１．評価結果要約表（英文）Summary of Evaluation Report
1. Outline of the projectCountry: Lao P. D.
Sector: Other

Name of the project: Lao-Japan Human Resource
Cooperation Center Project (Phase 2)
Scheme: Technical cooperation

Division in charge: Japan Center Cooperation amount: ¥773,155,000 (at the time of
Program Division, Public Policy evaluation)
Department
Period of the cooperation:
2005/09/01~2010/08/31

Counterpart organizations: Ministry of Education,
National University of Laos
Japan’s cooperation organization: Japan Foundation

1-1 Background and overview of the project
Since 1986, it has been a matter of overriding concern for Lao P. D. R. to carry out
economic reforms for the transition to a market economy and develop human resources to address
the issue. In 1995, as part of developing capable human resources, the National University of
Laos was founded, with which the Faculty of Economic and Business Management (hereinafterreferred to as FEBM) began to develop qualified human resources with the support of the Asia
Development Bank. The project was brought to an end in September 2001. The Laogovernment requested technical cooperation from the Japanese government.
Japan formulated a plan to construct the Lao-Japan Human Resource Cooperation Centeras part of assistance for the development of human resources to meet the needs of a country in atransitional process to a market economy. In July 1998 the master plan was proposed to the Laogovernment. Both governments agreed that Japan would provide its assistance as a technicalcooperation project including support for the Faculty of Economic and Business Management of
the National University of Laos and the establishment of the Lao-Japan Human Resource
Cooperation Center.
In July 2000 the governments of both countries signed R/D, and the five-year technicalcooperation project was undertaken in September 2000. Initially, assistance for the Lao-Japan
Human Resource Cooperation Center (hereinafter referred to as LJC) and support for the FEBM
were combined into one technical cooperation project. However, the activities in each category
got growingly vitalized and expanded, and it was decided that the project would be implemented
as two individual projects after 2004 which was the last year of the project. Upon thecompletion of the project, the National University of Laos, the project’s counterpart, highly
appraised the cooperation under the LJC Project and requested to continue the JICA’s assistance.
Hence, the Lao-Japan Human Resource Cooperation Center Project (Phase 2) has been
implemented as another 5-year project since September 2005.

－27－

1-2 Content of the cooperation(1) Goals
a. LJC will perform the core function of human resource development in the area of businessarea for market-oriented economic reform of Lao P. D. R.
b. LJC will be utilized as the key place for mutual understanding between the people in Lao
P. D. R. and Japan.
(2) Project objectives
a. LJC will provide service to enhance human resource development for the market-oriented
economic reform of Lao P. D. R.
b. The information and opportunities to participate in activities for mutual understanding areprovided for people of both countries by the Center.
(3) Outputs
a. LJC’s project implementation system will be improved.
b. LJC will offer practical business courses and business services (factory analysis,
development of entrepreneurs (incubation function) and business matching) for the private
sector.
c. LJC will become the core organization of the Japanese language education in Lao P. D. R.
(to promote networking of resources).
d. The system for providing mutual understanding programs will be established, thereby
vitalizing activities.
(4) Inputs (at the time of evaluation)a. Japan side
Long-term experts – 4 persons (10 in aggregate); Short-term experts – 41 persons:Training in Japan – 27 persons: Training in a third-country – 5 persons (Thailand):
Provision of equipment – 15 million yen: Expenditure for strengthening overseas projects– 108 million yen
b. Lao side
Assignment of counterparts – 16 persons: Staff employed by LJC – 26 persons: Provisionof land and facilities (LJC site and parking lot): Operating costs (utilities, communication
expenses, and base pays for Lao staff)
2. Outline of the evaluation team
Leader: Senya Mori, Deputy Director General, Public Policy Department, JICA
Evaluation and Analysis: Tomoko Matsushita, Chief, Human Environment Department,
INGEROSEC Corporation
Evaluation Planning: Rumiko Nomura, Assistant Director, Japan Center Program Division,
Public Policy Department, JICA
Japanese Course Evaluation: Mamoru IKUTA, The Japanese-Language Institute, Japan－28－

Foundation
Japanese Course Evaluation: Yuri TAKEDA, SAKURA Network Team, Japan Foundation
Duration of the study: Jan. 27 ~ Feb. 11, 2010

Type of study: Terminal Evaluation

3. Overview of evaluation
3-1 Confirmation of performance(1) Confirmation of inputs
The number of C/P’s (meaning Lao staff working at LJC as civil servants; “staff”
meaning staff members separately employed by LJC; “LJC staff” indicating the staff of bothcategories) was increased to 16 persons as of the time of this evaluation. As such, the Lao sidehas been carrying out its responsibilities in its inputs into this project properly under its strong
ownership and commitment. The Japan side also has been injecting its inputs as planned.
As indicated by the abovementioned typical example, it is judged that the civil servantsin charge of both sides have been contributing to smooth progress of the Project.
(2) Confirmation of a degree of achieving the outputs(a) Management of LJC
The project has been facilitated and managed through formulating an annual plan andholding Joint Coordination Committees. In June 2007 the Human Resource Development Plan
was prepared. Thus, in 2007 it was decided at the level of management to appraise the ability ofeach staff member and to set the target to achieve. Based on the plan, LJC began to formulate
training programs for the LJC staff and rate performance. However, the above plan has not beenused to develop capacity. Instead, an alternative performance rating system prepared by the Laoside has been used.
So far, LJC dispatched 27 staff members for training in Japan and five Lao Japanese
language teachers for the Japanese language teacher’s training course held by the JapanFoundation. Besides, Japanese language lessons are offered to all the LJC staff by using the
JICA’s overseas project strengthening expenses. LJC’s social welfare fund covers a part of thetuition fees for one C/P to get a master’s degree in a graduate school. As for the financial affairsof LJC, its business revenues have been satisfactorily increasing. Thus, it is confirmed that
LJC’s management system has been gradually improving from the perspective of financial
sustainability. Nonetheless, it will be required to improve the efficiency of LJC management
further, which will become critical for institutionalizing LJC in the future. Another important
issue is to upgrade the coordination function, particularly the administrative section, to strengtheninter-sectional collaboration.

－29－

(b) Management of the business course
In the past 58 courses were offered in total. In 2008 LJC introduced MBA courses andenterprise management consulting courses, thereby meeting broader needs in comparison to
Phase 1. The number of participants in the courses is approximately 1,400 persons in aggregate.
The participants report a high degree of satisfaction with the courses. That is, the survey carriedout by the Evaluation Team indicates that the satisfaction rate is 88% in the MBA courses, 84% in
the regular business courses and 100% in the enterprise management consulting courses (on-site
guidance and consultation courses). A large percent, 85% on the average, of the participants in
MBA and regular business courses responded that they actually utilized the knowledge learned in
the courses. The result confirms that the lectures with emphasis on practical aspects areconnected with this high evaluation. As an additional effect of the training courses, roughly
80% of them answered that they were (will be) able to achieve better business performance,increase in income and increased the number of employees, etc.
In 2008 the number limits of some business courses were not met. However, LJC’s
business revenues were stable due to the introduction of the MBA courses, and its financial
sustainability is high as well.
84% of the total lecture hours of business courses are comprised of the lectures taught by
the local lecturers.
That is, LJC’s technical sustainability is high except for the lectures that arecharacterized by Japan’s particular features such as the Japanese way of management. Although
LJC has been successfully on its way to establishing a stable management system, it is expected
to upgrade its capacity further towards its institutionalization.
(c) Management of Japanese language courses
At present the courses are offered at nine levels, thereby satisfying diversified needs
among participants. A degree of satisfaction is high on the average among them. So far, 1,996
persons took the courses, that is, a slightly fewer than 2,600 persons at the end of Phase 1. Five
Lao teachers in total participated in the training course held by the Japan Foundation.
Elementary courses are taught by Lao teachers with no particular problems. They arealso able to take nearly full responsibilities for course management. On the other hand, it isdifficult for them to manage independently the courses of intermediate and advanced levels
owing to a paucity of the Japanese language capacity and teaching capacity. New teachers havebeen trained chiefly by the experts in Japanese language teaching dispatched by the JapanFoundation. However, it is difficult for local teachers to give training to teachers without
support due to their inadequate technical expertise. It will be necessary to promote technicaltransfer through, for instance, study meetings for Japanese language teachers.
Through the past activities, networks have been built within Lao P. D. R. and also foroverseas countries. Towards setting up a Japanese language teachers association, meetings have－30－

been held, although irregularly, for persons who are involved in Japanese language education.
As of the time of this evaluation, it can be evaluated that LJC already functions as the key
organization of Japanese language education in Lao P. D. R. based on the following two facts:
first, LJC is the executing agency of Japanese proficiency testing, and second, almost all Japanese
language teaching organizations in Lao P. D. R. use the teaching materials in Lao prepared by
LJC.
(d) Mutual understanding promotion projectIn the past approximately 600 events and projects were conducted, in which more than
4,700 persons participated. LJC constantly hosts various types of events on Japanese cultureand Lao culture, from small-scale events which are held nearly every week to large-scale events.
Besides, LJC organizes higher level mutual exchange projects in collaboration with externalorganizations such as university student exchange projects between Lao P. D. R. and Japan,
orientation and screening for scholarships, “the study-in-Japan fair,” and “the job-fair by local
Japanese companies,” thereby providing good examples of public-private partnership. On the
management aspect, LJC staff is able to organize cultural events with little support. On theother hand, there are no local persons who are able to negotiate with relevant organizations inJapan.
LJC sends out its information to citizens nationwide as its public relations project. For
instance, it has been using a radio program since September 2007 to inform about LJC’s activities
and events once a week and also puts announcements on newspapers two or three times a monthon the average. It is recommended to upgrade further the quality of the homepage that cantransmit messages very quickly. As regards the newsletter that is sent to each ministry/agency
once in three months, a more strategic approach will be necessary in the way to respond to the
feedback from its readers. The number of the library users is about 100 persons per day on the
average. In the past five years, approximately 138 thousand users were registered. The
questionnaire survey indicates that a substantial majority of the users are students, most of whom
use it almost every day. This indicates a high degree of satisfaction.
3-2 Summary of the evaluation result(1) Relevance
The Project’s goals and objectives are relevant particularly with the two aims of thoselisted in the National Socioeconomic Development Plan of Lao P. D. R., that is, “to ensuresustainable economic growth” and “to promote human resource development in all areas” andalso with the Japan’s Assistance Policy. It was observed that there was much need for theactivities carried out by LJC, thereby judging that the scale of the target was also appropriate.
The survey findings indicate that 20% of the respondents replied that their motivation to－31－

participate in the business course, together with MBA and general business courses, was the“wish to learn the Japanese way of management and vitalize their own business.” In fact, some
respondents affirm that they utilize the knowledge learned, thereby producing a good effect.
Based on these findings, it is judged that the relevance of this Project is high.
(2) EffectivenessIn Phase 2, the activities of each section became increasingly diversified to fulfill theneeds of each target group. Both the rate of drawing customers and the rate of return increased
primarily in the business courses. The cost sharing by the Lao side in the project budget hasreached 63% which exceeds the target line of 50% set for the time of completion of Phase 2.
Similarly, the Lao side has already assigned 16 C/Ps to an acceptable level. Hence, it can bepredicted that in all likelihood the objective “LJC will provide services that will help enhance thedevelopment of human resources to address the issue of transition to a market economy in Lao P.
D. R.” will be achieved.
As regards the objective “LJC will provide information and opportunities both to Laopeople and to Japanese people for their participation in the activities to enhance mutual
understanding,” it is assumed from the performance of the past activities that it has been nearly
achieved.
Nonetheless, it will be a critical issue to develop LJC’s staff members because currently
there are no persons capable of designing and managing LJC’s general affairs including the above
two objectives strategically.
(3) Efficiency
Inputs from Lao P. D. R. and Japan have been carried out as planned, and the expected
outputs have been produced satisfactorily. Likewise, the project has been implemented without
any particular problems. Thus, the efficiency of this Project is evaluated to be secured.
(4) Impact
As regards the probability of achieving the goal, it is judged that a part of the goal has
been achieved by now because LJC already functions as the core organization of human resource
development in Lao P. D. R., primarily with business courses and Japanese language courses.
However, in order for LJC to grow into an organization fully equipped with the functions of thecore organization, strategic planning and efficient management are essential. If projects aremanaged with this issue in mind, the probability of fully achieving the goal will be higher. .
(5) Sustainability
In general, the financial position of LJC is good, and the assignment of C/Ps is－32－satisfactory. It can be judged, therefore, that its sustainable growth has been ensured. The
business courses have shown high sustainability both from the financial aspect and from theinstitutional management aspect. Mutual understanding promotion projects have produced
profits through university exchanges and study-in-Japan fairs. An issue in the future will be todevelop staff members capable of planning strategically. It is urgently required to allocate
personnel properly to LJC’s management in general and secure highly qualified employees.
3-3 Contributing factors to the progress(1) Strong ownership by the Lao side
The LJC Project was started as the identical technical cooperation project with the
FEBM support project of the National University of Laos. For that reason, the ownership of theLao side was strong from the beginning. Its strong ownership has been clearly shown in the full
assignment of Lao C/Ps as stated above and in increases in the cost-sharing rate of the projectbudget.
(2) Fostering the linkages with the external organizations
In Phase 2, the domain of activities has been expanded further than Phase 1. Much of it
has been realized through collaboration with relevant external organizations such as FEBM of the
National University of Laos, the Japanese Language Study in the Faculty of Literature, Japanese
corporations, and Japanese financial groups.
3-4 Hindering factors in the Project(1) Communication ability
Meetings of each section and inter-sectional meetings are held regularly, thereby
providing sufficient opportunities to maintain good communication. There is a lack of ability tocommunicate in English.
(2) Content of classes conducted by Lao teachers
Some students point out that Lao teachers lack practical experiences and their classes arebiased towards theories. It is required to improve the method of teaching and the content oflectures.
(3) Intersectional collaboration
It is necessary to enhance inter-sectional collaboration to produce higher effects.
3-5 Conclusion
In comparison to Phase 1, the project has been expanded, thereby achieving greater－33－effects in all sections. It can be concluded that the project objectives have been attained. The
greatest strength of the LJC Project lies in securing the solid ownership of the Lao side andproducing an inter-sectional synergistic effect through the project management by the Japan sidewith explicit emphasis on Japanese features (Japanese way of management, Japanese language
and Japanese culture), thereby contributing greatly to the development of pro-Japanese Laopeople.
3-6 Recommendation(1) Strengthen further the LJC management system towards institutionalization(a) It is essential to increase the number of civil servants who are assigned to LJC in order todevelop more qualified personnel who will fulfill the functions of an “institute.” It isnecessary to increase the number by 10 persons. To do so, it is recommended to giveconsiderations for preferentially hiring as civil servants its staff members who currently workat LJC as quickly as possible.
(b) In particular, the issue to be addressed urgently is to strengthen the function of theadministrative section that coordinates intersectional collaborative projects.
It isrecommended that several of the additional ten civil servants be assigned to the administrative
section.
(c) The cost sharing by the Lao side has reached 63.8% as of now, but it will be necessary tomaintain or raise the present cost-sharing rate.
(2) Business course division(a) One of the goals of the new Institute is to develop the human resources that can deal with theASEAN integration in upcoming 2015. It is important for the business course division to
make a strategy for the new curriculum to fulfill the goal.
(b) In the “institute” Lao teachers needs to acquire technical expertise to teach know-how andknowledge of practical business as well as Japanese experts.
(c) One idea may be to utilize the opportunity created by the “the joint training programs forfostering of entrepreneurs in the Mekong region countries”, which is one of specific measures
under “Further Development of Both Soft and Hard Infrastructure” included in the
Mekong-Japan Action Plan 63 adopted based on the Tokyo Declaration in the First Meeting
between the Heads of the Japan and Mekong Region Countries held in November 2009.
(3) Japanese language course division(a) In light of demand for Japanese language education in the future, it is needed to review the
makeup of its courses. Considering the fact that the dispatch of experts by the JapanFoundation will be brought to an end after the completion of Phase 2, what is required is that－34－

Lao teachers acquire the abilities to design curricula independently.
(b) The Lao staff and lecturers need to continue improving their Japanese skills and teachingskills. It will be effective for the Lao lecturers to participate in the Japan Foundation’s training
program either in Japan or in Thailand. At the same time, one effective way may be thatthey receive guidance at seminars taught by the expert who will be dispatched by the JapanFoundation for the Japanese language class of the Japanese Language Study in the Faculty of
Literature at the National University of Laos.
(4) Mutual Understanding Activities Division
Further shift to the activities with the “added value” is necessary. The activities with the “added
value” may have characteristics such as; 1) May have a positive impacts in networking with thestakeholders of other divisions at LJC (ex. companies, business associations, NGO, etc); and 2)
May improve the abilities to carry out activities with “added values”.
(a) The Lao staff should enhance their capacity to be able to conduct the activities with the“added value”
3-7 Lessons learned
The LJC Project was implemented from the initial stage as the same project as the
support project for the FEBM at the National University of Laos. Since the outset, under theownership of the Lao side, an adequate number of civil servants have been assigned to theProject. Furthermore, since the start of Phase 2, profitable projects have been introduced,
thereby increasing the cost sharing ratio of the Lao side. This case gives a good lesson, which
can be used to work upon local people involved in similar projects as the LJC Project in order toraise awareness of the necessity of ensuring strong ownership and sustainability.

－35－