PurposeEquality and diversity are generally positioned as special interests, marginal to the mainstream of social policy teaching and learning. The purpose of this paper is to make the case for shifting equality and diversity out of the margins and into the centre of education for mid career public managers, and offers practical methods for doing so.Design/methodology/approachThe current EU policy framework requires public services to go beyond eliminating discrimination, and to promote equality. The paper suggests that while this offers great opportunities for advancing the cause of social justice, the cultures that predominate in public policy may lead to loss and failure. Academic research and experience demonstrate that these changes are highly complex, touching on issues that are integral to our sense of who we are, and how we relate to each other as educators and students, and as enforcers, beneficiaries and implementers of these policies. The paper touches on deeply held emotions, showing that more exploration of appropriate pedagogical methods is needed.FindingsThe paper finds that only by raising issues of equality and diversity to mainstream social policy teaching and learning is there likely to be a shift in thinking and commitment that will encourage integration of equality measures within management and leadership of public.Originality/valueThe paper offers three dimensions of pedagogy for enabling public service managers to engage with diversity and the equality agenda within educational contexts, and offers three illustrations of pedagogic processes that support this learning.
The reality of the economic crisis and subsequent cuts in public sector funding in some European countries means that the context for public management education is significantly changing. In a period of economic constraint there is the obvious questioning of the cost of public management education programmes and even more of their relevance and academic content. As a consequence of this, there are not only practical challenges for the survival of public management masters programmes during a harsh economic period, but also the challenge for content to remain relevant to the changing environment, and the question of whether they remain a priority not only for those considering taking these courses, but also for those potentially funding and supporting them. Significant cuts to public sector funding have been compounded by a further crisis across many European public sectors and with that the stark reality of both job losses and losses in public service provision. In such a climate there is obvious questioning of the need, and support, for specific public management academic programmes. This article looks at the challenges facing public management education programmes in the UK and The Netherlands, as these two countries are undergoing similar periods of economic restraint in public sector funding and where the requirement for public management education is under scrutiny It argues the need for specific public management programmes despite the blurring of traditional public–private sector divides, and maintains that public management programmes are not only necessary but should continue in order to provide new students and continuing managers with the relevant skills, academic theory and new knowledge needed to manage in contemporary public management. It further argues that public management programmes need to be revised in order to retain their credibility and enable the new type of public manager to be able to manage people and service provision across sectors and in unfamiliar situations. It looks at the current economic crisis in the UK and The Netherlands and attempts to show ways in which public management programmes can adapt by looking at examples to changes to courses in these countries
The traditional academic view of research is to derive new knowledge, generally involving studious inquiry and a search for new theories in order to contribute to an existing academic wealth of knowledge. This is alongside the primary objective of publishing peer reviewed articles in academic journals and the publication of relevant texts.
It is becoming apparent that the environment in which Executive Masters in Public Administration programmes operate has changed dramatically in the wake of economic crisis and subsequent cuts in public spending. Changes in the funding of public sector organisations has been compounded by a broader “crisis” in the wider public sector which has seen job losses, resources pressures, and the questioning of who delivers public services. Despite arguing for the need for public management education in the face of adversity and austerity, the reality is that the demand for traditional university based courses is falling and despite the proven success of XMPA courses, public sector employers are just not funding or releasing their staff in the way that they did to attend these courses. Arguably, they may have justifiable “business” arguments such as loss of funding and staff and increasing demands on resources, ironically some of the senior managers who are saying no to their staff are the very ones who benefitted from more generous employer support themselves. However what this means for the development and continuance of public management programmes is that public management educators have to seriously think how to continue to develop and sustain XMPA programmes and show that they are not a burden to the organization and the sector but are of great value and benefit. This paper argues for the need for public management courses, and in particular XMPAs, during a period of questioning and uncertainty in a changing public sector. It suggests some of the changes to courses and course delivery that are needed and uses the example of the XMPA, public management education programme at London South Bank University. Such suggestions include: Delivering “Bite size XMPA”, portfolio of course accumulation, a Ladders and Bridges Framework, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Changes to course curriculum and content, a flexible approach to course timing and delivering courses off site to organizations. Further developing Learning Communities to respond to specific workplace managerial challenges, creating a safe learning environment and developing case studies from students own professional and practical experiences. The aim of this paper is to consider ways in which public management educators can continue to provide relevant courses and skills and argues that despite the cuts in the public sector and the deprioritization of education and training, Executive Masters in Public Administration (XMPA) are much needed to enable managers to deal effectively with the managerial challenges and dilemmas in service provision, not least citizen’s expectations and demands for improved services at lower cost, brought about as a consequence of the fiscal crisis and resulting public service cuts. The emphasis is on external training in the form of post graduate academic degrees and CPD (which are outside mandatory clinical and essential professional minimum training requirements), and specifically XMPA programmes.
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