Building and Understanding a Learning Network: Early Tales from the UNDP Accelerator Labs

Gina Lucarelli and Jeremy Boy will discuss setting up the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Accelerator Labs Network, a highly decentralized learning network of 90 public sector innovation labs, established inside UNDP to serve 114 countries. They will then present how the Accelerator Labs Global Team listens for the emergence of learnings within the network, by using advanced text mining techniques, applied to the communication channels that ensure the network’s vitality. They reveal the dynamics of the network, as well as its value for sensing and learning about sustainable development challenges, and grassroots solutions.