Competencies based innovative learning solutions for co-development of climate services in West Africa

In developing countries, and particularly in West Africa, the role of Climate Services (CS) for sustainabledevelopment is growing thanks to wide spreading collaboration among European institutions, includingNational Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS) research centers, universities, and homologue localinstitutions. Operationally, the implementation of CSs in developing countries is mainly pivoted on NMHS,which, according to theWorld Meteorological Organization (WMO), are dramatically affected by unmet learningdemand.The global scale of learning needs for co-development of CSs calls for innovative solutions and a range offlexible modalities to reach learners in a variety of ways, and for sharing resources and successful strategieswithin the global education and training community. In order to harmonize expected learning outcomes, WMOdefined a competency framework (CF) for CSs to be used in the implementation of training initiatives andknowledge sharing tools.This paper presents the strategic and methodological approach adopted in the implementation of the TOPaCS,a new knowledge-based distance learning initiative, aiming to provide a flexible learning environment withinthe CSs CF of WMO ensuring coherence with other WMO education initiatives (Global Campus, other RTCs,etc.).The methodological approach adopted is based on the competency-based approach to training, where competenciesare composed by elements of knowledge and skill. TOPaCS integrates the WMO CF for CSs into ataxonomy co-designed with stakeholders at different levels, and allows the definition of learning paths, which area further interactive opportunity for co-development of CSs within the TOPaCS learning ecosystem. Indeed, theapproach aims also to guide further instructional strategies and assessments and becomes a starting point to builda common language enabling a better cooperation and exchange between the different CSs training initiatives.