About PRIA International Academy - Global Environmental, Social & Governance Training

Established in 2005 as the educational arm of PRIA (Participatory Research in Asia), PRIA International Academy (PIA) advances PRIA’s mission to empower citizens and institutions through knowledge and capacity building. Drawing on over four decades of PRIA’s practical experience, PIA offers learning opportunities for students, development professionals, and public administrators. Its courses blend academic rigour with real-world insights, promoting lifelong learning as a pathway to personal and professional growth.

1982

Participatory Research in Asia (PRIA) is founded
PRIA applies the principles of participatory research and adult education to design and deliver training programmes for government officials, development workers and activists
This culminates in the development of the Participatory Training Methodology (PTM), founded on the belief that individuals have the capacity to learn from their experiences and drive social change through reflection and action
PRIA's Training of Trainers (ToT) workshops equip grassroots activists and change-makers with the tools for critical self-reflection and personal development

1986

PRIA releases a landmark manual on Participatory Training Methodology (PTM) , which continues to be regarded as a foundational text for development practitioners
PRIA launches regional Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes in various Indian languages, including Gujarati, Telugu, Bengali, and Hindi

1987

The methodology goes international, with PRIA organising a workshop in South Korea in collaboration with the Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE)
The methodology is applied to organisational development (OD), participatory evaluation, and participatory monitoring and evaluation (PME) of civil society organisations and donor agencies
PRIA’s training programmes evolve to include a focus on gender, facilitating an experiential understanding of gender in everyday life

1990s

PRIA focuses on developing methods and tools for institutional strengthening of voluntary organisations
The Management in Development (MIND) programme nurtures hundreds of civil society 'startups' that continue to serve marginalised groups across India today
PRIA coordinates grassroots voices from the Global South in monitoring the World Bank’s Participation Policy and helps form a global coalition to advocate for capacity building for NGOs from the Global South

2005

In response to the growing need for systematic learning and challenges faced by civil society—PRIA establishes the PRIA International Academy (PIA)
PRIA International Academy (PIA) adopts a mixed-mode (online + offline) learning approach to share knowledge and skills with practitioners and development actors globally

What sets PRIA International Academy apart

Global knowledge leader in participatory methodologies
Target groups include multiple stakeholders such as students, faculty, field practitioners, managers, trainers, government officials, educators and analysts, among others
Excellent understanding of contextual nuances at local, national and international levels, given PRIA's 43-year global experience
PIA's learning programmes are theme agnostic as participatory methodologies apply to all social development areas
Long standing reputation and partnerships across the world, built on a strong value-system and deep knowledge expertise