What does 'sector learning' mean?

IRC's understanding of 'sector learning' and how it can be supported is evolving through our work with our partners. We continue to learn about and develop the concept and approaches to facilitate multi-stakeholder learning.

IRC's new (2012) pamphlet on sector learning summarises assumptions and elements that we believe will lead to a learning sector, or learning at sector level.
Some key points about 'sector learning':

• Sector learning is enables the sector to anticipate, respond actively to and influence a rapidly changing environment.
• A learning WASH sector is one where stakeholders seek to systematically capture and share experiences within the sector and to develop joint capacity to reflect on these lessons in order to adapt and improve service delivery.
• The concept of 'sector learning' provides a framework at the national level to create, transfer and mobilise knowledge for better service delivery. 
• Learning and adaptive management require data from sector monitoring and can contribute to sector harmonzation and aid effectiveness.

In 2008, IRC organised a sector workshop on sector learning in Delft. Some quotes from the 2010 brochure on sector learning: 

"Sector learning implies the desire and capacity to do things together, better and differently, based on an understanding that all stakeholders are knowledge providers and users." (IRC 2010)

"Sector learning will increase the capacity of the sector to take ownership of challenges and problems and the process of seeking solutions." (IRC 2010)