Alumni Ishmael Dodoo is selected for UNDP LEAD programme
ECI are pleased to congratulate former Norman and Ivy Lloyd African scholar Ishmael Dodoo was successfully selected for the UNDP LEAD programme and has been working with the African Regional Bureau office from June 2008. Reflecting on his time at ECI and his future role Ishmael commented:
"When I won the Norman and Ivy Lloyd African Scholarship for a competitive graduate science course at the ECI, Oxford University, I felt very humbled; being an African coming to study in Oxford this felt like a big challenge. The course had already developed a reputation for high standards and academically strong students. But thanks to my course mates I found myself settling in quickly. I was amazed at their support and the high quality of interaction we had. In particular the frequent spontaneous policy thinking debates that found their way into our lecture sessions. I could recall with nostalgia the level of knowledge exchanged; the depth of experience shared from different backgrounds and the innovative solutions espoused for some of the most challenging environmental and development problems of our time- climate change, poverty and responsible environmental governance.
I gained a lot not only from the course but also from my course mates! The knowledge and experience gained from the course has certainly helped in my professional practice as an Environmental Consultant with ProForest Ltd, a very dynamic natural resource consultancy also based in Oxford. Particularly, international perspectives developed through the course made a lot of difference to some of the challenges I faced in my professional practice which includes facilitating a global multi-stakeholder initiative for developing the first ever global certification scheme for sustainable palm oil and contributing to similar processes for soy and other biofuel feed stocks commodity initiatives across the world.
Also as an African, the course enabled me make significant contributions to environmental sustainability policy debates within the region and in particular my native Ghana.
Recently, I have been recruited for the UNDP Leadership Development Programme (LEAD)- a highly competitive recruitment process. My portfolio will involve helping to direct the UN system’s operations, policy and programmes in various African countries in the following practicing areas: poverty reduction, environment and development, democratic governance etc. This is another fabulous opportunity and part of the credit goes to the ECI, Norman and Lloyd African scholarship, my former course mates and my professorial mentors; I am very grateful indeed!"