Legal Center of Excellence : Legal and Judicial Development
Project / Program Summary

1. Objectives
   
   To make private and public sector lawyers and related practitioners more capable of meeting the general demand of the domestic and international marketplace, e.g. regional integration initiatives, and the maintenance of international legal obligations enshrined in treaties.
   
   To improve the overall delivery of services in the public and private sector.
   
   To raise the overall capacity and quality of the lawyers and related professionals in the sub-Saharan African region.
   
   To provide permanent continuing legal education seminars for lawyers and related professionals on subjects broadly related to private sector development.
2. Activities / contents / results
   
   
   1. Institutional Framework
      
      Objective: To create an institutional framework to enable the Center to operate and sustain its activities within the existing legal context in Uganda as well as within the wider context of sub-Saharan Africa;
      
      Activity / Result
      
      
      • Negotiate with Government on governmental contribution to the Center
      • Negotiate with Government and all relevant stakeholders on the improvement of the legal status of the Center
      • Negotiate Centers role in relationship to other legal institutions, and achieve formal recognition of postgraduate status to be part of the Institutions of Higher Learning
      • Establish the Center's role as it relates to other sub-Saharan African Institutions
      • Co-opt members of various levels of the organisation according to the Articles of Association
      Indicator: Postgraduate Certificate of the Center (LCE) is well accepted by legal institutions as well as public and private sector practitioners.
   2. Institution-Building
      
      Objective: To develop a fully operational mechanism for the Center to effectively respond to the needs of markets (i.e. target groups) and to achieve self-sufficiency.
      
      Activity / Result
      
      
      • Establish office systems, e.g. accounting systems, organisational structure, reporting procedures - Functional organisational structure in place
      • Constantly review the business plan, and price policy of seminars offered
        
        Business plan and price policy adapted to current market demands
      • Develop fund-raising strategy
        
        Fund-raising activities carried out and additional funding secured
      • Develop a marketing long term strategy and public relations policy
        
        This marketing plan will be effective in generating the participant levels that will be necessary to make the program self-sufficient. If necessary, the marketing plan will be adjusted from time to time to reflect the current levels of self-sufficiency. Marketing plan and PR policy in place; increased number of participants; level of self-sufficiency increased
      • Develop a resource base
        
        The Center will develop a library which will be a resource base of information on subjects on public and private international law and related economic issues for use by public and private sector professionals in the region seeking information on these issues. Through the Centers Website individuals or organisations in the region will be able to order its publications on the latest trends in public and private international law - Resource base in place and accessible to users.
      • Affiliate with other Legal Institutions
        
        In order to meet its objective of providing its beneficiaries with the latest information on public and private international law the Center will affiliate with international organisations and representatives from academia in Europe, Africa and the United States. Organisations such as the International Law Commission in Geneva, the OECD in Paris, UNCITRAL in Geneva, John Hopkins in Bologna, Italy, and relevant sections of the European Union. Affiliations set up and network put in place.
      • Develop demand driven seminars
        
        Through its advisory board and international affiliations the course curriculum at the Center will be constantly updated to meet the changing international and regional demands. Course curriculum constantly updated.
      • Offer legal training
        
        In the project period the Center will offer a series of courses such as privatisation, joint venture, litigation, etc. - 16 courses held and approximately 400 lawyer and related professionals trained.
3. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
   
   Extensive geographical impact on Sub-Saharan Africa

Regional Bureau for Development Cooperation / Austrian Embassy
Crusader House
3, Portal Avenue
P.O. Box 7457
Kampala - UGANDA