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General Information on TCDPAP

1. General Background
It has been observed over the last thirty years or so that the emergence and rapid diffusion of new technologies, through the creation of new products, processes and services, are restructuring the global economy, and are also changing the characteristics and performance of many conventional products and processes.

While the emergence of new technologies has created new challenges, It has also opened up new windows of opportunity for “latecomers” to industrialization. It is, therefore, it is, therefore, imperative for developing countries and economies in transition of build up capabilities in new technologies, especially at the enterprise level. And apart from the emergence of new technologies a technical sense, innovation takes place in management styles and organizational structure often as a result of the new technologies.

The Consultancy industry has been going through rapid and profound changes, as the twenty-first century looms nearby, certain implications begin to emerge. Small firm in developing countries will have to find and secure well defined niches as specialist attempt to acquire the more dynamic small and medium-sized firm.

In the above context, the Technical Consultancy Development Programme for Asia and the Pacific (TCDPAP) was established in 1992 following the adoption of a Memorandum by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The Asia-Pacific Center for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) also supports this programme. Both are UN Agencies.

TCDPAP is an Organization of Consultants representing fourteen countries. Its member countries bedsides Nepal are Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. TCDPAP plays an effective role in the promotion of Consultancy profession and is instrumental for resolving the problems inherent in the consultancy industry in Asia and the Pacific region, and for promoting collaboration and global partnership.

The Consultancy Development Centre (CDC) at Delhi is the Focal Agency to implement and monitor the programmes of TCDPAP up the year 2000, pending establishment of permanent Secretariat.

2. Objectives
The primary objectives of the TCDPP include promotion of domestic consultant and technical services entrepreneur in national and regional projects in the ESCAP region through promotional programmes and continues growth of consultancy and technical services capabilities including meaningful transfer of technology for better sharing of globalization benefits.

The export and import of consultancy services to and from developing countries within the ESCAP regions one of the major objectives within the broad philosophy of TCDPA.

The Programme aims:
i. To promote better utilization of local consultants in national and regional projects in the ESCAP region through establishing, developing and continuously updating an information system and programmes; and disseminating such information to end –users in a timely and orderly manner, as related to:
a) Existing consultancy capabilities within public and private organization and institutions, as well as science and technology, research and development and engineering design institutions, institutions of higher learning providing consultancy services and professional associations.
b) Available opportunities for collaboration and/or joint ventures in consultancy works.
ii. To develop, introduce and popularize schemes to enhance local consultancy capabilities through policy measures, institutional arrangements and training programmes in the approaches and methodology of providing consultancy services.
The programme will provide a framework achieving these objectives through technical cooperation activities among and between national apex Consultancy organization, government institutions, and relevant non-governmental organizations and institutions of the region, as well as international organizations such as ESCAP, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/(ITC).

3. Activities
Seven major categories of activities are to be undertaken within the programme:

• Training and continuing education

• Information documentation and dissemination

• Advisory services

• Joint research/general studies

• Institution strengthening and policy formulation, and

• Collaboration programmes

• Forums of representatives of participating bodies

4. Workshops/Conferences
TCDPAP has successfully held nine Annual Workshops/Conferences on various themes in Delhi, India (1995); Beijing,China (1996); Dhaka, Bangladesh (1997); Kathmandu, Nepal (1998); Lahore, Pakistan (1999); Beijing, China (2001); Kuala Lampur, Malaysia (2002), Hanoi, Vietnam (2003); and Bali, Indonesia (2003).

It is generally believed that the 21st century will be a century of extra-ordinary development of knowledge-based economy and all developing countries will greatly strengthen their economic development and the consultancy in the next millennium will definitely propel the profession in TCDPAP countries.

The success of TCDPAP will be a small yet important catalytic factor in underpinning the present burgeoning international investment, trade and technology flows within the Asia-Pacific region.

The heightened awareness of the important of consultancy services to the region's industrial and technological infrastructure and its reading position provides a unique opportunity to increased support to the TCDPAP so that national consultancy networks can derive direct and tangible benefits therefrom. International credibility for consultancy services in the Asia-Pacific region is a major objective for TCDPAP. This will require a substantial effort on behalf of all members of the Executive Committee viz: Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan and Republic of Korea to see that the biennial programmes of works formulated for TCDPAP, in accordance with the medium-term plans adopted by the General Council, are actively supported at the national level so that the fruits of regional cooperation can be fully utilized.