What We Do
IPPA projects work to strengthen leadership and management capabilities by employing a team-based approach to organizational change in project design, management, and implementation. That means that several process elements are always present. ISU team members work closely with an incountery project team during proposal preparaion and all project phases. We employ a train-the-trainers approach in curriculum preparation and delivery for seminars and training programs, and seek to provide incountry partner organizations (e.g., rural development agencies, local government training organizations, small businesses, etc.) with a program of practical experiences with counterparts in U.S. organizations.

Who We Are
IPPA projects call on staff and technical assistance drawn from a variety of campus units, as well as from offcampus organizations. During the past two years, for examples, IPPA has put together consortia drawing on ISU faculty, administrative, and extension staffers, mayors, entrepreneurs, management trainers, and other Iowa community leaders in the following major topic areas:

  • local government training projects in the Czech Republic and Slovakia
  • university-based programs in public administration, community development, and public policy in Russia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, and China;
  • rural development and women's community leadership projects in Estonia, Russia, and Slovakia.

    • At the same time, IPPA staff have assisted projects organized by other ISU units, including the Colleges of Agriculture (Russia and Ukraine) and Business (Czech Republic and Russia), the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (Egypt), and the Center for International Agricultural Finance (Russia). In addition, IPPA also participates in programs sponsored by the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, the International Institute for Theoretical and Advanced Physics, the university's Program for Women in Science and Engineering (PWSE), and the International Orientation for English Program, (IEOP).

    Ways and Means
    IPPA leadership and management development programs combine: 1) an experiential adult "extension" approach to program delivery focusing on practical problem-solving; 2) innovative use of new informational technologies; and 3) an information base informed by state-of-the-art research (e.g., up-to-date social science literature about "learning organizations," re-engineering government, understanding the ingredients of a civil society, etc.).

    Iowa State University's land-grant heritage and experience providing practical information valued by citizens in Iowa communities for more than a century demonstrates the university's motto "science with practice" and provides a grounding for the university's commitment to international programs. Finally, the reality of Iowans' civic-mindedness also means that we can successfully call upon internationally-minded people and organizations around the state to share their experiences with our international partners and visitors.

    amaney@iastate.edu