Networking of development knowledge is an integral part of the CUI’s programming. This process plays a fundamental role in building, sustaining and improving the effectiveness of urban governance initiatives incorporating both learning and sharing components. In terms of learning, it provides a mechanism for CUI to inform and improve its international development work through awareness of the experiences of others. And in terms of sharing, it provides a vehicle for CUI to analyze its international development experiences and allow others to learn from them.

CUI has a comprehensive approach to building a body of development knowledge that allows the organization to:

• Learn from the experiences, best practices and lessons of other institutions and donor agencies involved in similar urban governance and local government capacity building initiatives (including Canadian-based experiences), thereby improving our interventions.

• Analyze and synthesize our own experiences and lessons learned in light of the overall development objectives of our bilateral funding agencies and in terms of the global development charters of the United Nations and other multi-lateral development institutions.

• Influence regional and national level policy makers in our partner countries to improve policy, legislation and regulations related to good urban governance based on lessons learned in our programming.

• Improve cooperation and coordination with other development organizations involved in urban governance (including national development agencies in the partner countries, other Canadian organizations, bilateral donors and multi-lateral agencies).

• Better inform and thereby mobilize the CUI’s constituency (i.e., our membership of urban professionals from local governments, the non-profit sector, the private sector and academia) to participate in our international development activities.

• Promote involvement of stakeholders from our overseas partner countries/regions in program activities, thereby increasing the effectiveness of CUI’s interventions.

• Raise Canadian awareness concerning international development work that CIDA is undertaking and the results being achieved, in line with CIDA’s Public Engagement Strategy.