Tim Corbin
IRF Holds Training on 3 Continents
Confirming its status as the industry’s most trusted brand in continuing education, IRF held simultaneous training events in Doha (Qatar), Abuja (Nigeria) and Bali (Indonesia) on major industry topics, with each course carefully elaborated to meet the needs of local and regional road professionals.
[/column] [column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] [push h=”30″] [/column] [column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”]PPPs in the Road Sector, Bali, Indonesia (with pic)
Participants representing engineering firms, road agencies, regulatory authorities, and financial institutions took part in this IRF Executive Seminar. The seminar focused on PPP on steps and strategies needed to execute successful people projects. The lectures were given by true PPP practitioners who have taken several PPP projects to financial close. Value for Money Analysis and the need for “Bankable Projects” was emphasized throughout the course. Additionally, participants were taken through all the steps needed to successfully to implement a PPP project from identifying a project and getting the political will to financial close. The seminar also introduced the participants to the complex financial elements associated with PPPs and the different options available in a government’s toolkit to get the financing needed. Delegates also went through a group exercise were they were given a hypothetical project situation and they had to evaluate using financial and risk models that are used by professionals to determine project viability.
The seminar is part of an overall IRF strategy to provide the road with tools and alternatives that can be used to bridge the global infrastructure gap that both developed and emerging markets face.
Road Safety Audits, Doha, Qatar (with pic)
A training course was developed with Qatar University to present state of the art methodologies and cutting edge technologies that have been field tested to reduce traffic injury risk through auditing & inspections. This three day training program place an emphasis on pedestrian safety since 28% of the fatalities in Qatar are pedestrians. Workshop attendees received the necessary theoretical background and applied practices, with specific application to the roads and highways of Qatar roads, to ensure their risk identification programs are effective and impactful. The training included a virtual road safety inspection of an actual road section in Qatar, which was very productive for all.
This was the first training program in a series of training programs by Qatar University to meet the Qatar National Road Safety Strategy.
Output & Performance-Based Road Contracts, Abuja, Nigeria (with pic)
IRF and the Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers organized a 3-day workshop in Abuja to educate stakeholders on the concept of performance-based contracting. Stakeholders who attended came from both public and private agencies. A delegation from Uganda was also attended the workshop and shared their experiences with performance-based contracting. Workshop participants were taught the principles, components, techniques, and benefits of good output and performance-based contracting. The contents were on well-accepted best practices, and relayed the most relevant applications as they relate to project planning and programming, target delivery, quality assurance and target evaluation. Participants also had the opportunity to develop and implement performance-based contracting techniques by actively involving themselves in group exercises during the workshop.
This workshop comes at a critical stage as Nigeria like many other African countries seek to revamp infrastructure systems using successful present day approaches. The attendance at the Opening Ceremony by 2 Cabinet Ministers underscored the importance of PBC’s to Nigeria.
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