THE POLIBIUS PROJECTTHE POLIBIUS PROJECT

Building networks of knowledge Building networks of knowledge in Public administrationin Public administration

Higher education & practiceHigher education & practice

International cooperation & MEDAInternational cooperation & MEDA

Carlos Conde Martínez, Universidad de Granada, Spain

REINFORCING THE LINK BETWEEN PA REINFORCING THE LINK BETWEEN PA AND KNOWLEDGEAND KNOWLEDGE

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES:KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES:

““Institutionalized forms of production, dissemination and use of Institutionalized forms of production, dissemination and use of information and analysis about Public Administration”information and analysis about Public Administration”

IDENTIFICATION OF RESOURCES…IDENTIFICATION OF RESOURCES…

• Where is knowledge about public administration?Where is knowledge about public administration?

• How is this knowledge produced, disseminated and used?How is this knowledge produced, disseminated and used?

… … AND ACTIONAND ACTION

• BETTER KNOWLEDGE: Improving research, education and BETTER KNOWLEDGE: Improving research, education and training through international cooperationtraining through international cooperation

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES ON PAKNOWLEDGE RESOURCES ON PA

Academic institutionsAcademic institutions

The outputThe output• Education for lifeEducation for life• Academic research producing principled Academic research producing principled

theorytheory

The approachThe approach (disciplinary) (disciplinary) • PA as lawPA as law• PA as social sciencePA as social science

Public administration (institutions)Public administration (institutions) Public policy (processes and outcomes)Public policy (processes and outcomes) Public management (resources)Public management (resources) Governance (social networks)Governance (social networks) Other: local government, regional studies, Other: local government, regional studies,

public finances...public finances...• Driven by supplyDriven by supply

The institutional settingThe institutional setting• From isolation to intensive networkingFrom isolation to intensive networking

Professional schoolsProfessional schools

The outputThe output• Training for practiceTraining for practice• Applied research solving problemsApplied research solving problems

The approachThe approach (practical) (practical)• New techniquesNew techniques• Professional skillsProfessional skills• Reactive to demandReactive to demand

Institutional settingInstitutional setting (Increasingly pluralistic and diversified)(Increasingly pluralistic and diversified)

• Centralized governmental institutionsCentralized governmental institutions• De-centralized training and consulting De-centralized training and consulting

organizations (local governments, organizations (local governments, associations, foundations…)associations, foundations…)

• Private companies and recently Private companies and recently privatized agenciesprivatized agencies

• Academic institutions related toAcademic institutions related to universitiesuniversities

EDUCATION vs. TRAININGEDUCATION vs. TRAINING

Traditional higher education is based in disciplines and principled Traditional higher education is based in disciplines and principled theorytheory

Usual professional training is limited to techniques, skills and Usual professional training is limited to techniques, skills and oriented to the positionoriented to the position

However: However: • Problems are not about disciplines, but about facts. Problems are not about disciplines, but about facts. If universities If universities

persist in discipline and theory, how responding to cases?persist in discipline and theory, how responding to cases?

• The scope of practical perspective is very limited, it can provoke The scope of practical perspective is very limited, it can provoke important mistakes by not taking into account factors that are not important mistakes by not taking into account factors that are not grounded in practicegrounded in practice

Does training provide with contextual knowledge?Does training provide with contextual knowledge? Does training provide with critical thinking?Does training provide with critical thinking?

RESPONSESRESPONSES Better links between education, research and the professionBetter links between education, research and the profession

• Practitioners in academiaPractitioners in academia• Applied research and consultancyApplied research and consultancy• InternshipsInternships• Supply of in service trainingSupply of in service training

New pedagogical approaches to teach PANew pedagogical approaches to teach PA• Less organization, more processLess organization, more process• Less bureaucracy, more governanceLess bureaucracy, more governance• Less standardization and generalization, more differenceLess standardization and generalization, more difference

Teaching contingencyTeaching contingency Adaptation and transferAdaptation and transfer

• Less lecturing, more student-engaging workLess lecturing, more student-engaging work

New degrees structure and educational strategiesNew degrees structure and educational strategies• The role of masterThe role of master• Joint modules and programsJoint modules and programs• Longlife learningLonglife learning

But don’t reject academic tradition!But don’t reject academic tradition!• University provides graduates with intellectual capacities for lifeUniversity provides graduates with intellectual capacities for life• Academic timing is different to public administration timing Academic timing is different to public administration timing • Freedom to develop new concepts and “telling the truth to power” is a crucial social needFreedom to develop new concepts and “telling the truth to power” is a crucial social need

Learning Public Administration: Learning Public Administration: tendenciestendencies

The content: technical management + democratic governanceThe content: technical management + democratic governance

• PA is composed by a set of techniques and procedures (legal, PA is composed by a set of techniques and procedures (legal, financial…)financial…)

• PA is an actor within the political system (policy options)PA is an actor within the political system (policy options)• PA makes part of the social structure (public services)PA makes part of the social structure (public services)

The approach: from bureaucracy (PA commands and controls) to The approach: from bureaucracy (PA commands and controls) to network (PA negotiates and mediates)network (PA negotiates and mediates)

• The focus on hierarchy is challenged by tendencies to privatization, The focus on hierarchy is challenged by tendencies to privatization, contracting out, decentralizationcontracting out, decentralization

• Increased accountability modifies the target: the point is not how the Increased accountability modifies the target: the point is not how the state works, but how a public problem is solvedstate works, but how a public problem is solved

Multidisciplinary approachesMultidisciplinary approaches Empirical focusEmpirical focus Connection with researchConnection with research

POLIBIUS PROJECTPOLIBIUS PROJECT

REINFORCING ACADEMIC RESOURCES IN THE REINFORCING ACADEMIC RESOURCES IN THE FIELD OF GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC FIELD OF GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC

ADMINISTRATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN ADMINISTRATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGIONREGION

POLIBIUS PROJECTPOLIBIUS PROJECTo GoalsGoals

o Identification and evaluation of academic resources in the field of governanceIdentification and evaluation of academic resources in the field of governance

o Elaboration of an action plan to reinforce these resources through systematic, Elaboration of an action plan to reinforce these resources through systematic, institutional andinstitutional and professional academic cooperationprofessional academic cooperation

Cases: Cases: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine Palestine and Syriaand Syria

o MethodMethod

o Calendar: March 2005 – April 2006Calendar: March 2005 – April 2006o Elaboration of Terms of Reference for national surveysElaboration of Terms of Reference for national surveyso Research at national levelResearch at national levelo Transnational evaluation of the situationTransnational evaluation of the situationo Design and implementation of an action planDesign and implementation of an action plan

SITUATION IN MEDASITUATION IN MEDA

The actorsThe actors

• Public, private and international institutionsPublic, private and international institutions• The role of government in PA higher education and researchThe role of government in PA higher education and research

Big divide between the Anglo-American tradition and the French traditionBig divide between the Anglo-American tradition and the French tradition

• Administrative Law (Maghreb)Administrative Law (Maghreb)• Management (Mashrek)Management (Mashrek)• Little attention to public administration and policy from social sciences perspectiveLittle attention to public administration and policy from social sciences perspective• Exceptions: elite institutions not connected to national public administrationsExceptions: elite institutions not connected to national public administrations

The research deficitThe research deficit

• Formalistic approaches to PAFormalistic approaches to PA• Absence of empirical academic cultureAbsence of empirical academic culture• Lack of applied research, universities do not respond to governmental needsLack of applied research, universities do not respond to governmental needs

The social divideThe social divide

• Mass / elite institutionsMass / elite institutions

EVALUATIONEVALUATION Big challenges in the area of new forms of governanceBig challenges in the area of new forms of governance

• Networks of public service deliveryNetworks of public service delivery• The role of citizens/civil society institutions in governmental The role of citizens/civil society institutions in governmental

affairsaffairs• Management under conditions of public accountabilityManagement under conditions of public accountability

Mistmach between academic supply and policy/practitioner Mistmach between academic supply and policy/practitioner demand in good governancedemand in good governance• Limited diversification of programs and expertiseLimited diversification of programs and expertise• Social divideSocial divide• Research deficitResearch deficit

Limited production and disseminationLimited production and dissemination Lack of empirical cultureLack of empirical culture

NEEDSNEEDS

ProgramsPrograms• Curriculum development: new programs and coursesCurriculum development: new programs and courses• Empirical orientation of educationEmpirical orientation of education• Quality assuranceQuality assurance• Training of trainersTraining of trainers

ResearchResearch• Transnational networksTransnational networks• Young researchers trainingYoung researchers training• Dissemination of researchDissemination of research• Developping methodologies for transfer and adaptationDevelopping methodologies for transfer and adaptation• Reinforcing consultancy capacities and applied researchReinforcing consultancy capacities and applied research

Impact of higher educationImpact of higher education• Relations with the professional world, linking professional schools and Relations with the professional world, linking professional schools and

universitiesuniversities• Challenging tChallenging the social dividehe social divide: i: inclusive strategy, quality for allnclusive strategy, quality for all

INITIATIVESINITIATIVES

Reinforcing researchReinforcing research• Journal of Public AdministrationJournal of Public Administration• Network of young researchersNetwork of young researchers• Workshop in EGPA annual conferenceWorkshop in EGPA annual conference

Links with the professionLinks with the profession• Participation in the network of national schools of PAParticipation in the network of national schools of PA• Intensive training program for officials and scholarsIntensive training program for officials and scholars

Academic developmentAcademic development• Platform for joint curriculum developmentPlatform for joint curriculum development• Quality assuranceQuality assurance

REFERENCESREFERENCES European Public Administration Network materials, European Public Administration Network materials,

available at available at http://bl.ul.ie/epan/http://bl.ul.ie/epan/

Polibius Project, an Inventory of Academic Resources in the Polibius Project, an Inventory of Academic Resources in the Field of Governance and Public Administration in the Field of Governance and Public Administration in the Mediterranean Region (Tempus Meda SCM M014A04)Mediterranean Region (Tempus Meda SCM M014A04)

Bogason, Peter – Brans Marleen, “Making public Bogason, Peter – Brans Marleen, “Making public administration teaching and theory relevant”, EGPA Annual administration teaching and theory relevant”, EGPA Annual Conference, 2005.Conference, 2005.

Thank you!Thank you!Merci!Merci!

Sucran!Sucran!¡Gracias!¡Gracias!