THE POLIBIUS PROJECT Building networks of knowledge in Public administration Higher education & practice Higher education & practice International cooperation & MEDA International cooperation & MEDA Carlos Conde Martínez, Universidad de Granada, Spain

REINFORCING THE LINK BETWEEN PA AND KNOWLEDGE KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES: KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES: “Institutionalized forms of production, dissemination and use of 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 ACTION … AND ACTION BETTER KNOWLEDGE: Improving research, education and training through international cooperationBETTER KNOWLEDGE: Improving research, education and training through international cooperation

KNOWLEDGE RESOURCES ON PA Academic institutions The output The output Education for lifeEducation for life Academic research producing principled theoryAcademic research producing principled theory The approach (disciplinary) The approach (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, public finances... Other: local government, regional studies, public finances... Driven by supplyDriven by supply The institutional setting The institutional setting From isolation to intensive networkingFrom isolation to intensive networking Professional schools The output The output Training for practice Applied research solving problems The approach (practical) The approach (practical) New techniques Professional skills Reactive to demand Institutional setting Institutional setting (Increasingly pluralistic and diversified) (Increasingly pluralistic and diversified) Centralized governmental institutions De-centralized training and consulting organizations (local governments, associations, foundations…) Private companies and recently privatized agencies Academic institutions related to universities

EDUCATION vs. TRAINING Traditional higher education is based in disciplines and principled theory Traditional higher education is based in disciplines and principled theory Usual professional training is limited to techniques, skills and oriented to the position Usual professional training is limited to techniques, skills and oriented to the position However: However: Problems are not about disciplines, but about facts. If universities persist in discipline and theory, how responding to cases?Problems are not about disciplines, but about facts. If universities persist in discipline and theory, how responding to cases? The scope of practical perspective is very limited, it can provoke important mistakes by not taking into account factors that are not grounded in practiceThe scope of practical perspective is very limited, it can provoke important mistakes by not taking into account factors that are not grounded 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?

RESPONSES Better links between education, research and the profession Better 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 PA New 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 contingency Teaching contingency Adaptation and transfer Adaptation and transfer Less lecturing, more student-engaging workLess lecturing, more student-engaging work New degrees structure and educational strategies New 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 timingAcademic 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: tendencies The content: technical management + democratic governance The content: technical management + democratic governance PA is composed by a set of techniques and procedures (legal, financial…)PA is composed by a set of techniques and procedures (legal, 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 network (PA negotiates and mediates) The approach: from bureaucracy (PA commands and controls) to network (PA negotiates and mediates) The focus on hierarchy is challenged by tendencies to privatization, contracting out, decentralizationThe focus on hierarchy is challenged by tendencies to privatization, contracting out, decentralization Increased accountability modifies the target: the point is not how the state works, but how a public problem is solvedIncreased accountability modifies the target: the point is not how the state works, but how a public problem is solved Multidisciplinary approaches Multidisciplinary approaches Empirical focus Empirical focus Connection with research Connection with research

POLIBIUS PROJECT REINFORCING ACADEMIC RESOURCES IN THE FIELD OF GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

POLIBIUS PROJECT o Goals oIdentification and evaluation of academic resources in the field of governance oElaboration of an action plan to reinforce these resources through systematic, institutional andprofessional academic cooperation oElaboration of an action plan to reinforce these resources through systematic, institutional and professional academic cooperation Cases: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria Cases: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria o Method oCalendar: March 2005 – April 2006 oElaboration of Terms of Reference for national surveys oResearch at national level oTransnational evaluation of the situation oDesign and implementation of an action plan

SITUATION IN MEDA The actors The 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 tradition Big 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 deficit The 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 divide The social divide Mass / elite institutionsMass / elite institutions

EVALUATION Big challenges in the area of new forms of governance Big 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 affairsThe role of citizens/civil society institutions in governmental affairs Management under conditions of public accountabilityManagement under conditions of public accountability Mistmach between academic supply and policy/practitioner demand in good governance Mistmach between academic supply and policy/practitioner demand in good governance Limited diversification of programs and expertiseLimited diversification of programs and expertise Social divideSocial divide Research deficitResearch deficit Limited production and dissemination Limited production and dissemination Lack of empirical culture Lack of empirical culture

NEEDS Programs Programs 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 Research Research 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 education Impact of higher education Relations with the professional world, linking professional schools and universitiesRelations with the professional world, linking professional schools and universities Challenging the social divide: inclusive strategy, quality for allChallenging the social divide: inclusive strategy, quality for all

INITIATIVES Reinforcing research Reinforcing 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 profession Links 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 development Academic development Platform for joint curriculum developmentPlatform for joint curriculum development Quality assuranceQuality assurance

REFERENCES European Public Administration Network materials, available at European Public Administration Network materials, available at Polibius Project, an Inventory of Academic Resources in the Field of Governance and Public Administration in the Mediterranean Region (Tempus Meda SCM M014A04) Polibius Project, an Inventory of Academic Resources in the Field of Governance and Public Administration in the Mediterranean Region (Tempus Meda SCM M014A04) Bogason, Peter – Brans Marleen, “Making public administration teaching and theory relevant”, EGPA Annual Conference, Bogason, Peter – Brans Marleen, “Making public administration teaching and theory relevant”, EGPA Annual Conference, 2005.

Thank you! Merci! Sucran! ¡Gracias!