Research project: Training top civil servants (2010)

Project description & objective

The main objective of this small scale research project is to map the different training programmes that are offered to senior and middle grade public servants. In the first stage of the project information will be gathered on the different types of training programmes available to public servants. The research questions during this phase are

  • what is on the curriculum?
  • what topics are covered and what does not appear to be covered?
  • what are the teaching methods used?
  • how are the training programmes evaluated?

When enough of this information has been collected, the material will be analyzed into categories to show similarities and differences between different training programmes with respect to:

  • Types of topics covered (primarily generic?, primarily substantive? etc)
  • Breadth of coverage (what topics are included and what is excluded – for example do programmes cover equal opportunities issues, ethics, performance management techniques?)
  • Methods of teaching and learning (e.g. balance between lectures and group work, balance between face-to-face and distance learning, extent and type of testing/examination)
  • Agencies used for delivering the training (wholly public, like the French ENA, or wholly private, or by partnership, e.g. between a state body and one or more universities?)

Subsequently, we will also seek evidence on the evaluation of courses – principally by the course members/students themselves, but also by any other accreditation bodies or inspectorates. 

At each stage this project adopts a comparative perspective.  It examines the aforementioned aspects of training programmes in different countries (Australia, France, Germany, the UK, the USA, etc.) The institutions we will look at include the National School of Government (UK), ENA (France), ABD (NL), The Hertie School and the University of Potsdam (Germany), The Australian and New Zealand School of Government and the J.F.Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University)

Methodology

The methodology consists of interviews and a comprehensive literature study.

Some conclusions

The main objective of this research project was not so much to draw some firm conclusions. It was rather our intention to start a discussion about some observations concerning this topic which has not yet been the subject of many academic research.

Nevertheless some conclusions are:

  • there is a great variety in the substantive content and the teaching methods used in training programmes for high fliers;
  • despite of the distinct character of the public service in each country there are some common widespread trends such as the importance of formal training in management, the development of boundary-spanning skills and co-operation across organisations;
  • collective values and ethical sensitivities have become more explicit in the training;
  • there is a greater use of case studies, workshops and other more interactive learning approaches:
  • the role of management consultants is growing (especially in the Anglo-Saxon countries)

Publication

Pollitt Christopher & Op de Beeck Liesbeth (2010). Training Top Civil Servants: a comparative analysis. 128 p.

Research team

Coordination: prof. dr. Christopher Pollitt
polittResearch assistant: Liesbeth Op de beeck