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What does 'sector learning' mean?

Learning and knowledge management are important elements of a mature sector, which should not rely on ad hoc support, but become an integral part of sector capacity. 'Sector learning' is about working across institutional and professional boundaries. A learning sector develops as a result of a commitment towards ongoing improvement and through range of initiatives and processes that create, capture, transfer and mobilise knowledge for joint reflection, innovation and improvement.

Published on: 08/02/2012

What is your most effective bet if you are trying to stimulate an entire set of institutions to continually share knowledge, learn together, improve decision-making and coordination? At IRC we have been struggling with this question for a while and the answers are not obvious, their applications yet less so. We are still working on it under an overall banner of 'sector learning'. We have been mainly been using two approaches to catalyse learning in the countries where we work: 

  1. Resource centre networks (knowledge networks offering independent information products and services to a range of institutions and promoting knowledge sharing and information management);
  2. Learning alliances (multi-level multi-stakeholder processes aiming at using social learning to generate and apply innovative solutions for complex issues);

IRC's understanding of 'sector learning' and how multi-stakeholder learning can be supported throughout the WASH sector evolves through our work with our partners. In 2008, IRC organised a sector workshop on sector learning in Delft and in 2010 we produced our first pamphlet on sector learning: WASH Sector Learning: Anticipating and adapting to change for better service delivery. In that document the we describe our initial insights on sector learning and why it is essential for dealing with a complex and dynamic environment: "Sector learning implies the desire and capacity to do things together, better and differently, based on an understanding that all stakeholders are knowledge providers and users." (IRC 2010) 

We believe that "Sector learning will increase the capacity of the sector to take ownership of challenges and problems and the process of seeking solutions" (IRC 2010). In 2012, we produced a second pamphlet on sector learning: WASH sector learning: continuous improvement for services that last (2012), which focuses more on the processes and elements that are essential in developing a sector that can continuously learn and adapt.

Some key points about 'sector learning':

  • Sector learning is enables the sector to anticipate, respond actively to and influence a rapidly changing environment.
  • A learning WASH sector is one where stakeholders seek to systematically capture and share experiences within the sector and to develop joint capacity to reflect on these lessons in order to adapt and improve service delivery.
  • The concept of 'sector learning' provides a framework at the national level to create, transfer and mobilise knowledge for better service delivery. 
  • Learning and adaptive management require data from sector monitoring and can contribute to sector harmonisation and aid effectiveness.

 

 

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