CDI-IPD | Indonesian Parliamentary Researcher Training | Jakarta | 20-21 December 2011

Building on its longstanding and close relationship with the Indonesian parliament, CDI, in cooperation with the Institute for Peace and Democracy, ran a training course for parliamentary research staff in Jakarta on 20-21 December 2011. The goal of the training was to increase the capacity of researchers to respond to the needs of the parliament, including Members, committees and other parliamentary bodies and political party caucuses in the Parliament of Indonesia (DPR - Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat or People’s Representative Council).

The Indonesian parliament is supported by information, research and analysis provided from two main sources: staff from the Pusat Pengkajian dan Pengelolaan Data dan Informasi ( PPPDI - The Centre for Analysis and Data and Information Management), and specialist advisers (tenaga ahli) attached to committees, other parliamentary bodies and party caucuses.

Before the training, CDI carried out an assessment of the needs and capacity of research support in the DPR, including interviews with management and researchers, as well as users of the service. It was clear that while existing services have a lot to offer there is a need to increase the researchers’ understanding of the specific needs of the DPR in terms of type and presentation of information and analysis. It was also clear that potential users of services needed more information about what was available. In addition, about half of the PPPDI researchers were recent recruits with limited parliamentary experience.

The CDI/IPD training was designed to address these needs. The two-day curriculum included topics such as international comparisons of parliamentary research services (Uganda, Australia, Sweden); pro-active research services (UK case study); practical policy research vs. academic research; analysis and writing for our audience; DPR research needs (Member’s experience); and others. CDI utilised adult training methodology that builds on participants’ experience and perspectives and includes a range of different techniques to engage participants’ different learning styles.

Along with 22 researchers from PPPDI, five specialist staff from political party factions in parliament attended the training. According to the end-of-training evaluations, 93% of participants found the training ‘highly satisfactory’ or ‘satisfactory’. Participants requested further opportunities to learn more about international norms and experience of parliamentary research services and about the needs of their own clients and potential clients. 

The training was designed and delivered by Vanessa Johanson Alpern and Ketut Erawan, with input from Stephen Sherlock and Hazelia Margaretha.

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