The Berenschot Academy

In 2007-2008, the Berenschot Academy spread its wings in Africa. It did this in collaboration with the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy (NIMD), with the aim of assisting local centres in formalising and professionalising their organisations. Three learning methods are at the heart of the Academy: the conceptual (knowledge, content), reflective (peer supervision, behaviour) and experimental (NIMD Project) methods of learning. The programme’s content is established in close collaboration with its participants.

The 19 participants were divided into two groups focused on the centre in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and Lusaka (Zambia) respectively, and into two additional teams. The first two teams travelled to Africa in November to explore the centre and the political environment. The second set of teams followed in March for further in-depth work. All teams were guided by a Berenschot teaching coach and by EsteamWork, an organisation that looked after the preparation and logistics for the trip.