Client: EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development)
Beneficiary: Inspection Council
Industry: Government Agency
Background: The Government Inspection Council (IC) in Skopje, Macedonia, recognized the need to improve the effectiveness of inspections and the capacity of state inspectorates. To achieve this goal, they embarked on a technical assistance project called “Support to Improve Effectiveness of Inspections,” which required the development of an e-learning and e-testing platform to provide capacity building for state inspectorates.
Challenge: The Inspection Council (IC) faced several challenges when it came to implementing its technical assistance project “Support to Improve Effectiveness of Inspections”. One of the main challenges was that IC needed a platform that could offer course and quiz management, reporting functionalities, and multilingual support. The e-learning solution also had to be scalable, user-friendly, and accessible to inspectors across the country.
Another challenge was the redesign of the IC’s website to suit the requirements of the new LMS system while following the new corporate image of the Government. The new website had to be based on a simple Content Management System (CMS) that provided multilingual support and followed the best internet practices for responsive web design. The updated website had to be accessible in three languages—Macedonian, Albanian, and English—and allow for simple content management, addition, and editing across all three languages.
Furthermore, the IC faced the challenge of developing a total of 42 e-learning courses (8 interactive courses and 13 generic courses) in two languages (Macedonian and Albanian) for capacity building among state inspectorates and to improve the effectiveness of inspections. The IC also had to collaborate with 16 different inspectors who were writing the content. Each inspector had their own writing style, which presented a challenge in developing a cohesive and standardized e-learning experience.
Strategy and Solution:
Design and development of LMS
- Designing and developing a Moodle-based e-learning platform
- Course and quiz management, reporting functionalities, and multilingual support
- Redesigning website to accommodate the new LMS system requirements
- Upgrading the website to follow the new corporate image of the Government
- Providing multilingual support and easy management through a simple CMS.
Development of e-learning interactive courses
- Collaboration with 16 different inspectors to develop 19 e-learning courses, while maintaining a cohesive e-learning experience
- Platform that would manage all aspects of the IC’s various training efforts.
- Developing and integrating functionalities like course and quiz management, reporting, and multilingual support were necessary.
- Development of all e-learning topics according to didactic and methodological rules for adult training.
- Developing 42 e-courses in total for the “Support to Improve Effectiveness of Inspections – Capacity Building-e-learning Platform” project.
Design and development of website
- Providing hosting and maintenance for the website and LMS after piloting
- Delivering training sessions on LMS management, courses, and quiz management using reporting functionalities for the relevant IC staff.
- Creating a solution that was scalable, user-friendly, and accessible to inspectors across the country.
- Creating a streamline UX in order for IC to manage all aspects of their various training efforts.
Results
The partnership with Epistum Skopje allowed the Government Inspection Council to achieve several positive outcomes in their capacity building efforts for state inspectorates:
- Enhanced inspector legal knowledge: The e-learning platform developed by Epistum provided a comprehensive and interactive way for inspectors to learn and acquire new knowledge about laws and regulations in their field. This helped to enhance the legal knowledge and expertise of inspectors, which is critical for effective enforcement of laws and regulations.
- Engaged inspectors: The investment in the e-learning platform and courses showed inspectors that the government valued their professional development and was committed to providing them with the necessary tools to excel in their work. This helped to create a more invested and engaged workforce.
- Shorter onboarding time: The e-learning platform allowed for new inspectors to be onboarded quickly and efficiently. Instead of needing to attend in-person training sessions, new inspectors could learn at their own pace through the platform, saving time and resources for both the government and the inspectors.
- Dual language education: The e-learning platform and courses were developed in two languages, Macedonian and Albanian, to accommodate the language needs of inspectors in the country. This allowed for greater accessibility and inclusivity in the training and development programs.
- Streamlined learning process: The platform included functionalities such as course and quiz management, reporting, and multilingual support, making it easy for the IC to manage all aspects of their various training efforts. This functional LMS helped to streamline the training process and make it more efficient and effective.
- Information retention: The e-courses developed by Epistum were interactive and engaging, making the learning experience more enjoyable and effective for inspectors. The use of multimedia and interactive elements helped to enhance the learning experience and make it more memorable and impactful.
This case study demonstrates the successful partnership between Epistum and the Government Inspection Council, which led to the development of an e-learning platform that provided numerous benefits, including enhanced legal knowledge for inspectors, dual language education, engaged and invested inspectors, and a functional learning management system. The project was completed ahead of schedule and in a professional manner, with outstanding communication throughout. This collaboration is a great example of how partnerships between governments and private organizations can successfully achieve important goals and outcomes.