Centre celebrates 40th anniversary

The Centre for International Development and Training (CIDT) is a self-financing, not-for-profit centre based at the Telford Campus.

Launched in 1972, CIDT aims to contribute to poverty reduction and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable people through various projects around the world.

To mark the anniversary, the Centre has produced a booklet commemorating 40 years of work in countries such as Nepal, Malawi, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Botswana, Libya and Afghanistan. The Centre also hosts training programmes at the Telford Campus, most recently for a group of Bangladeshi civil servants and people working in forestry management.

A celebration event was held at the Telford Campus to mark the occasion on Wednesday, 11 July 2012, and staff members past and present were invited to a Ceilidh and party.

Head of CIDT Philip Dearden, who has worked at the Centre for 25 years, said: “Reaching 40 is quite a milestone. For us it has been an opportunity to reflect on what we’ve achieved, the moments that stand out and to look ahead to the future.

“A lot of people have been changed through the training programmes they have been on or the work we have done. We haven’t changed countries but we have changed things on an individual level, and we have made a serious contribution to a number of projects internationally.

“Our mission is to ‘help people to find their own path to development’ so our focus is to support, coach and mentor rather than tell people what to do. We are proud of what we have achieved in our 40 year history, and it is only possible thanks to the dedication, hard work commitment of our staff.”

The booklet charts projects and training programmes offered by the Centre during the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and since 2000 and provides some of the international context in which staff members were working.

It also includes an introduction by Vice-Chancellor Professor Geoff Layer, who says: “This special part of the University of Wolverhampton has played an important role in social and economic development and formed partnerships that have transformed the lives of thousands of people around the globe.”

CIDT specialises in two main areas: training and professional development, and project management, evaluation and technical assistance. For more information, visit www.wlv.ac.uk/cidt

ENDS

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