International Center for Promotion of Enterprises
The International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) is an intergovernmental organization, established on the initiative of the United Nations mandated to pursue and promote international cooperation in areas related to public sector management, sustainable entrepreneurship, sustainable development and promotion of knowledge-based societal change through research, training, consultancy and information services in these fields.
ICPE is the first intergovernmental organization located in Ljubljana, Slovenia (EU) and has 18 member states from Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe. ICPE functions as an EU-based training and research hub for member states, affiliate members and other partners, facilitating the exchange of ideas and practices between counterparts from different world regions.
In addition to hosting international expert group meetings, global fora, seminars and short-term executive training programs for public officials, businesses and scientists, ICPE conducts an International MBA programme in partnership with the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, since 1989. ICPE has been publishing a refereed international journal Public Enterprise for over 30 years and has produced over 50 other publications in cooperation with the World Bank, ILO and UNIDO, all of which are available internationally.
Origins
ICPE traces its origins to the International Center for Public Enterprises in Developing Countries set up on a UN initiative in 1974, which was reconstituted as an intergovernmental organization in 1980 with more than 40 developing countries as its member states. In 1997 the formal name was changed to International Center for Promotion of Enterprises by a Resolution of the ICPE Assembly. This gave the Center a more ‘inclusive’ and broad-based mandate in keeping up with the changed economic and political priorities of the new host country, Slovenia, and many of the leading member states, including India.
Organization
The organs of the Center are the Director-General, the Assembly and the Council.
Director-General
The Director-General is nominated by the Council and is elected by the Assembly. The Director-General is the chief executive officer of the Center with full powers to administer the Center.
Up to three Deputy Directors-General can be elected by the Council on the recommendation of the Director General.
The current Director-General of the ICPE is Dr. Anand Asthana.
Assembly
The Assembly is the supreme organ of the Center and is composed of delegates representing the members of the Center. Its purpose is to:
- formulate policy and lay down general guidelines for the work of the Center;
- adopt mid-term and two-year programmes for work of the Center and evaluate its functioning, including financial operations;
- determine the regular contributions of members for financing the adopted programme of work of the Center;
- decide on amendments to the present Statute;
- approve the rules of regulating the financial operations of the Center;
- decide, on recommendations of the Council, on the admission of new members and observers;
- elect members of the Council;
- elect the Director-General of the Center;
- consider any other matters relating to the objective and activities of the Center.
Member country Bosnia and Herzegovina is the current President of the Assembly.
Council
The role of the Council is to:
- propose to the Assembly long-term and mid-term programmes of work of the Center and propose the financing of these programmes;
- supervise the implementation of the accepted programmes and the functioning of the Center;
- in conjunction with the Director-General of the Center, adopt the measures necessary to implement the programme of work of the Center and to put into effect the other conclusions and recommendations of the Assembly;
- approve the annual budget of the Center presented by the Director-General;
- undertake necessary steps for timely and regular payment of membership contributions to the Center;
- consider requests for admission of new members and submit recommendations to this effect to the Assembly;
- examine the reports of the Director-General on the functioning and activities of the Center;
- call for special reports from the Director-General when necessary;
- adopt general regulations concerning the organization, composition and terms of employment of the professional personnel of the Center and the conditions for cooperation with external experts;
- approve the rules concerning the rights and duties of the administrative and technical staff of the Center;
- perform any other function entrusted to it by the Assembly.
The current Chairperson of the ICPE Council is Maja Makovec Brenčič, Minister of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Slovenia, with Anton Vratuša being the Council's Honorary President.
International Cooperation
ICPE maintains close contacts with UN programmes and agencies, especially with UNIDO in Vienna, UNCTAD in Geneva, the international finance institutions (IFIs) and the EU.
The work of ICPE has been highlighted in a number of EU strategic documents, including the 2009 EU-Brazil Summit Joint Statement, the EU - India Joint Action Plan and the 2009 EU-India Summit Joint Statement. A variety of research and consultancy projects are undertaken with regional and national chambers of industry and commerce as well as universities, private and public enterprises and other institutions around the world including countries outside ICPE’s membership.
Activities
Global Seminars and Expert Group Meetings
ICPE hosts frequent conferences, seminars and expert group meetings, providing a unique platform for the exchange of ideas and best practices among practitioners, academics and other stakeholders. The aim of these meetings is to facilitate paradigm shifts in the way governments and enterprises address their most important governance, management and leadership challenges.
A Global Training and Research Hub
One to four week modules bringing together participants from different global regions for in-depth immersion on a given subject. The first half of the module is typically conducted at the ICPE headquarters in Ljubljana, while the second half takes participants on a tour of businesses and international organizations in different EU countries.
MBA
ICPE conducts an International Master Programme in Business Administration with an emphasis on Public Sector Management and two modules: General Management and Public Policy. The course is tailor made for officials, policy makers and executives from ICPE Member states in order to bridge the knowledge, experiences and good practices between developed and developing countries. The two year full-time programme MBA-FELU-ICPE, conducted in one year in collaboration with the Faculty of Economics at the University of Ljubljana, has produced over 600 graduates from 45 countries over the last 25 years. The program partner holds the prestigious EQUIS accreditation from the European Foundation for Management Development as well as the AACSB accreditation.
Projects
The ICPE conducts research and consulting for the benefit of member states, affiliate members and other partners. The Center works with partners to secure requisite project and program funding from Development banks, IFIs, the EU and others.